The Chinese, their houses have no windows.

EDITORIAL 5: MY TAKE - RIGHT HERE FROM KUALA LUMPUR, DEC 20TH, 2007


THE CHINESE, THEIR HOUSES HAVE NO WINDOWS

I looked out the window.
And I saw

Thousands and thousands of Malays in the Bersih Rally. They were fighting their own kind for a cause they believed in. And they risk being ostracized by their Muslim brothers. And they risk much.

I looked out the window.
And I saw

Thousands and thousands of Indians holding the picture of Gandhi in the streets. All were teargassed and many beaten with batons. At Batu Caves, they were locked in, pumped with tear gas and sprayed with chemical water. 80 are awaiting trial. 31 are charged for attempted murder of a policeman that attacked them. All their leaders are under ISA. The one that got away fled the country.

I looked out the window.
And I saw

Thousands and thousands of Chinese closing their doors. Minding their own business. Watching the soap operas. Playing mahjong. Going to the gym. Planning for holidays. Eating bah kuet teh. Enrolling their children in private schools. Going for line dancing. Changing to a bigger car. Perming their hair brown. Going to the movies. Shopping.

The Chinese. They don't look out the window.
Their houses.
Have no windows.

______________________

It is because of 3 generations of 'keeping quiet' that we are in a political quagmire of sorts today.

My story may not be the same for others, but it is no doubt a story of 3 generations of political oblivion -a saga of unremitting circumstances that has 'trained' us to look the other way - to economic wealth, education and religion. Politics because a 'dirty word' in our home; as a Chinese we should disengage ourselves completely from this 'unproductive' activity.

This is my story.

My grandfather took a ship to join the gold rush in San Francisco around the turn of the last century. Halfway on a Chinese junk, he got sea-sick, so he jumped ship at Singapore. Traveling up the hinterland, he focused on survival. Hungry from famine in Southern China, he vowed never to be hungry again. Politics was the last thing on his mind. Keeping his belly filled was his only priority. It was an obsession that dictated everything he did.

My father worked for the British. One day, forced by the Japanese to do 'national service', he was selected to look after food supplies. The family was starving during the war, so he stole rice under his care and hid them in sweet potatoes when he cooked rice. Our neighbors always thought we were eating sweet potatoes we grew on the fringes of the jungle, when in actual fact, we always had rice.

My grandmother sews clothes for the women day and night to survive and got paid in Japanese currency. When the war was over, these Japanese notes - which were unnumbered - became valueless. The family again struggled to bring food on the table. It was a litany of hunger and fear in our house.

When it came to my generation, my father thought education was the passport to economic freedom for us. He refused for us to be a contractor like him and forced us to study. In university, he forbade me to get involved in politics. He went as far as to refuse for me to study law so that I would not get involved in politics. I was forced to study a course I did not like because he wanted me to be a banker.

Needless to say, I made the same mistake when it came to my children. I told them also the 'passport to heaven' was also to study. But I refused to dictate what they should study but instead asked them to study what they liked. I ensured they got the best education. I also reminded everyone that they do not talk about politics on the dinner table.

My story is not uncommon; such is the struggle and saga common to thousands of Malaysian homes.

We are cajoled by our parents to look at bread-and butter issues. We are told that politics are not for us. We are told that our 'houses have no windows', so mind your own business and close the door. We are told that if this country is not good enough, you must get a good education and emigrate.

The Chinese? We are told this is not our home. We have no home. We are the Jews of the East. When trouble starts, we ought to look the other way. If it gets worse, we emigrate. Money talks. So long we have money, some country will take us.

100 years of ignorance. Is it blissful? No. It is tragic.

I got this from a group in Facebook which i find very interesting... The only thing very interesting about this group is that although it MAY be fueled by some opposition group of BN or not. it just encourages Malaysians to have.. a good look at things around us. And see that perhaps.. it's time we need a change. A change for things in the future.. a change for our selves.

As i read that article posted by Casey Tho. ( at least I think it was by him) I realised that yeah. that's exactly what was happening. But I don't know, is it because of our way of life that makes us feel that way? to dissasociate ourselves with the country?

I believe, that no matter what, Malaysia is always Malaysia and it's always my home. But i never knew that the Chinese had such a mentality where we strived to make more and more and more money so that when there's political turmoil... we'll just 'run away'

And like the article, it really reflects on how we feel towards our Country. Like we don't belong.

I was reading the Federal Constitution the other day, as i had to do research on numerous things regarding the definition of 'Malay' and 'bumiputera'.

Lawnet defines bumiputera to be a native.

Whereas a malay, in the federal constitution, interpretes a malay to be one of the islam religion, speaks malay and and conforms to the Malay custom.

in the Federal Constitution, A Native is in relation to Sabah and Sarawak. and lists down all the various ( I didn't know there were so many!) natives of Borneo.

It's been I don't know.. 50 years? Since we became Malaysians. All of us. Everyone that was born in Malaysia. Our parents and ourselves, and our soon to have children. ( hopefully) yet! we do not consider ourselves fully Malaysian.

I know i love being a Malaysian. honestly i do. I love Malaysia. I consider myself as a Malaysian and all my friends as well. But you know what? Deep down inside.. we know. we really know that not everyone considers us as Malaysians.

When even the politicians, Ask us to 'go back to our Country where we came from' I feel very sad. Why aren't we wanted in our own country? Why are we treated as foreigners in the place where we were born in? Why do other people treat us like pariahs, like we don't belong, when all we do is work hard for the country?

We are then chastised for not having loyalty to our country. Can you expect any different? I know many Australians whose parent's migrated there, but have children there, and they deem themselves as Australians. Why not us?

Thus when I read the article. I cannot blame the Chinese for having the closed windows mentality. I really can't. No one wants us here. Some even threatened to have 'Chinese Blood on his Kris'. Can we be blamed if we follow on with our lives, and do what we're supposed to do. Run our businesses and carry on with our lives? Turn away where it doesn't benefit us?

We have been forwarned over and over again of MAY 13. Which Chinese would be foolish enough to start a racial riot? It would just give the other races more hatred and reason to suppress the Chinese.

I want, at least for my part, to live in a country where I don't have to state if I'm Chinese or not in my applications. I want to live in a country where I don't have to fight with other Chinese for any position because, that's the only equal level field.

I grew up in a school where I was thrown in a 'back' class, whereas my place in the 'first' classes were reserved for the quota system. That made me rebel. I felt that I didn't want to study anymore. It was useless. Kids who were Indian, Malays, and even Chinese Boys, who had worse off grades than me were in the class where I rightfully belonged. I on the otherhand was thrown away like yesterdays' leftovers.

I love my multiracial friendships that I created in my classrooms. I don't deny that. They had a reason to segregate the classrooms so that we had a equal opportunity to have a group of multiracial and cultural friends. But it still bites that I was treated as a 'stupid kid' cause I didn't make it into the top classes. It wasn't fair. I had good grades. I just didn't have good enough grades as a Chinese Girl.

but you know what? the Fact that I have to say.. i have multiracial friendships is just pathetic. i have friends. And that's really the only thing I need to say. I don't NEED to say they are of different races. They are all Malaysians or from Other countries, they are People I care about. I don't care if they talk a little differently, think a bit differently and dress a bit differently.

That's what Matters.

I highly doubt that the Chinese will start a riot on the streets. Highly unlikely and HIGHLY Dangerous. Most Chinese, in Malaysia and perhaps all over the world.. hold passports and Visas, and most likely PR's and friends in other countries, who when turmoil begins, will book the first flight out. Money, cash, things that can be pawned. These are all the thoughts of the Chinese.

Look at Hong Kong, when the time came everyone went off to Australia and Vancouver.

Look at Indonesia. They flew all over the world when they were killed by the masses.

Malaysia? i don't expect any different. But perhaps. Maybe, just maybe. It'll be different.

I hope.