A I S E H M A N . O R G

When I was growing up, it was all about mixing. Different races, and by extension different cultures, mingle without inhibitions though conscious of prohibitions from religions.

That's what I would call my Malaysian way...

Any disagreement out there?

What brought you and the others together, botak?

I guess it's like asking, what are the things that ALL malaysians would be willing to go to WAR for?

'Elusive' - you are right, because I really can't think of any, on first thought.

As a minority, i guess to me, it's the fact that we are MODERATE, HALF-WAY HOUSE from everybody/everything else, such that we r free to experiment with our lifestyles, cultures, values, goals.

In other words, my Malaysia is defined more by what we are 'NOT TOO':

not too arabic, extremist, utopian, backward, violent, aggressive, rude, arrogant, self-centered, ignorant (like the current (and forever???) Middle-East, China (when it was under 'real Communism', though changing now), India (before the current economic boom n development)...

- Although each of our ethnic groups are probably more TRADITIONAL than the rest of the world, in that we are VERY serious in wanting to protect our respective traditions n cultural values.

Sadly, we are also not too advanced, developed, intelligent, 'first world' in our mentality... At first sight, these negative things might not be what hold us together, but our shared, collective frustration at being taken for a ride and saddled with clowns as leaders does indicated that we are UNITED (not just 'solid') in hoping that our country will become like the first world, one day.

Come to think of it, maybe it is our collective INFERIOR COMPLEX??

Malays might regard themselves as not as great a people/pedigree as their Indon cousins n the Mat Salleh penjajahs;

Muslims always feel (or make themselves feel) that they are always SECOND class in both religious 'substance' and 'form' to their Arab brothers, and wished they could recite the Qur'an with 'that' kind of Arabic accent - while the 'secular' ones always hoping to be treated as 'one of them' by the Mat Sallehs when they go holidaying in London and Perth;

Chinese feeling that their fellow 'Descendants of the Dragon' the world over (except Indonesia?) r always marching forward together with their host countries (including the tiny RED DOT) while they themselves r not progressing, but fast being left behind as the bottom class of 'the Great Chinese Race' and maybe falling out altogether one day; while being saddled by their fellow sons-of-the-soil countrymen who are constantly looking back to BEFORE 1957 (remember Najib's theory of "exploited/marginalised since the Portugese came, so 30 years are too short"??);

Indians who somehow feel that they are forever playing catch-up with the fairer races as well as their upper caste bros living among themselves in Malaysia, while constantly learning to 'adopt' the 'White Way' of living n hoping to 'move up'?

(Don't think i'm making myself popular here, but to me, soul searching is not the same as self-flattery...)

Maybe, it's THIS collective inferiority complex which has kept us together, because we are always everybody's 'peripheral actors' (eg. asian actors in white films)?? that even when we are not being treated as equals by the outsiders, at the end of the day we are made to feel at home here, by the presnce and company of each other???

Peace... (don't shoot me...)

Good point but all these things are left in the wayside when shite hits the fan and every dude worth his weapon of choice spout his chauvinistic drivel.

Gastromic ideals then become the province of copywriters promoting Malaysia, truly Asia to the world and a favourite topic for those remininscing of a Malaysia where unity and solidarity is the item du jour.

Well, Malaysia has good food and more importantly, good people like you around.

God bless this nation.

Muhibbah.....this term seems like a forgotten term....

The idea of a "Malaysian Way" or "American Way" is such an vague ideal. Politicians keep touting it, but when pressed no one has a clue what it really means.

Of course, I would say that our society is so fragmented today that it would be difficult to get everyone to rally around any single symbol as a show of solidarity. And even then, it would just be that: a show.

We'd beat our chests and wave our flags and sing our poorly-written national songs, while the underlying problems continue to grow.

We should rally agaisnt common disease instead. I think that alot of Malaysian society is highly susceptible to disease that arise from a poor diet. Too much carbs n sugars killing us by way of diabetes, heart disease etc. All the food you mentioned is cheap, but is a recipe for heart attack by age 54. We should start a culture that promotes health foods. Hopefully a huge market for health foods will drive down prices.

Botak, don't we all wish it were so.

These days, methinks The Malaysian Way is anything BUT.

Among other things, it's now the seeking of shortcuts to this or to that. Most notably, shortcuts to easy money. Is that a Way worth defending?

These days, I'm a tax-payer first, a patriot last.

Too bad.

I think you've got a valid point here. Emphasise similarities and common interests. The politicians are prophets of doom, nothing less. Don't see anyone raising the keris an a live telecast of a ManU match at the mamak stall. Don't need to. Whoever does it there will get fucked right there and then.

The Malaysian way, well let see 'Macam Macam Adaa.. and of course the 'Malaysia Boleh'. What its actual means, your guess is as good as mine. Lets go for a TT. I believe TT is one of the Malaysian way, for TT means Teh Tarik and Roti Canai or Nasi lemak. Just SMS TT and you are on the way. Malaysia Boleh!!

I like the novel way I.C. applied reverse thinking and came up with the 'collective inferiority complex'.

And from his/her apt but brief description thereafter, I'd say that the Malaysian Way is still alive and kicking. High self-esteem with a dash of self-humility will go a long way towards achieving the precious solidarity that most of us seek.

Yes, it was evident in the past as lamented by botak, perhaps, a natural outcome when everybody had a sense of belonging. Back then, as an example, everybody had their representative in the national football team with the likes of Arumugam, Santokh Singh, Soh Chin Aun, Hassan Sani, James Wong, Mokhtar Dahari, etc. We shouted ourselves coarse when Malaysia trounced South Korea 8-1, left the stadium a little earlier to grab a bite at our favorite har mein stall and rushed for the last bus taking us home. There wasn't much talking by then. Everybody was just relishing the euphoria of winning as a team.

However, if there is one constant in life, it is change. Did change for the worse in Malaysia happened because of politics, or rather, politicians? If so, change them. Vote them out of office. And get them out of sports associations too.

If people like NTR, and by extension UMNO, thinks that 49 years is too short to reverse the centuries of malays being colonised, he'd better look at how Japan and Germany redeemed their collective self-esteem after being soundly beaten to become industrial giants during the same timeframe.

As long as there's a possibilty that UMNO will lose bigtime in the next GE, I am hopeful that the Malaysian Way of Life will be resurrected soon enough.

i can tell you what i wish the malaysian way was -

instead of listening to what bad politicians say about the state of ethnic affairs in our country, drawing conclusions based on our own daily interactions with malaysians from different backgrounds.

it's never as bad as fear-mongers make it out to be, but never as good as the top honchos like to pretend it is. i bet we coulda gotten a real long way towards genuine muhibbahness if it weren't for BN's interest in perpetuating ethnic division.

When I was in Sekolah Rendah Kebangsaan, I was 'colour-blind' and I assumed so were everyone else. When I was in Sekolah Berasrama Penuh & tertiary institutions, I was exposed to the good, the bad & the ugly of 'colour-coded policies'. Well, two good things came out of it though: I speak flawless Malay (for a Non-Malay) & I still have good friends from those days to relive the memories.

I agree with Solb1 Kenobi: My concerns are 'practical' - taxes & expenses to pay, food on the table & etc. Patriotism to die for? The politicians aren't much of role-models, are they?

When we're overseas and happen to meet along the road or in a shopping mall, we instinctively know hey that's a malaysian. First things reaching out are warmth, familiarity, maybe a bit of curiosity. If we then talk, there's no stranger-ness. Probably if one gets into some trouble, the other will just extend a hand to help without calculating anything.

All this is missing when we see each other everyday here in our own country.

This is strange. By nature, I think we are an open lot of simple folks. Some try to affect the lifestyles and behaviors of those in faraway places. Like, you know, drive a stretch limousine in a town with only narrow roads and wobbly bechas. Or show very poor taste in architecture. But by and large most of us are in the main somewhere in the middle.

That's a strength. Being in the middle means if something were to go wrong, there's a buffer on both sides before you reach the extreme limits.

Azmi Sharom (ex-prof law iiu?) wrote a splendid piece in yesterday's Sun on the Umno GA etc. and his POV seems to sit comfortably in the middle.

Finding comfortable middles and staying there, and be seen to stay there and defending to stay there - that's something to think about.

But honestly, I don't think the problem lies anywhere within the other communities. And you already that, don't you?

We must do whatever we can to help one another. It's not a communal or racial thing and therefore it's not a race-based matter.

Just the other day he worked from 8am to 11pm with maybe 20 minutes break. He needed the extra overtime pay, probably to save up for something. A hardworking steady Malay kid. Not much you can make an hour in a fast-food joint. There are so many examples of the others too. The Indian fella bicycling to wash cars in some housing estate, the Chinese girl house-to-house distributing some leaflet from a supermarket.

No difference anywhere. Even at the pasar-malams, side by side, rain or no rain. Or waiting for the bus or train.

They just said we can't depend on the 'grow the economic pie' in order to nurture unity. That's because they know they have caused unity to fracture due to their bad administration of economic and fiscal matters.

Wait a bit and you will find that PFI (private finance initiative) is actually, whoa, privatisation returneth, and the daimification of future earnings.

You know-lah what had happened to toll rates and concessions the last time; you also know when they used Danaharta on the assets of those PN4s, whose company ultimatey appropriated them for a song, resold for handsome profits. You will soon know who's going to benefit from this plantation merger or that newspaper consolidation.

If the gut's straight down, chances of getting constipation will be less. All their manoeuvering for personal agendas actually tie up the gut of this country. The natural Malaysian feeling can't come out because people start to feel uncomfortable inside. While they are the ones only to get bloated.

Aisehman,

U asked: "What brought you and the others together, botak?"

The commonalities we share, I supposed.

The many ways we wanted to ape the mat salleh.

The little town we were all living in, with little space and much lesser distraction that my children seem to have in PJ.

The "us" and "them" attitude - by them I mean the teachers who were all, except for one, from bigger towns. They resented posted to a town that have only 1 row of brick-and-mortar houses, and have to live in the next town 10 miles away. We stuck together on the notion (misguidedly, perhaps) that if we do, they won’t mess around with us.

The Scouts movement, led by a local boy made good as a Teacher in our secondary school.

The compulsion to take part in sports sessions after school. And the bonding from inter school games.

We were so absorbed with our commonalities, we forgot our differences. The unifying place was the school. The bonding activity was sports.

As for adults, the many bodily expressions exchanged without inhibitions and in place of proficiency in a common language, enabled cross-communities commerce. Pakciks come to my village to sell kuih just as Ah Soh went to sell other things in kampongs.

Now most people and most media space often remind us of our differences. The print media thrives on it. Your, and others, blog commentary space depict it. Come to think of it, even Tourism Malaysia promotes (unwittingly of course?) it with their tag line: Malaysia, Truly Asia.

Am I half-right to assert that we seem to thrive on differences, without really making differences count?

A Malaysian way I think is lost. Many believed in this principle. Can we accept it now without individual niche interpretation?

"WHEREAS OUR COUNTRY MALAYSIA nurtures the ambitions of:

achieving a more perfect unity amongst the whole of her society;
preserving a democratic way of life;
creating a just society where the prosperity of the country can be enjoyed together in a fair and equitable manner;
guaranteeing a liberal approach towards her rich and varied cultural traditions; and
building a progressive society that will make use of science and modern technology.
NOW THEREFORE WE, the people of Malaysia, pledge to concentrate the whole of our energy and efforts to achieve these ambitions based on the following principles:

BELIEF IN GOD,
LOYALTY TO KING AND COUNTRY,
THE SUPREMACY OF THE CONSTITUTION,
THE RULE OF LAW,
COURTESY AND MORALITY."

For me its drinking whiski!

Aisehman,

I think Unity is not a wrong word tho' I would agree that solidarity would be appropriate.

If we observed the social fabric, it isn't the problem about unity per se. The Malays, Chinese and Indians, and the Sabahan and Sarawakians, they seems capable to work alongside each other. Talk to the business people and you will find Malays and Chinese and Indians are partners strategically. The Malays had their strong areas such as diplomacy, PR, negotiation skills and knowledge. The Chinese are good at working long hours and networking with suppliers and sub-contractors. The Indians, they too have their strength.

The fundamental problem as identified by many, including those from UMNO is the problem of "Trust" and "Phobias" largely created by UMNO when they too often shouted rhetorics which scares off the others. Additionally, the issues of uneven playing fields and meritocracy played up by UMNO caused much suspicions and tends to group up the opposing side to built defensive stands and disintegrate the social fabric. We are hearing and reading too much of these negative elements from UMNO and as they are the ruling regime, the other communities had to wake up to these calls and distrusts are built and calcified.

The whole dilemma can be erased with affirmative actions and only UMNO can lead this change of mentality and eradicate the phobias.

As a non-Malay and I believed many others shared my opinion, we aren't against affirmative actions to assist the Malays in whatever way to uplift their economic status and to eradicate poverty. But eyes can see and observed that NEP and Malay Agenda wasn't benefiting the Malays as a whole except those within the coterie and those aligned with the Oligrachy. Even that, the non-Malays didn't care (except the politicians who are using these rhetorics to gain support). For as long as the non-Malays are provided with education up to university level and that they are allowed to fend for themselves without the worry of robbery and theft, tho' they have to work hard and toil day and night, the govt can continue to assist the Malays in whatever ways they want. Of course there are also many non-Malays who are lazy and poor. But these are not the central issue that caused the rife. The central issue is deprivation, marginalisation and threats, not from the Malays, but from UMNO who uses their own forum to shout slogans and pour diatribes. The Keris is a harmless tool if they are kept in the sheath. But when the question was posed: "when do Hisham wants to use it" and a second poser: "we will bath in the blood", would you, if you are on the other side, gets angry and agitated?

Nobody should threatened others with such words unless they are sworn enemies. I can accept the fact that the Palestinians would shout such words, the Talibans would shout such words, and Saddam's supporters would do so; but not UMNO who are the Barisan government and whose partners are from all communities.

Yet, we aren't seeing any remorse and olive branch except for a soothing phrase from the PM. However, what PM says would mean nothing as his own son-in-law had so often enunciated the same uncalled for phrases.

Its sad, yet it's the truth. Only UMNO had the solution but it will not be forthcoming unless the general election is near. But thereafter, everything will be back as it is.

malaysians regardless of race are all piece of shits. these people aren't brought up properly by their parents. its no wonder as their fathers were busy playing boardgames,mahjong and not to mentioned get drunk at liqourshops.the mothers on the other side are kept busy with doing shopping on the streets. Thats why Malaysian ended up like this. These people are belong to planet of apes!!!

whether the malays want to accept it or not, we have ALL suffered as a result of colonialism. eg. many chinese were 'sold'/brought to 'the south sea' against their will. our 'parent countries' - China and India - were both invaded by the colonial powers, and many our ancestors came here because they didn't want to suffer there. and many have found greener pastures here, and prospered.

so, to the pendatangs (including those many Bugis, Achehnese, Sumatrans, Jawanese, pirates, slave-traders etc from Indon and surrounding islands, some have even managed to set up their little kingdoms which survive until today), malaysia was a paradise. they were determined to settle down here and make it their new home.

for the 'sons of the soil', this is also a paradise - it's their homes. but their homes have been intruded by rude and loud pendatangs. now, they r forced to put up them. but so long as they r also making tons of money, they can live with these pollutants.

so, maybe, to be brutally honest, whatever we had in common was as result of us being forced to put up with each other as a result of colonialism, as well as the attractions of materialism and wealth - the 'gold mine' of malaya.

which means, our common interests should be the preservation of a capitalist market economy, and the right to be as greedy and as filthy rich as we could so long as nobody is allowed to kill anybody else in the process.

i guess that would explain why chinese ('the capitalists') got more worked up about NEP than anything else, because to them, the NEP violates the cardinal principles of capitalism - a fair and equitable free market. (read: prevent them to become more greedy and filthy rich.)

that would also explain why the malays got equally worked up about NEP - because it allows them ('the putras') to be as greedy and as filthy rich as they want to. they don't mind throwing in Islam, Malay honour and pride into the dirty war so long as they can be greedy and rich.

the indians don't really care whether NEP or not, so long as they also can become as greedy and as filthy rich as the rest.

MONEY AND GREED. that's the malaysian way to me.