Tuesday, May 04, 2010

What the Chinese Want

As a Malaysian of Chinese descent, I've always wondered what the rest of the country thinks of us. Following the racist stereotypes prevalent here, the Malaysian Chinese would no doubt be the slit-eyed, greedy capitalists out for a quick buck - utterly ungrateful to be given a place in this country.

Worst case scenario of course but a skewed perception quite obviously seen here in Utusan Malaysia - and a translated version here in the Straits Times. All written by the endlessly xenophobic Zaini Hassan who obviously enjoys trampling on racial sensitivities. Quite disheartening to hear such racist thoughts from a supposedly 'learned' Malay editor in Utusan Malaysia. If a member of the cultured literati has thoughts such as this, what about the rest of the uneducated masses?

Of course the paragraph that really pissed me off - oh yes prepare for a rant - came from his article.

The Chinese produce the largest number of, and the most successful professionals. The school system of the Chinese Malaysians is the best among similar school systems in the world. The Chinese account for most of the students studying in the best private colleges in Malaysia. The Malays can gain admission into only government-owned colleges of ordinary reputation.

Somehow he succeeded in making it all sound vaguely disreputable.

Cops
Maybe we should just stop working and wait for manna to fall from the sky!

Does he honestly think all the apparent success of an immigrant race comes from nowhere? Does he assume the wealth of the Chinese drops like so much manna from the sky? It wasn't handed to them on a silver platter. It took lots of sheer hard backbreaking work. Doesn't he know that the money to procure a place in those self-same private colleges comes from the sweat of their fathers' brows? Doesn't he know those successful professionals worked damned hard to get where they are now?

Education is all important for the Chinese and it shows. Compare this to the lackadaisical attitude I once saw in a neighbouring family.

Boy : Oh mom. I got a couple of Cs for my exams. Enough to slide through.
Mother : You're going on to the next form?
Boy : Oh yes, this is my report card.
Mother : Only a D for Math? Perhaps you should attend extra tuition for Math?
Boy : Nah, I don't feel like it.
Mother : Alright then. You coming back for dinner?
Boy : Think I might go cycle to the cybercafe.
Mother : But it's late. And it's a school night.
Boy : It's not even past midnight yet.
Mother : Well okay.

I kid you not.

If it were my own mother, I'd have been skinned alive for any one of those comments. Yet his mother seemed to take it in stride that her kid was practically flunking out of school - and then rewarded himself with a games night.

Left to me, I'd probably have tied him to a chair and shoved his face into a textbook. Trying my best not to disparage anyone's parenting skills but it just goes to show how much education means to the Chinese. Any score less than a C would probably mean the almighty cane.

Or the deeply disappointed sigh.

Never knew which was worse but it was something we all worked very hard to avoid.

Fortunately I'm not alone in my disgust. In reply to Zaini Hassan's racist rhetoric, we also have an article by Kee Thuan Chye as a rebuttal.

12 comments:

Mikey said...

Agree with your rant..the chinese citizens of msia worked our asses off in studies and career to get to where we are now...and it's blood, sweat and tears invested.and still we are targeted for doing well.what the f***? if the brain drain issue pops up again,let this xenophobe be an example why the intelligent ones are leaving here for greener pastures overseas.

Not a supporter of 1Malaysia concept, i think. (the bigoted journo)

Booker said...

Savante! I'm going to Miri 24th, and staying the week.

It's for work, and that makes it revolting, so let's meet up for dinner or something, to ease the pain of the trip.

May I get your number from the Nut?

William said...

I wonder what makes those schools have "ordinary reputations".

sharman said...

those ordinary schools and colleges/universities, who's making all the decisions there?

plus, quota system anyone? where do the "rest" go then?

Kenny Mah said...

Yay for the Savantes & Kee Thuan Chyes of this nation!

plainjoe said...

If I get a C in those primary and secondary schooling years, I would be skinned alive and left rotting under the hot sun for hours.

Dad was rarely home because he had to work his brain off almost everywhere.

Silver Platter, definitely not!

Bravebear said...

he forgot to count the local universities?

Little Dove said...

Oh, sometimes I feel like a confused Malaysian.

Musang said...

i'd say racists are everywhere.

i'm lucky to have a mom who is very strict with her children academic performance.

nak keluar main petang petang pun kena baca sifir dulu. kalau salah, tak boleh keluar.

nasib baik.

cYiD said...

agrees with musang...
hates racism~ haih...
but dun think we can run from it especially in our country of multiraces... but we try, ryte?

meh, same here...
i get shipped to tuisyen classes most of my exam years~
would always get those reversed psycho thinggy from daddy if didn't perform...
SO much worst than just being scoulded...

Unknown said...

i've read his article and can only sigh with disappointment. government is protecting him, so he doesnt need to fear anything. but i am sure the educated malays or indians, who understand the theory of 'you reap what you sow' will not buy zaini's idea. so, cheers for now~ ^^




[Jino] - A man's not a man unless he knows how to shoot

EVA said...

As Uncle Samy once said; "Chinese and Indians have to beg, borrow and steal to educate their children while other get it easy!"

I must say, that racism and Malay fundamentalist has grown and is still growing to a very scary level, it's really bad. This explains why 5,000 non malays migrate to Australia every year! We might as well be a second class citizen in a foreign country than being second class here!

What frustrates me more is the growing power of Islamisation which tends to overspill on non Muslims. Islam has even created chaos in non muslim homes!

More often than not, we see draconian laws and regulations implemented on all Malaysians in the favour of Islam. Good Lord, I may come from a Conservative Catholid Church but She has never dictated my life and i'm given the freedom to argue and do as i please.

No Christian Country in the world forces her people to strictly follow Canon Law whereby her people don't even have the option of walking out from the faith! This is worse than Communism! Sounds more like Hitler's Regime!