raising the race against the religion

I have no intention in writing anything so taboo that would jeopardized my good relations with any of my friends; near or far, close or not-so-close, malay or non-malay, muslim or non-muslim, malaysian or non-malaysian. 

I was tagged on my FB wall to watch the S'pore PM's announcement with regards to the death of Mr LKY (Link 1: http://www.pmo.gov.sg/mediacentre/statement-prime-minister-lee-hsien-loong) and my hubby shared with me this write-up by the Prof Mohamad Tajuddin of UTM Skudai's Associate Professor who had condemned the "Malays" respond towards his "very very bold" daughter's act on hudud in Kelantan. (Link 2: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/sideviews/article/raising-a-family-of-true-malaysians-mohamad-tajuddin-mohamad-rasdi) 

I can't stop writing and rewriting this post in my mind, and as I'm doing it now, I must share my thoughts!

I am no expert in Malay development and history and everything. Trust me. I am no racist and do not label me as a religious extremist because I will only be happy to be called an extremist by the Almighty and not anybody else. Do not get me wrong. I am not picking fights, and I am not looking for any cheap publicity. I am not a formal educator, but I'm a mother. I may not have any thesis that entitled me to be called Professor, but I have values which I upheld. 

The Prof (as I will call him in this post, though my hubby has a more suitable name for him but I doubt that I want to type it out and explain to my kids "why does mama swear and curse?") is an insult to any humankind. I guess I'm entitled to label him whatever though I'm younger in age, I'd say our experiences were matched.

Since kindergarten, I was introduced to friends from different ethnic, I was in Capitol Kindy where the principal was an Indian lady who would speak English though we could hardly understand a word she's saying. I went to a primary school with a Chinese Principal, Ms Davidson, who would carry the rattan whenever. I have few good non-malay friends, Ka Pin, Jessica and many others and we never noticed we were different from each other. We went to Jess's house to celebrate Christmas, we visited Ka Pin's during Chinese New Year. And as I entered the lower secondary, St Mary School was among the school which has balanced ratio of students of all races, from different background (rich and not-so-rich, spoilt and struggled, smart and playful). I went to a supposed to be all-Bumi boarding school in Perlis during my upper secondary, and we have ten Chinese who joined us and we were friends, good friends. 

I was blessed with the opportunity to futher up my studies in the UK, into an International College of hundreds and hundreds of nationalities worldwide and as I pursuit my Degree in UK as well, we (my and my buddies) picked a place of fewer Malay's community just so we blended in. Or perhaps, during that time, I was 'quite young' and my perception about my own race is that "these people are good for nothing and all they want is to find horrible things about you and talk about it behind your back". Yup, I was one of those who avoided Malay associations and gathering, just because. 

When I started working, I set my ambition high. I wanted to work with foreigners. I landed a good great job with a local company.. we were all Malays and Iraqis. I quit as I wanted to work with a MNC and hired to work with the Americans. But, as manufacturing is not really my cup of tea, I resigned and got a job with another MNC, and my colleages were of various races, chinese, malays, indians, english, scottish, greek, americans and we worked with the japanese, french and italianos, 

There you go, don't tell me I can't argue with this Prof who claimed to have vast experiences with people worldwide while his resume (online) was just Malaysia, USA, Asia (perhaps) and others that he met over the worldwide seminar or educational conferences of days and weeks events. Oh, and he went to the Chinese school... so?

I have no issues with any of the races. I have few non-malay close friends (whom I still owe lunch meetups..sorry guys!), I picked the house we bought with a road of less malay. My neighbour nextdoor is nice chinese couple with two lovely children. And our there were indians and more chinese and more indians, and malays too. 

I do not want to post this blog at the first place as I do not want these lovely people think of me being too strong on my roots. They might read this post in different tone, and please don't let it be in a negative tone as I have no intention at all. 

And I have no intention to belittle my roots, the Malays, by all means. I always thinks it's the malay that is lazy. it's the malay that is too unconventional and deny development. it's the malay that is closed-mind. But, I remembered talking to one of my chinese friend who is complaining about it's the chinese who is kiase, it's the chinese who is selfish. it's the chinese who is rude. and on and on... trust me. should there be any racist issue raised by anybody, it's the race itself.. we know best how our race is because we are part of the race!be it good or bad!

out of sudden, due to one stupidity who knew the risk she's taking in stirring the community's unison (and then started apologizing with such an unacceptable stupid reason), the father came to her rescue. 

again, i'm a parent too. when someone scolded my child, will always be not the same feeling of when i yelled at my child for the same mistake he did. we will be defensive. we will protect them no matter how silly they behaved. but The Prof is being ridiculous. His grown-up daughter should be matured enough to know the risk she's taking. And as she took it, The Prof, a father who has all the time in the child world to groom his daughter, blame the Malay. He blame the education system. No doubt, I have issues with our education system. But that doesn't mean there's nothing I can do about it. If I can't change the generation, I can get it right with my children. The science syllabus did not teach the animal classification but teach them about animals lay egg vs give birth.. I introduce to him reptiles and mammals. We can surely blame the syllabus, but we can sure make it right. Especially, for The Prof. He is the educator,part of the system. What was on his mind when he made such remarks? All he can proved is what a failure he is, as a father who had a chance to teach his kid values but she shows no value to the public, and he failed big time being a lecturer in public university and couldn't produce any good new generation that he even needed to send his kids to the private universities to educate them. i was mad when i read his column, but as i wrote this, i sympathised.. o my o my, how incompetent and impotent this guy is!

this guy was so ashamed of his own root (while he/his child enjoyed the 'partial loan from MARA' and I'm sure he was on either JPA or MARA when he was pursuing his degree oversea). Shame on you Prof!! Shame on you!!!! yes, i agree, i do feel guilty to some of my non-malay friends who were having difficulties securing loans and scholarships due to the non-bumi status, but then again.. there's always a give and take which i don't intend to elaborate here. but you, riding on your malay status, and giving such remarks to your own status, speaks for your intellectual level; zero or perhaps -104.

so, what do you do best? 

a father? toot!!!! we've seen it all!

an educator? toot!! i have friends who are 'real' professor (and i mean not associates!!) that all they care about the students, the well beings and even the parents.. while they can have their own good life doing some other thing... that, sir, is an educator! you?? you are a big joke in the system. please remove yourself before you embarrassed the field sooner or later!!!!

a good muslim??? o my, this is the big disgrace and insult to intelligent. i'm okay with the UMNO and PERKASA people who could never differentiate Malay and Islam. It was annoying and unacceptable at first. and it was the main reason I don't vote. but then, learning that most of them are not so privileged and blessed with good knowledge and high-level of thinking/education, I opt not to comment about it. but you???? you??? which part of RACE and RELIGION that you've can't seem to understand??? For goodness (it sounds more nicer with the f&*!-word) sake, it  never is the same!!!!! even my 7-year-old son knew that! Malay is a race and Islam is a religion!! you can't relate malay and islam as the same. especially for a person with such a broad "international" exposure like you, you can't equate them!!!!! what's so difficult to understand that??? That is why, when you filled in any form, they will be race column and religion column.. because it's not the same!!!!

so, you claimed you knew Islam, you learned Quran, you go to the mosque and you watched the youtube about Islam. Alhamdullillah. but then again, to quote "Second, motivation gurus and Western spiritualists teach us that our differences in race and religions are our strengths and not a cause for conflict. No man can live alone and so likewise no race or society can exist."  O mister, we, Islam, do not need the motivation gurus or the Western spiritualists to tell you that. Look in the Quran (and if you got it misprint, please let me buy you a copy, of the right one) which specifically tell us

"O mankind, indeed We have created you from male and female and made you peoples and tribes that you may know one another. Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you. Indeed, Allah is Knowing and Acquainted."

-Surat Al-Ĥujurāt, verse 13-

Really? You didn't know this exist that you need motivation gurus for that? Look, I'm no angel. I was (as you put it in your write up) once not "ritualistic Islamic". I failed to pray as I should, and tudung was way not too cool for a person that have a nice natural curl like me. But of course, my religion is always a Muslim. And then, news of me diagnosed with cancer woke me up. While it might be such a traumatic disaster, I still can't thank Allah enough how blessed I am to have this turning point. Some (and perhaps most) of my friends might think I have converted myself to an ISIS organization. They are more scared to approach me as compared to my non-Muslim friends. But of course, if the change is good, why can't accept it? And trust me, people misjudged others. We never knew what are others' struggles..we have to stop this mindset of 'assuming' and 'judging' just because of their two-liners FB status. And I do not want to judge you, sir. But, then, you were so 'open' with such comments and unintelligent  remarks that could hardly avoid people from judging. why? why? why? why did you do what you did??????????

Please Prof, be thankful that you are even entitled to enjoy the free air you are breathing in and out at no charge by the Almighty. Be grateful that you are born from you mother's womb and has the privileged to hear the azan the second you came to this world. Be proud of you root being a Malay, an ethnic that has its own identity (and even Mr PM of Singapore started the condolences speech in Malay and we knew he has the option not to do so ). Just be wise when you want to speak your mind up because looking at it now, it's totally has been violated and misused!!!!!!

Note to my children (and The Prof too):
1. Stop the blaming culture!! That's coward!
2. Walk your talk!! Do not claim you are good at something (such as educating young generation) and reflect the other way round (and nope, insulting anybody or anything publicly is not educating!)
3. Learn the difference!!Race and religions is not the same!! Never!!
4. Read!!Read!!Read!! Especially before you want to voice your ridiculous thought out loud to the public!
5. Be smart! Take calculated risk only when you are ready! Once you've sealed the deal, be manly enough to face it!  
6, Respect others! If you can't say anything nice, just don't say anything!
7. Do not look down on others just because you were an oversea grad! You were supposed to go and venture the outside world so that you can evaluate what's good and what's bad and pick your choice and open your mind! Just because people are not in sync and agreeable to you, doesn't mean you are right and they are wrong!
8. Have lots of friends of all races, all ages, all beliefs and all antiques. Share their experience and vice versa!! 
9. Be proud of your roots!!
10. Count your blessings!! 
....

There you go, I've said it.. phew!!!!
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