Melayu, the falling race
Apart from religious animosity, racial ones play an equally important role. On a global outlook, scores of blood and sweat has been poured in the name of a person's race. The popular whites vs blacks, the Hispanic-White conflict, the Australian Indian saga, Rohingya problem in Myanmar, the Kurdish-Arab conflict. You name it. The thin line that defines one's race especially in an increasingly melted pot does not stop the patriotism or prejudice that continues blatantly in the world today. Even in a "peaceful country like Singapore where no race or religion has been much of an issue, this facade can be easily tested upon. Hence, today, I would love to touch on this special race, the Malays.
Technically, I am not a true Malay (Bawean instead) but due to some local Singaporean laws, my entire family except my father had officially adopted the race Malay. The Malays is a term defined by the people from the Malaccan Empire founded in the 14th century or so that stretched across the malay peninsula in what is now Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei, Phillipines but was defeated by a colonial powerhouse, the Portuguese. the people fled South. Some said the Malays originated from the Indo-China regions (Cambodia, Laos etc) but based on the Sulalatus Salatin, a brief history guide of the Malays, they descended from Alexander the Great himself.
The Malays are known to be one of the most astoundingly accomodating race. Originally animistic in religion or pagans believing in roh or spirits that resides in trees or bushes, there was also strong influence from the Bhuddist and Hinduism practices that fluorished before the malaccan empire. In fact, most of the traditional customs and traditions are derived from the three combined religion before Islam came in the form of traders and merchants from india. the Sanskrit language and text quickly became Arabic and Jawi, an Arabic-influenced language. The malaccan empire itself had close links with the Turkish Ottomans.
However, in the face of globalisation and power, the malays are weak in these areas. Militarily weak, the Malaccan empire fell on the second Portuguese attack. The Temenggong and the supposed Sultan of Johor in Singapore gave away the Malay lands easily to the British Empire with a small bribe(despite dying penniless later on) and the Dutch took Indonesia just as easily. losing their own land foolishly, the malays would find it hard to rise again. During colonial times, the malays mostly minded their business in segregated kampongs while the Chinese migrants flocked in exploiting the resources here in Singapore and controlling the economy. Till now, the malays are understandably the poorest race in Singapore, and the ITEs are full of them. Education is not their strength for sure with a large proportion of the malay community stuck in the poverty cycle. Even with the assimilisation of Romanized Malay to replace the Arabic Jawi, the Malays find it hard to adapt. Getting a single non-GRC seat in politics is IMPOSSIBLE for a malay and they are known as the "lepaking" race. A term to define "slacking" in a cool way:)
In Malaysia, if the Malays were to lose their seats in Parliament which i doubt so due to some unjust tweaking in their constitution that gives the malays additional rights. Without the government, the malays would lose everything. Economics wise, the chinese monopolised the market there. Without the government, the malays are doomed for sure. It is time for a change as they all say. Jemaah Islamiyah, a terrorist organization, has one of it's objectives to "reclaim" Singapore to the hands of the Malays. Their ways are wrong for there are better ways to regain one's racial honour. Till that day, cheerios:)
Technically, I am not a true Malay (Bawean instead) but due to some local Singaporean laws, my entire family except my father had officially adopted the race Malay. The Malays is a term defined by the people from the Malaccan Empire founded in the 14th century or so that stretched across the malay peninsula in what is now Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei, Phillipines but was defeated by a colonial powerhouse, the Portuguese. the people fled South. Some said the Malays originated from the Indo-China regions (Cambodia, Laos etc) but based on the Sulalatus Salatin, a brief history guide of the Malays, they descended from Alexander the Great himself.
The Malays are known to be one of the most astoundingly accomodating race. Originally animistic in religion or pagans believing in roh or spirits that resides in trees or bushes, there was also strong influence from the Bhuddist and Hinduism practices that fluorished before the malaccan empire. In fact, most of the traditional customs and traditions are derived from the three combined religion before Islam came in the form of traders and merchants from india. the Sanskrit language and text quickly became Arabic and Jawi, an Arabic-influenced language. The malaccan empire itself had close links with the Turkish Ottomans.
However, in the face of globalisation and power, the malays are weak in these areas. Militarily weak, the Malaccan empire fell on the second Portuguese attack. The Temenggong and the supposed Sultan of Johor in Singapore gave away the Malay lands easily to the British Empire with a small bribe(despite dying penniless later on) and the Dutch took Indonesia just as easily. losing their own land foolishly, the malays would find it hard to rise again. During colonial times, the malays mostly minded their business in segregated kampongs while the Chinese migrants flocked in exploiting the resources here in Singapore and controlling the economy. Till now, the malays are understandably the poorest race in Singapore, and the ITEs are full of them. Education is not their strength for sure with a large proportion of the malay community stuck in the poverty cycle. Even with the assimilisation of Romanized Malay to replace the Arabic Jawi, the Malays find it hard to adapt. Getting a single non-GRC seat in politics is IMPOSSIBLE for a malay and they are known as the "lepaking" race. A term to define "slacking" in a cool way:)
In Malaysia, if the Malays were to lose their seats in Parliament which i doubt so due to some unjust tweaking in their constitution that gives the malays additional rights. Without the government, the malays would lose everything. Economics wise, the chinese monopolised the market there. Without the government, the malays are doomed for sure. It is time for a change as they all say. Jemaah Islamiyah, a terrorist organization, has one of it's objectives to "reclaim" Singapore to the hands of the Malays. Their ways are wrong for there are better ways to regain one's racial honour. Till that day, cheerios:)
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