A look into the so called name identity

Hi there, everyone.

I know that I've been unfaithful by not posting anything. In fact I have so many things that I want to post about, but I have not been able to. Guess I am lazy.

But what I'm going to post may be controversial. Here's what.

I suggest, for the sake of unity, Malaysians should rename themselves, follow the nationalistic approach of Thailand and Indonesia.

Heck, I don't mind if i can retain the word "Badi" in my name. "Hang Badi, Hang Jambul" or whatever. As long as the names are standardized.

Now, I am going to break some rules of blogging. I don't mean to, but I want to put the message across. And this is how I do it.

Anyways, here's the thing. 50 years of nationhood, and I'm a second generation Malaysian. Spesifically, of the chinese ethnic. Now, I think I once posted that there's something to be proud of being a Malaysian. No, its not about a countryman of mine going around earth's orbits or the even recent one about winning a silver medal in the Beijing Olympics for male's singles badminton (God dammit, we want the Thomas Cup!), or any of that sort. Its the passport. Noticeably, the most advanced passport in the entire earth. Heck, that's something to be proud of.

However, there's also something about the passport that irks me and many other people. You see, I hold a Malaysian passport. When I go to Singapore, I am called a Malaysian. When I go to any parts of the world, despite the fact that I have a similar skin tone to those of banana fruits (its an insider racist joke, folks) I am still called a Malaysian.

Heck, that's part 1.

Now, here's part 1 extended. A Malaysian friend of mine, of chinese ethnicity, "returned" to China. Why did I use "return" instead of 'visit'? That's because many chinese in Malaysia still thinks that China is their motherland. Irregardless of their generation. The term 'many' may be questionable, but it is still a sizable group of humans in a piece of land called Malaysia, who are somehow yellow skinned (or kins to yellow skinned people)and thinks that way too. Now here's the situation. He went back, and proudly proclaimed "I'm back to visit my motherland".

He turned a few chinese heads. And at one point, he got an answer "You're just a fucking Malaysian". End of story.

He 'came down' back to Malaysia. And the people called him "you're a Chinese!". Look at the nouns.End of story.


Heck, what's the point of upholding the name "Yee Tzyypirng" if my 'fucking' grandmotherland (since it ain't my motherland anyway) refuses to even recognize me as part of hers? No, i'm not insulting the Chinese nationality, and neither am I insulting Malaysian chinese, but hear me out on this one before you guys start to comment.

For years and generations the Malaysian chinese have argued that we ought to keep our names because it represents who we are. Culture, heritage, traditions. I say its all a lost game. Do you see Malaysian chinese kids running around greeting their elders with a bow? Do you see the young Malaysian chinese pausing in their steps to allow the elderly cross before them?

Heck, the point here I'm trying to put forth is that, we young Malaysians have our own culture, tradition and values that we uphold. Irregardless what race we are. But if we insist on being 'a part of a another group', please for the sake of upholding the argument, check the reality. I only think that the only 'real chinese' are people of Taiwan and people of Hong Kong. And when I meant by this, I meant the Han Chinese (not including the minor ethnic chinese of other chinese 'sub-race' [again the use of sub race is arguable]) (I hope this isn't a derogatory term for them). And I mean as in how they live, how they think, how they act, and how they presents themselves.

Those are the real 'fucking chinese'. Malaysians are just fucking Malaysians. You can try hard to be a chinese, but in the end you're just another 'ngoi chut yan' (outsider) to them. Now you can understand my angst. Because I think its time to really think forth and speak for ourselves where do we stand.

Change the name. Check. But does that mean we erode our rights to practice what we believe in? Definitely not! It's not like we can't celebrate the Chinese Lunar New Year, or have Dragon dance or Lion Dance thrown in to it. Even 'gwai lous' are doing lion dance in Australian chinatowns. It doesn't mean that because we give up our names, we give up our rights to live as we chose to.

I know many chinese are going up to be upset with what I've said. Some will call it substant-less, some will call it derogatory. Some will call me a traitor to the race.

But I put forth my opinions, and stand by with it. Because in any part of the world, I am just another Malaysian. And not a fucking Malaysian chinese. Because I'm quite fed up with racist elements in people around me. And I'm trying to propose a way to tackle the issue in the roots.

We should have changed our names 50 years ago.

And no, I don't know how the Indians and other natives of Malaysia think. I put this argument forth for West Malaysia situation. Sabah and Sarawak are alright in their way. That's why we have 'Sino's running around. They are Sabahans and Sarawakians in their own right.

To Specialization

So here am I typing this out again (for the umpteenth time) on a personal notebook. I can't seem to access the Wi-Fi hotspot access in my hostel (maybe the administration should do something to alleviate the situation) because it seems that i'm out of range, even though I am indoors. Perhaps the walls, I don't know. I'm suspecting somehow the angle and the thickness of the walls actually presents itself as a form of signal inteference. If I could, I would like to make a self made coil (to strengthen the signal), but so far so good I have not been able to identify any good electronics shop anywhere in Larkin, Johor.

Speaking about Larkin, the theme today I would like to write more about specialization. You see, I have already been here for a week, but I have yet to find a decent laundrette here in Larkin. Erm, yes, the institution does have coin laundry machines but I don't use them because of one main reason: I find it more of a hassle to find the coins, grab a soap, determine which pair of clothes goes in first, which goes second, which goes together, which doesn't, etc and the entire process goes on, all the way to the “fold and store” stage. One can say I'm lazy, but I can live up with that tag if I have to; I just save lots of time and effort in which I can do something else.

So here's the deal about “specializing”. The government trains me, teaches me then proceeds on to offer me a 5 year contract to teach, train and tutor the future generation of the Malaysian population. By now you should have known (or guess intelligently) that I'm a teacher in training. So, it happens that I'm specilized in B.ed(TESL) or so my degree says, and I'm contracted to educate the general student populace on how to be proficient in English (in all aspects of it). Here's to note that there are other teachers as well, and they are specialized in different subjects. Thus far the question would be; can I deviate, and to what extent can I deviate?

Look no further for the answer. I can, and if I have to I will. No, I don't mean that I do have the capabilities to deviate, (just like my old man who I think he's a super teacher that can teach any subjects with the knowledge accessible right on his fingertips) but the needs of the situation may force the school administration to consider some form of deviation. For example, an English teacher to coach a futsal team (with little or very minimal knowledge about the game and the finer aspects to it).

On the other hand, let's look at this. I am hereby contracted to educate, to teach, and to enlighten the younger, innocent (yeah right) populace on English Language. And every aspect of it. That is because I am supposed to be the “expert”, or the “specialist” in that field. (English, my friend, English!) So while my colleagues who teaches science will come running after me asking “what's the matter”, I will be in turn bugging him / her (that poor soul) with the question “what's a matter”. That is specialization. We consult, we refer to those who are the specialist in the arena.

Well, lets take the idea of of “specialization” to a higher / deeper level here. Here's another situation. Now, as the government gives me the contract to educate the populace, I am compesated with imbues and allowances. They range from “life management allowances” to “home financing allowances”. Yes, the government of Malaysia is very generous. Unfortunately the cost of living is high, so don't fret. Its only an allowance. That is if you work for the government (I'm only a trainee, and therefore not eligible to apply for all these nifty things), my friend. Now, I have an issue. I need someone to take care of my food (because I can't be bothered to cook, and I can't really cook good food), and at the same time I need to look after my laundry. So, technically, here's how I do both; I sub-contract them. It is really simple. I give a lum sum to a diners to take care of my food, and I (am still trying to find one) fund a laundrette shop to take care of my laundries. So what I need to do is just go to the said premise, do what I have to do (whether I pick up, or dine in, or drop / pick up my laundry) and let the people who 'specialize' in their fields to do it for me. Solid idea, no? Even I am not an IT technical expert myself ( I am somewhat limited unlike many others on the general IT-literate populace out there), but I can take in a few sub-con jobs *cough* translation, editing *cough*. So yes, what I wrote here can be scorned at, because I may be giving the impression that I'm leading everyone “off to Holland” (its a Malaysian Chinese saying, that means to deviate way off course) in this post, but here's something that I would like to ask;

1)Who 'contracts' or 'subcontracts' you, and do you find yourself bridled in one single task?
2)The idea of giving someone to do something. Do you actually hire people to do it? Laundry, lawn cleaning, pipe repairs, etc.
3)How do you view yourself as a 'specialist' (if you see yourself that way?)

And dang, my laundry's just finished spinning. Now I have to hunt for clips and a place to dry them (not to mention to watch over them as people DO steal clothes nowadays) under the sun. Wait, the sky's dim. Ah, crap. I should have just sent it to the laundrette. Save my time and my effort.* Sigh! *

A long week [Part 1]

I'll post what I remember.

29th August, 2007. After the blog that I have posted on 29th of August (12:00am morning), and that would officially dictate the longest days I've ever had in my entire life. Excruciating, fun, all rolled up in one day. Here's what happened.

:

I woke up, and went to class. I missed the "Bimbingan & Kaunseling" class so that I could quickly get the letter for UIA's event done, pronto. Big issue. Took up the whole day, really, with little to eat and sleep. That reminds me, I still owe Juvian RM10. Finally, after a hard day, there was only 3 hours before test. The dreaded Pn Juridah's novel test. I think I flunked. I don't know.
Then later, we got a dance practice, and it took us all the way past into midnight. But here's where the "fun" begins.
In cabin, with mosquito stings, insect bites, Aida's radio (using her Sony Ericson handphone), and lots of chatter and banter while we worked on our masks (Pn. Juridah wanted it on Thursday, duh..) we worked our toil and sweat till dawn approaches... 6AM. Yes, I headed back, because there wasn't any class for Dr. Arshad, and slept, until Pn. Juridah's class came along. We showed her mask, and hastily constructed a play. A sacrifice, but it was unanimous decision, and it was beginning to look fun for us. Not quite the fun, you see... But still quite some fun.

So that rolls... to...

30th August, 2007.

We left class early, because Pn Juridah ended it early. Typically her style, or sometimes late. LOL. So with nothing to do, and with most of the "what I have to do" done, I head back and rested. Not so much of a good move, but because it was already raining, a beautiful sleep was much appreciated. Later that early evening, I headed out again to K15 under the request of our class rep Maninder, but I could only find 2 bus operators. There's a story later, which I'll detail it out under the title "The Bus ORDEAL".

Suffice to say, I only managed to ask two friends to help me out, Zarrin, and well, Ady. They helped me out in two different ways, but at least we got two numbers. (Ady's help was on the latter week, you'll see how). One by the name of unc Kavi, one by the name of the bus operator Suasana Edaran Sdn. Bhd (with the UPM LOGO on it, oh yeaaah baby!)

One thing was, my cousin's family flew in from Sabah, to attend Haw Jatt's convocation (and I was very anxious to retrieve my brand new Seiko 5 Sports calibre 7t92 watch which my father had just bought around April for me)

Of course, it was about to rain, and no, so I didn't went down to KL Plaza. Not today, not just yet.

But two long days, and here's where things started to spice up, when I went to Putrajaya. That will be part 2. For now.

And its about time to go to UIA. Anytime soon!