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[695] Of Arabs aren’t Malays and Malays aren’t Arabs

For the last few days, I’ve been out and about in some place south of Kuala Lumpur. Apart from falling off a bike in a very fashionable way and severely lacked the stamina I would like to have, I overheard a conversation between two Muslim Malay males, both were draped in Arabic dressing. The conversation was about westernized Malays. I wasn’t sure if they were talking about me in particular though I was wearing a Michigan cap, a cargo pant and a bright shirt while my mp3 player was valiantly trying to entertain me until it ran out of juice. And it died out exactly when the conversation started to get interesting. Before that, I didn’t eavesdrop on purpose – situation forced me to be where I was.

One of the two friends was lamenting on how the Malay society is rapidly being westernized at the expense of the Malay culture. The person went on further by stating sooner or later, Malay culture would die out with morality and god phrased out by burgers and pizzas, g-strings and bikinis.

The other one agreed and began lambasting how inferior western cultures and moral are compared to Islam’s. It was odd how they used the term Malay and Islamic culture interchangeably. Soon enough, as I followed the conversation quietly while tending to my cool wound, I realized that the Malay culture they were talking about was really Arabic. They made no distinction between Malay, Arab and Islam.

I rolled my eyes upon that discovery and felt how oxymoron the situation at hand was. They were talking about the Malays abandoning Malay culture while they themselves were wearing something not Malay but entirely Arabic. Thanks to that, hypocrites is the best noun to describe the two Arabized Malays. I think, they would grasp very well what the word munafiqun means.

I’m no sociologist but I learned long ago that culture is a way of life. It doesn’t matter how a person lives his or her life but however they choose to live it, it’s their choice and that’s their culture. In essence, they choose their culture and indeed, I choose my own.

I’m a Muslim Malay. At the same time, my culture is a hodgepodge of many cultures that I’ve had the luxury of interacting with. A hybrid culture if I may. Furthermore, I take that culture isn’t a static intangible thing. It changes and adapts to time, just like how many of us do. This is especially true to hybrid cultures.

As a result, I appreciate diversity and am no purist. While no purist, I do hate how English words are being imported with impunity into the Malay language (check also Hijacking Bahasa Melayu at theCicak). If George Orwell were a Malay, he would agree with me for he wrote that one should never use a foreign phrase, a scientific word, or a jargon word if you can think of an everyday English equivalent in Politics and the English Language. But that is another topic to be harped at, at another time.

Due to my hybrid culture, I find the conversation mildly offensive. They were deriding part of my culture while turning a blind eye on their, through their other eye, sin. I would have offered my opinion to them about their clothing but with low stamina and knee in uncomfortable pain, I had no appetite for a potentially heated discussion on culture.

While giving the topic a thought, I realized that this hypocrisy is not exclusively the two Arabized fellows’ problem. This Arabization is spreading fast and affecting Malaysian culture. Look no farther than Putrajaya. Notice how Arabic the city actually is? Where is the Malay in it? The Chinese or the Indian in it? The Dayak or the Iban, the Minang, the Bugis? Where’s the Malaysian in it?

Then, look at PAS efforts to Arabize Terengganu and Kelantan. One time, I clearly remember that they banned wayang kulit, Mak Yong and other Malay heritage in the name of Islam. They even removed a giant turtle sculpture in Kuala Terengganu for the sake of Islam. As far as I care to remember, the sculpture was synonymous with Kuala Terengganu. A deduction – PAS banned the Malay culture and then encourages Arabic in place of cultural vacumn that PAS had created!

In reality, these Arabized Malays just hate everything that isn’t Arabic, including things that are Malay. Here, by no mean I’m deriding the Arabs. Arabic culture is part of me. If I were dismissing Arabic culture, I would be dismissing mine too and that wouldn’t be right. I’m merely debunking the two guys’ thinking and their kind.

I’m quite liberal on culture and hence, I don’t mind if one insists into living like the Arabs. I myself, at risk of redundancy, have said earlier that I choose my culture and one may choose his or her own too as I’ve chosen mine.

Nevertheless, if you are the two fellows whom deride other Malays as abandoning Malay culture in favor of western’s one, please take a look in a mirror. Before expressing that idea, please notice that you’re abandoning Malay for Arabic. Arabic culture is not Malay and Malay is not Arabic. Being a Muslim isn’t about being an Arab either.

By Hafiz Noor Shams

For more about me, please read this.

21 replies on “[695] Of Arabs aren’t Malays and Malays aren’t Arabs”

It\’s been interesting to read such free-flowing comments on an all \”Malaysian\” free for all. While we are on the subject, how many of you have read the book entitled \”Contesting Malayness\”? Written by a Professor of National University of Singapore. Cost S$32 (about). It reflects the Anthropologists views that there is no such race as the \”Malays\” to begin with. If we follow the original migration of the Southern Chinese of 6,000yrs ago, they moved into Taiwan, (now the Alisan), then into the Phillipines (now the Aeta) and moved into Borneo (4,500yrs ago) (Dayak). They also split into Sulawesi and progressed into Jawa, and Sumatera. The final migration was to the Malayan Peninsular 3,000yrs ago. A sub-group from Borneo also moved to Champa in Vietnam at 4,500yrs ago.

Interestingly, the Champa deviant group moved back to present day Kelantan. There are also traces of the Dong Song and HoaBinh migration from Vietnam and Cambodia. To confuse the issue, there was also the Southern Thai migration, from what we know as Pattani today. (see also \”Early Kingdoms of the Indonesian Archipelago and the Malay Peninsular\”)

Of course, we also have the Minangkabau\’s which come from the descendants of Alexander the Great and a West Indian Princess. (Sejarah Melayu page 1-3)

So the million Dollar Question… Is there really a race called the \”Malays\”? All anthropologists DO NOT SEEM TO THINK SO.

Neither do the \”Malays\” who live on the West Coast of Johor. They\’d rather be called Javanese. What about the west coast Kedah inhabitants who prefer to be known as \”Achenese\”? or the Ibans who simply want to be known as IBANS. Try calling a Kelabit a \”Malay\” and see what response you get… you’ll be so glad that their Head-Hunting days are over.

In an article in the Star, dated: Dec 3rd 2006

available for on-line viewing at:
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2006/12/3/focus/16212814&se c=focus

An excerp is reproduced here below:

\”The Malays – taken as an aggregation of people of different ethnic backgrounds but who speak the same language or family of languages and share common cultural and traditional ties – are essentially a new race, compared to the Chinese, Indians and the Arabs with their long histories of quests and conquests.

The Malay nation, therefore, covers people of various ethnic stock, including Javanese, Bugis, Bawean, Achehnese, Thai, orang asli, the indigenous people of Sabah and Sarawak and descendants of Indian Muslims who had married local women.

Beneath these variations, however, there is a common steely core that is bent on changing the Malay persona from its perceived lethargic character to one that is brave, bold and ready to take on the world. \”

The definition of “Malay” is therefore simply a collection of people\’s who speak a similar type language. With what is meant by a similar type language does not mean that the words are similar. Linguists call this the \”Lego-type\” language, where words are added on to the root word to make meaning and give tenses and such. Somehow, the Indonesians disagree with this classification and insist on being called \”Indonesians\” even though the majority of \”Malays\” have their roots in parts of Indonesia? They refuse to be called \”Malay\”…. Anyhow you may define it.

The writer failed to identify (probably didn\’t know), that the \”Malay\” definition also includes, the Champa, Dong Song, HoabinHian, The Taiwanese Alisan and the Philippino Aetas. He also did not identify that the \”Orang Asli\” are (for lack of a better term) ex-Africans. If you try to call any one of our East Malaysian brothers an \”Orang Asli\”, they WILL BEAT YOU UP! I had to repeat this because almost all West Malaysians make the same mistake when we cross the South China Sea. Worse, somehow, they feel even more insulted when you call them “Malay”. Somehow, “kurang ajar” is uttered below their breath as if “Malay” was a really bad word for them. I’m still trying to figure this one out.

Watch “Malays in Africa”; a Museum Negara produced DVD. Also, the “Champa Malays” by the same.

With this classification, they MUST also include the Phillipinos, the Papua New Guineans, the Australian Aboroginies, as well as the Polynesian Aboroginies. These are of the Australo Melanesians who migrated out of Africa 60,000yrs ago.

Getting interesting? Read on…

\”Malay\” should also include the Taiwanese singer \”Ah Mei\” who is Alisan as her tribe are the anscestors of the \”Malays\”. And finally, you will need to define the Southern Chinese (Southern Province) as Malay also, since they are from the same stock 6,000yrs ago.

Try calling the Bugis a \”Malay\”. Interestingly, the Bugis, who predominantly live on Sulawesi are not even Indonesians. Neither do they fall into the same group as the migrating Southern Chinese of 6,000yrs ago nor the Australo Melanesian group from Africa.

Ready for this?

The Bugis are the cross-breed between the Chinese and the Arabs. (FYI, a runaway Ming Dynasty official whom Cheng Ho was sent to hunt down) Interestingly, the Bugis were career Pirates in the Johor-Riau Island areas. Now the nephew of Daeng Kemboja was appointed the First Sultan of Selangor. That makes the entire Selangor Sultanate part Arab, part Chinese! Try talking to the Bugis Museum curator near Kukup in Johor. Kukup is located near the most south-western tip of Johor. (Due south of Pontian Kechil)

Let\’s not even get into the Hang Tuah, Hang Jebat, Hang Kasturi, Hang Lekiu, and Hang Lekir, who shared the same family last name as the other super famous \”Hang\” family member… Hang Li Poh. And who was she? the princess of a Ming Dynasty Emperor who was sent to marry the Sultan of Malacca. Won\’t that make the entire Malacca Sultanate downline \”Baba\” ? Since the older son of the collapsed Malaccan Sultanate got killed in Johor, (the current Sultanate is the downline of the then, Bendahara) the only other son became the Sultan of Perak. Do we see any Chinese-ness in Raja Azlan? Is he the descendant of Hang Li Poh?

Next question. If the Baba’s are part Malay, why have they been marginalized by NOT BEING BUMIPUTERA? Which part of “Malay” are they not? Whatever the answer, why then are the Portugese of Malacca BUMIPUTERA? Did they not come 100yrs AFTER the arrival of the first Baba’s? Parameswara founded Malacca in 1411. The Portugese came in 1511, and the Dutch in the 1600’s. Strangely, the Baba’s were in fact once classified a Bumiputera, but a decided that they were strangely “declassified” in the 1960’s. WHY?

The Sultan of Kelantan had similar roots to the Pattani Kingdom making him of Thai origin. And what is this \”coffee table book\” by the Sultan of Perlis claiming to be the direct descendant of the prophet Muhammed? Somehow we see Prof Khoo Khay Khim’s signature name on the book. I’ll pay good money to own a copy of it myself. Anyone has a spare?

So, how many of you have met with orang Asli’s? the more northern you go, the more African they look. Why are they called Negrito’s? It is a Spanish word, from which directly transalates “mini Negros”. The more southern you go, the more “Indonesian” they look. And the ones who live at Cameron Highlands kinda look 50-50. You can see the Batek at Taman Negara, who really look like Eddie Murphy to a certain degree. Or the Negritos who live at the Thai border near Temenggor Lake (north Perak). The Mah Meri in Carrie Island look almost like the Jakuns in Endau Rompin. Half African, half Indonesian.

By definition, (this is super eye-opening) there was a Hindu Malay Empire in Kedah. Yes, I said right… The Malays were Hindu. It was, by the old name Langkasuka. Today known as Lembah Bujang. This Hindu Malay Empire was 2,000yrs old. Pre-dating Borrobudor AND Angkor Watt. Who came about around 500-600yrs later. Lembah Bujang was THE mighty trading empire, and its biggest influence was by the Indians who were here to help start it. By definition, this should make the Indians BUMIPUTERAS too since they were here 2,000yrs ago! Why are they marginalized?

Of the 3 books listed, \”Contesting Malayness\” (about S$32 for soft cover) is \”banned” in Malaysia; you will need to \”smuggle\” it into Malaysia; for very obvious reasons…. :( or read it in Singapore if you don’t feel like breaking the law.

The other, \”Kingdoms of the Indonesian Archipelago, and the Malay Peninsular\” (about RM84) are openly sold at all leading bookshops; Kinokuniya, MPH, Borders, Popular, Times, etc. You should be able to find a fair bit of what I’ve been quoting in this book too, but mind you, it is very heavy reading material, and you will struggle through the initial 200+ pages. It is extremely technical in nature. Maybe that’s why it wasn’t banned (yet)…coz our authorities couldn’t make head or tail of it? (FYI, if I wasn’t doing research for my film, I wouldn’t have read it in its entirety)

While the \”Sejarah Melayu\” (about RM 35) is available at the University Malaya bookshop. I have both the English and Royal Malay version published by MBRAS.

Incidentally, the Professor (Author) was invited to speak on this very subject about 2 yrs ago, in KL, invited by the MBRAS. You can imagine the \”chaos\” this seminar created…… :(

There were actually many sources for these findings. Any older Philippino Museum Journal also carries these migration stories. This migration is also on display at the Philippines National Museum in Luzon. However, they end with the Aeta, and only briefly mention that the migration continued to Indonesia and Malaysia, but fully acknowledge that all Philippinos came from Taiwan. And before Taiwan, China. There is another book (part of a series) called the \”Archipelago Series\” endorsed by Tun Mahatir and Marina Mohammad, which states the very same thing right at the introduction on page one. “… that the Malays migrated out of Southern China some 6,000yrs ago…”. I believe it is called the “Pre-History of Malaysia” Hard Cover, about RM99 found in (mostly) MPH. They also carry “Pre-History of Indonesia” by the same authors for the same price.

It is most interesting to note that our Museum officials invented brand new unheard-of terms such as \”Proto-Malay\” and \”Deutero-Malay\”, to replace the accepted Scientific Term, Australo-Melanesians (African descent) and Austronesians (Chinese Descent, or Mongoloid to be precise) in keeping in line with creating this new “Malay” term.. They also created the new term called the Melayu-Polynesian. (Which Melayu exists in the Polynesian Islands?) Maybe they were just trying to be “Patriotic” and “Nationalistic”… who knows…? After all, we also invented the term, “Malaysian Time”. While the rest of the world calls it “Tardy” and “Late”. It’s quite an embarrassment actually…. Singaporeans crossing the border are asked to set their watches back by about 100yrs, to adjust to “Malaysian Time”…

In a nutshell, the British Colonial Masters, who, for lack of a better description, needed a “blanket” category for ease of classification, used the term “Malay”.

The only other logical explanation, which I have heard, was that “Malaya” came as a derivative of “Himalaya”, where at Langkasuka, or Lembah Bujang today was where the Indians were describing the locals as “Malai” which means “Hill People” in Tamil. This made perfect sense as the focal point at that time was at Gunung Jerai, and the entire Peninsular had a “Mountain Range” “Banjaran Titiwangsa”, as we call it.

The Mandarin and Cantonese accurately maintain the accurate pronunciation of “Malai Ren” and “Malai Yun” respectively till this very day. Where “ren” and “yun” both mean “peoples”.

Interestingly, “Kadar” and “Kidara”, Hindi and Sanskrit words accurately describe “Kedah” of today. They both mean “fertile Land for Rice cultivation. Again, a name given by the Indians 2,000yrs ago during the “Golden Hindu Era” for a duration of 1,500yrs.

It was during the “Golden Hindu Era” that the new term which the Hindu Malay leaders also adopted the titles, “Sultan” and “Raja”. The Malay Royalty were Hindu at that time, as all of Southeast Asia was under strong Indian influence, including Borrobudor, and Angkor Watt. Bali today still practices devout Hindu Beliefs. The snake amulet worn by the Sultans of today, The Royal Dias, and even the “Pelamin” for weddings are tell-tale signs of these strong Indian influences. So, it was NOT Parameswara who was the first Sultan in Malaya. Sultanage existed approximately 1,500years before he set foot on the Peninsular during the \”Golden Hindu Era\” of Malaysia. And they were all Hindu.

“PreHistory of Malaysia” also talks about the “Lost Kingdom” of the “Chi-Tu” where the local Malay Kingdom were Buddhists. The rest of the “Malays” were Animistic Pagans.

But you may say, \”Sejarah Melayu\” calls it \”Melayu\”? Yes, it does. Read it again; is it trying to describe the 200-odd population hamlet near Palembang by the name \”Melayu\”?(Google Earth will show this village).

By that same definition, then, the Achehnese should be considered a “race”. So should the Bugis and the Bataks, to be fair. Orang Acheh, Orang Bugis, Orang Laut, Orang Melayu now mean the same… descriptions of ethnic tribes, at best. And since the “Malays” of today are not all descendants of the “Melayu” kampung in Jambi (if I remember correctly), the term Melayu has been wrongly termed. From day one. Maybe this is why the Johoreans still call themselves either Bugis, or Javanese until today. So do the Achehnese on the West coast of Kedah & Perlis and the Kelantanese insist that they came from Champa, Vietnam.

Morover, the fact that the first 3 pages claiming that \”Melayu\” comes from Alexander the Great and the West Indian Princess doesn\’t help. More importantly, it was written in 1623. By then, the Indians had been calling the locals “Malai” for 1,500 yrs already. So the name stuck….

And with the Sejarah Melayu (The Malay Annals in page 1-3) naming the grandson of Iskandar Zulkarnain, and the West Indian Princess forming the Minangkabau. Whenever a Malay is asked about it, he usually says it is \”Karut\” (bullshit), but all Malayan based historians insist on using Sejarah Melayu as THE main reference book for which \”Malay\” history is based upon. The only other books are “Misa Melayu”, \”Hikayat Merong Mahawangsa\”, and “Hikayat Hang Tuah” which is of another long and sometimes “heated” discussion.

I find this strange.

I also find, that it is strange that the \”Chitti\’s\” (Indian+Malay) of Malacca are categorized as Bumiputera, while their Baba brothers are not. Why? Both existed during the Parameswara days. Which part of the “Malay” side of the Baba’s is not good enough for Bumiputera classification? Re-instate them. They used to be Bumiputera pre 1960’s anyway.

Instead of \”Malay\”, I believe that \”Maphilindo\” (circa 1963) would have been the closest in accurately trying to describe the Malays. However, going by that definition, it should most accurately be \”MaphilindoThaiChinDiaVietWanGreekCamfrica\”. And it is because of this; even our University Malaya Anthropology professors cannot look at you in the eye and truthfully say that the word \”Malay\” technically and accurately defines a race.

This is most unfortunate.

So, in a nutshell, the “Malays” (anthropologists will disagree with this “race” definition) are TRULY ASIA !!! For once the Tourism Ministry got it right….

We should stop calling this country “Tanah Melayu” instead call it, “Tanah Truly Asia”

You must understand now, why I was \”tickled pink\” when I found out that the Visit Malaysia slogan for 2007 was \”Truly Asia\”. They are so correct… (even though they missed out Greece and Africa)

BTW, the name UMNO should be changed to UTANO the new official acronym for “United Truly Asia National Organization” . After all, they started out as a Bugis club in Johor anyway….

I told you all that I hate race classifications…. This is so depressing. Even more depressing is that the \”malays\” are not even a race; not since day one.

“Truly Asia Boleh”

Malay got only 2 words,as my teacher said. The rest of the language are from the sankrit and other. What is Malay culture then? A hinduism. Don’t forget Malay were like Orang Asli before the Hindu Kastrya conquear(well no record in history)/convert the Malay into Buddhism/Hinduism. Which one is better? Hinduism/Buddhaism/Islam Culture in Malay society? The Malay are greatly influence by the Hinduism and Buddhaism over the century. So what is Malay culture again? Do we need to ask DBP to create new culture? or dig the land to see the real Malay culture.

[ADMIN: suspected impersonator with nick GaryWBush, Musa, Gul etc. Kindly ignore: see http://maddruid.com/?p=1078 ]

anonymous wrote:
Most Malay communities seems confused of either being Malay Muslim or like Arab Muslim. He have our own culture. The ARAB have their own and our culture and their culture is different.

Culture is a way of life (Deen) and if you go to any of the so-called 22 “Arab” States, you will be surprised to know they are actually NOT Arab at all but Arabised via Jizyah and Kharaj taxes by the Islamic conquerers.

anonymous wrote:
What really irritate me of those so called religious Malay who didn’t realize of being Malay is not being Arab. What is so holy of following Arab culture?

If you studied Islamic history, you will know why Arab culture is very holy as Arabic is the language of the Quran and Hadith. The goal of the founder of Islam is Arab imperialism and colonism to build a Pan-Arab world, since Prophet Muhammad said “An ethnic Arab is not by birth nor by ancestry but by tongue. Whoever speaks Arabic is an Arab”.

anonymous wrote:
I am strongly opposed the Arabization of Malay since I have been in Arab countries and I found out that their culture sometimes doesn’t resemble any Islamic values.

Can you tell us the names of these “Arab” countries you visited? Do you know Egypt was NEVER an Arab country but a Coptic-speaking Christian country. However, due to the Islamic conquest and the need to propagation Islam, Arabic was declared the official language and Jizyah and Kharaj was imposed to facilitate Arabisation that synonym to Islamisation. These two taxes caused economic apartheid towards Christians who had to renounce not only their Christian religion but also their Coptic race and become Arabs. That’s why Egypt is Arab Muslim majority and Copt Christian minority. Egyptian dialect of Arabic is heavily influenced by Coptic language.

anonymous wrote:
These ARABs are mostly stupid and arrogant and some of the culture is depicted during early Jahiliah. So those so called Malay-Muslim-Arabized should stop being Arab and instead be a real Malay.

You are confusing the Saudi Arabs (real Arabs) with the North African and Levant people who are NOT Arabs at all but Arabised people. Check your history and you will notice North Africa was Coptic Christian and Levant was Assyrian Christian. When these people converted to Islam, they were forced to renounce their Copt race and Assyrian race to become Arab race (a.k.a. Muslim race).

Egyptians are NOT Arab at all but merely Arabic-speaking. They are racially Copts and descendants of the Pharoahs who build the Pyramids. However, in Egyptian Arabic, the word Kibti (Copt) means Christian. Muslim Egyptians prefer to be called Arabs and live like a Saudi by practising Saudi culture, ie. hijab, serban, and speaking Arabic.

There is a Malay saying “Bahasa Jiwa Bangsa”, which would mean “Language – Life of the Race”. So, an ethnic Malay is not by birth nor by ancestry but simply by speaking Bahasa Melayu you can be ethnically Malay.

I was born a Dayak, but at the age of 21 I became Chinese, and at the age of 42, I became ethnic English. However, at the age of 46, I became ethnically Malay! Its easy as speaking the language! Just remember, Ethnicity=language!

Dear Earthinc

Most Malay communities seems confused of either being Malay Muslim or like Arab Muslim. He have our own culture. The ARAB have their own and our culture and their culture is different. What really irritate me of those so called religious Malay who didn’t realize of being Malay is not being Arab. What is so holy of following Arab culture? I am strongly opposed the Arabization of Malay since I have been in Arab countries and I found out that their culture sometimes doesn’t resemble any Islamic values. These ARABs are mostly stupid and arrogant and some of the culture is depicted during early Jahiliah. So those so called Malay-Muslim-Arabized should stop being Arab and instead be a real Malay.

Mr Earth , u r right on d money, man!Those Saddam-wannabe Malays are one hell of a confused lot. But again, the root problem lies in the weak racial identity of us Malays. Imagine our Constitution also defines a Malay as professing the religion of Islam as a prequisite for being “Malay”. Whereas our history books unproportionately concentrate on the Malacca sultanate, whose reign was hardly a century.IMHO, we should ascribe to the larger empires of Sriwijaya & Majapahit hence a Nusantara approach of being “Malay”. Which effectively means that a Hindu guy in Bali is as much a Malay as another Catholic,Tagalog-speaker in Luzon (hey check out Malay pride in Philippines). On a good day, we may include the Merinas race of Madagascar. Heck, we could even lay ancestry claim to our seafaring forefathers which founded Easter Island! So there, there’s no two-way about it, we either remain heavily Arab-centric as per present day, or re-claim Malay race pride independent of religion.

_earth, lot of people (any place in this world) could only envy your example of course not because Michigan cap but things you say, fine ethics, wide views dialectic and analytic approach.
Keep on, follow that line, that’s the culture this planet needs the most.

Well said _earth! :)

I agree with you totally. Malaysia currently is being slowly ‘Arabised’, especially at the expense of the Malay culture, due to the fallicy that Islam and the Arabic culture is synonymous, when they’re not. Culture and religion are two separate things.

those two are nothing but a bunch of muslim radicals and hypocrites. dressing up in jubahs or tudungs does not make one hollier than the rest.

in every religion, you get this religious zealots who think and feel that they are more righteous and holly. always telling others on how to lead their lives because they feel that their way of life is the benchmark for others to follow.

“why remove the splinter in your brother’s eye when there is a plank in your own eyes”

I am not a malay but am married to one. I agree fully with your thoughts and its sad that Malays are losing their beautiful culture and traditions all int he name of Islam which is actually Arabanisation.

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