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PENDATANG
Syed Imran, an
Arab-Malaysian born in Penang, Malaysia, ex-Bernama journalist (1971-1998)
and former press secretary to Minister in PM's Department. He posted a
great blog three days ago in his blog and I've translated it into
English. Please circulate and let all Malaysians understand the fact.
*Antara pendatang
dan penumpang (English Translation)*
* Original Malay
version
At first, I was quite reluctant
to comment on the mess created by the statement made by Ahmad bin Ismail,
the head of Bukit Bendera, Pulau Pinang UMNO Division. Whether
he has made the statement regarding Malaysian Chinese is not the
question anymore, as the issue has been spread and fire up the scene.
If it is not handled carefully and smartly, this issue can make the clear
water become dirty, and give opportunity to parties that want to see this
country crash and fall into the hand of foreigners. In today global world
that has no boundary, the coverage by international electronic media make
it difficult for any country to hide or deny a single event. The main issue
brought up by Ahmas Ismail revolves on the question "squatter",
that is, the Malaysian Chinese are squatters in
this country. He explained that he was refering to pre-independence days.
However, it had hurt the Malaysia Chinese' sensitivity. I don't know Ahmad
Ismail personally, but quite close with his elder brother that has passed
away, Abdul Rahim Ismail, the owner of Rahim Construction Company that has
once quite famous as a "Earth-Prince" construction firm in Pulau
Pinang. I don't know what has happen to the company after Abdul
Rahim passed away. Personally, I don't agree with what Ahmad Ismail
said for the following reasons. For me, nearly 90
percent of Malaysians, especially those in Penisular, are
immigrants, and we all actually the squatters on the Allah's land.
We are not permanent owner, but just squat. For example, I come from a
family that squat in this fortunate land. My grandfather and grandmother on
my father side migrated from Mecca and from Brunei to here, while on
my mother side, she is from Hadramut, Yaman. We are immigrants and
squatters, as to almost all people in this country, especially Pulau
Pinang. For Ahmad Ismail, he is also an immigrant coming from an
immigrant's family and squat in this country. Ahmad Ismail cannot deny the
fact that his grandfather and grandmother are from India who move to this
country to seek better life in this fortunate land. Our former Prime
Minister Abdullah bin Ahmad Badawi is also the same. His grandfather
on his mother side is coming from Guangdong ,
China . In short, Pak Lah's grandfather, Allahyarhamah Kailan,
has a name Hasson Salleh or Hah Su Chiang, is a immigrant. He move to
Tanah Melayu from Guangdong in middle of 19 century. He stayed in
Bayan Lepas as a rubber estate worker, padi farmer and later became a
diamond trader. Najib Tun Razak, Prime Ministry, is also a
descendent from immigrant's family that come from Sulawesi
, Indonesia , who is also a Bugis. Hishamudin Hussein cannot
escape to the fact that there is Turkish blood in him. Malacca
Malay Sultanate was founded by an immigrant coming from Sumatra, Parameswara, a prince that practice
Hindu. In history of Malay Sultanates, we will know that some were
founded by Bugis immigrants, while some
from Hadramut and Minangkabau. Almost all Malays that stay here are from
outside Tanah Melayu, but are defined as "Malay Race" by the
Federation Constitution. We are "Malay in definition by the
Constitution" , that is, we are Muslim, we practice Malay customs and
speak Malay language. Unfortunately, Malay language itself seems to be
murdered by Malays in UMNO when they name it Malaysia language. Therefore, Arabs
like Syed Hamid Albar and myself, Achehs like Sanusi
Junid, Indians like Kader Sheikh Fadzir and Nor Mohamed Yakcop, Bugis's
like Najib, Minangs like Rais Yatim, Jawas like Mohamad Rahmat, and
other from Madura, Pulau Buyan, Siam, Burma, Yunnan ( China ) and
Philippines are conveniently being declared as Malays. They are accepted as
Malays no matter they speak Malay or not in their family like those who
speak Arabs, Jawas that speak Jawa and Minangs that speak Minang or Mamak
that speak Tamil, like Dr Mamak Kutty These languages are not Malay if
we look from the perspective of Federation Constitution, so they should not
be declared as Malays. But, for the benefits and political factors, all are
accepted as Malays and "Earth Prince".It
is not fair to point to Chinese as immigrants while Arabs, Indian,
Achehs, Minangs, Bataks, Mandailings, Jawas, Maduras, or Bugises are also
immigrants in this country. We cannot deny that most of the Chinese's
grandfather and grandmother have migrated to this country since Malacca
Malay Sultanante, some during Kedah Sultanate, Terengganu Sultanate and
Kelantan Sultanate. After Francis Light conned the Kedah's sultan and
grabbed Pulau Pinang in 1786, more Chinese came here. We are all immigrants
that squat in this country. Only
Negrito, Jekun, Semang, Jahut, Orang Laut, Orang Darat, Senoi, and
other indigenous peoples can be considered as the original populace in
this country. We should not forget the contributions and sacrifices of
all races that
develop Malaysia in all aspects, including economy, social, safety and the
most important thing, unity. All have to pay tax, and all have to do this,
no matter if you are descend from immigrants or squatters.
"Life's tough, Its even tougher if you are
stupid"
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