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December 3, 09Ahmad Ismail is a Pendatang, Just Like All of Us
September 16, 08
Hypocrisy Meter from theblogprof.
Ahmad Ismail recently made some deragatory remarks aimed at the Chinese population of Malaysia. He called them pendatang (immigrants or squatters) in reference to the alleged status of Chinese as latecomers to Malaysia.
Despite being chided and even suspended from UMNO for 3 years, he refuses to apologize – he claims that he is not in the wrong.
As a direct result of this, Sin Chew reporter Tan Hoon Cheng was arrested under the ISA simply for reporting on what Ahmad Ismail said. She was recently released, while Ahmad Ismail wasn’t so much as issued a stern warning.
Well, here I present to you an argument that shows up Ahmad Ismail as a hypocritical pendatang himself!
The following is an excellent article, translated in full from Kuda Ranggi (Syed Imran)‘s original post in Malay, ‘Antara pendatang dan penumpang’.
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Antara pendatang dan penumpang
(Between immigrants and squatters)
At first, I was reluctant to comment on the hoo-hah that resulted from the statements made by the UMNO division head of Bukit Bendera, Penang named Ahmad bin Ismail. Whether what he said about Malaysian of Chinese descent is true or false is not the question, because the issue is already spreading and the situation flaring up.
Unless the issue is addressed carefully, conscientiously and wisely, it can be exploited by those who wish to see this nation crumble, as well as by foreign powers. In this era of the borderless world and instantaneous international coverage via electronic media, whatever happens within a nation cannot be hidden or denied.
The main issue that was brought up by Ahmad Ismail involves the question of ‘squatting’; that is, that Malaysians of Chinese descent are squatters in this nation. He later clarified that this refers to the pre-Merdeka (pre-Malayan Independence) era. Nevertheless, the sensitivities of Chinese Malaysians were offended.
I do not know Ahmad Ismail personally, but I am quite close to Allahyarham, his brother Abdul Rahim Ismail, owner of the Rahim Construction Company which was once quite renown as the best Bumiputra-owned construction firm in Penang. I do not know what has happened with the company since Abdul Rahim passed away.
Personally, I (Syed Imran) disagree with what Ahmad Ismail claims for several reasons.
To me, almost 90 percent of Malaysians, especially those in the Peninsular, are immigrants and all of us are actually squatting on God’s land. We are not permanent owners, but merely squatting.
As an example, I myself am descended from immigrants who squatted on this blessed land. My grandparents on my father’s side immigrated from Mecca (in Saudi Arabia) and Brunei, whereas my maternal grandparents came from Hadhramut in Yemen. We are immigrants and squatters just like almost all of this nation’s citizens, especially those in Penang.
As for Ahmad Ismail, he too comes from an immigrant family and is squatting in this nation. Ahmad Ismail cannot deny the fact that his grandparents are immigrants from India who came in search of a better, more comfortable life in this blessed land.
Prime Minister Abdullah bin Ahmad is also included in the same category. His maternal grandfather was an immigrant from the Guangdong province in China. To cut a long story short, Pak Lah’s grandfather and Allahyarhamah Kailan’s father known as Hassan Salleh or Hah Su Chiang was an immigrant. He immigrated to Malaya from Guangdong (Kwangtung) in the mid 19th-century and settled in Bayan Lepas as a rubber planter, paddy farmer and later a diamond trader.
Deputy Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak also comes from an immigrant family, that is from Sulawesi in Indonesia, or to be simply he is a Bugis. Meanwhile, Hishamuddin Hussein cannot deny from his Turkish bloodline.
The grandparents of former PM Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad are also immigrants from Kerala, India while Almarhum Tunku Abul Rahman’s mother originated from Siam (Thailand).
Even the Malay Sultanate of Malacca was founded by an immigrant from Sumatra (in Indonesia) named Parameswara, a prince or noble of the Hindu religion.
In the history of the Malay sultanates, we find that some were founded by immigrants from Bugis and others by immigrants from Hadhramut (in Yemen) and Minangkabau (in Indonesia).
Christian Lessons in Kung Fu Panda (Spoilers)
June 23, 08*2 MINOR SPOILERS, AND 1 MAJOR SPOILER WARNING*
The major spoiler is at #3, and is in White colour text. Highlight it with your mouse to view it.
Kung Fu Panda: A secular animated comedy featuring Jack Black as a clumsy, lazy panda in China who learns the ancient Chinese martial art/culture of Kung Fu. (With perhaps some Japanese imperialism suggested?)
Totally unrelated to Christianity? Here’s what Jamie Thong has to note:
CHRISTIAN LESSONS IN KUNG FU PANDA
#1: When Master Wu Gui (Oogway) tells Master Shifu that he needs to just believe and learn to let go of his control even if he can’t see how things will turn out.
Lesson: We all need to learn how to let go of the control over our lives and have faith in God to let Him have control, even when we can’t see the way forward.
#2: When Master Shifu brings Po Panda to the birthplace of Kung Fu when he is discouraged, and he suddenly is inspired to learn Kung Fu.
Lesson: As leaders, there are times when our followers might get discouraged. What we can do to help them get up again is to help them see the vision of what they are running for once again. We do that by bringing them back to the birthplace of that vision, which is in God’s presence. Once they catch the vision again, they will be ready to continue running.
#3: (In White font, highlight to see) The fact that there is nothing inside the Dragon Scroll but a reflective surface. Once Po Panda understood that there is no secret he was ready to face Tai Long.Lesson: Many times we think that if we have the perfect method, or if the circumstances are just right we can succeed. We always ask God to “give us this, give us that” or “if only You’d do this and that then I could be successful”. Yet it is not the method that God chooses to empower, it is the person. God has already put whatever we need to succeed into us. All we need to do is to take the first step of faith and as we walk, God will draw it out of us and make it manifest.
What thinkest thou?
Memorandum on Media Freedom
June 16, 08Posted on request of Lucia Lai. More details and encouragement to sign the memorandum can be read at Susan Loone’s.
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Dear Bloggers
Concerned Malaysians are working hard to collect as many signatures as possible for the 2008 Memorandum on Media Freedom – sponsored by Benar for Free and Fair Media (Benar), Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ), National Alliance of Bloggers (All-Blogs) and Writers Alliance for Media Independence (WAMI).
The Memorandum, together with the signatures collected until 30 August, 2008 shall be presented to the national leaders on August 31, 2008 and to state leaders on September 16, 2008 to demand for reforms in media laws. This project will be weaker without your support. We hope you will place this image link on your blog to help promote the cause.
There can be no free nation without free media. Let us come together to demand media freedom as the birthday present for our beloved nation.
Attached please find the image in 2 sizes. Please don’t forget to hyperlink the image to the benar website. (not the benar blog).
For non bloggers, you are encourage to support us by posting about the memorandum in forums or newsgroup.
Thank you very much for your support and attention.
In our love of the nation and freedom,
All-Blogs, Benar, CIJ and WAMI
46 Lies of Barack Obama
May 29, 08From a long and detailed comment left by Jewel.
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If peeps have links to verify the below info, do comment with them. If you put a link and it makes your comments go into spam, try again without the http:// part.
See also related at Obama’s 57 States: A Muslim Freudian Slip? and Obama’s Racist, Black-Centric, White-Stereotyping Remarks in His Own Voice.
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OBAMA – LIAR, LIAR
1.) Selma Got Me Born – LIAR, your parents felt safe enough to have you in 1961 – Selma had no effect on your birth, as Selma was in 1965. (Google ‘Obama Selma’ for his full March 4, 2007 speech and articles about its various untruths.)
2.) Father Was A Goat Herder – LIAR, he was a privileged, well educated youth, who went on to work with the Kenyan Government.
3.) Father Was A Proud Freedom Fighter – LIAR, he was part of one of the most corrupt and violent governments Kenya has ever had.
4.) My Family Has Strong Ties To African Freedom – LIAR, your cousin Raila Odinga has created mass violence in attempting to overturn a legitimate election in 2007, in Kenya . It is the first widespread violence in decades. The current government is pro-American but Odinga wants to overthrow it and establish Muslim Sharia law. Your half-brother, Abongo Obama, is Odinga’s follower. You interrupted your New Hampshire campaigning to speak to Odinga on the phone. Check out this link for verification of that….and for more.
Obama’s cousin Odinga in Kenya ran for president and tried to get Sharia Muslim law in place there. When Odinga lost the elections, his followers have burned Christians’ homes and then burned men, women and children alive in a Christian church where they took shelter. Obama SUPPORTED his cousin before the election process here started. Google Obama and Odinga and see what you get. No one wants to know the truth.
5.) My Grandmother Has Always Been A Christian – LIAR, she does her daily Salat prayers at 5 AM according to her own interviews. Not to mention, Christianity wouldn’t allow her to have been one of 14 wives to 1 man.
6.) My Name is African Swahili – LIAR, your name is Arabic and ‘Baraka’ (from which Barack came) means ‘blessed’ in that language. Hussein is also Arabic and so is Obama.
Barack Hussein Obama is not half black. If elected, he would be the first Arab-American President, not the first black President. Barack Hussein Obama is 50% Caucasian from his mother’s side and 43.75% Arabic and 6.25% African Negro from his father’s side. While Barack Hussein Obama’s father was from Kenya , his father’s family was mainly Arabs. Barack Hussein Obama’s father was only 12.5% African Negro and 87.5% Arab (his father’s birth certificate even states he’s Arab, not African Negro). From
this link.
7.) I Never Practiced Islam – LIAR, you practiced it daily at school, where you were registered as a Muslim and kept that faith for 31 years,until your wife made you change, so you could run for office.
4-3-08 Article “Obama was ‘quite religious in islam’” This link.
8.) My School In Indonesia Was Christian – LIAR, you were registered as Muslim there and got in trouble in Koranic Studies for making faces (check your own book).
February 28, 2008.
Kristoff from the New York Times a year ago:
Mr. Obama recalled the opening lines of the Arabic call to prayer, reciting them with a first-rate accent. In a remark that seemed delightfully uncalculated (it’ll give Alabama voters heart attacks), Mr. Obama described the call to prayer as “one of the prettiest sounds on Earth at sunset.”
This is just one example of what Pamela is talking about when she says “Obama’s narrative is being altered, enhanced and manipulated to whitewash troubling facts.”
9.) I Was Fluent In Indonesian – LIAR, not one teacher says you could speak the language.
10.) Because I Lived In Indonesia , I Have More Foreign Experience – LIAR, you were there from the ages of 6 to 10, and couldn’t even speak the language. What did you learn, how to study the Koran and watch cartoons?
11.) I Am Stronger On Foreign Affairs – LIAR, except for Africa (surprise) and the Middle East (bigger surprise), you have never been anywhere else on the planet and thus have NO experience with our closest allies.
12.) I Blame My Early Drug Use On Ethnic Confusion – LIAR, you were quite content in high school to be Barry Obama, no mention of Kenya and no mention of struggle to identify – your classmates said you were just fine.
13.) An Ebony Article Moved Me To Run For Office – LIAR, Ebony has yet to find the article you mention in your book. It doesn’t, and never did, exist.
14.) A Life Magazine Article Changed My Outlook On Life – LIAR, Life has yet to find the article you mention in your book. It doesn’t, and never did, exist.
15.) I Won’t Run On A National Ticket In ‘08 – LIAR, here you are, despite saying, live on TV, that you would not have enough experience by then, and you are all about having experience first.
16.) Present Votes Are Common In Illinois – LIAR, they are common for YOU, but not many others have 130 NO VOTES.
17.) Oops, I Misvoted – LIAR, only when caught by church groups and democrats, did you beg to change your misvote.
18.) I Was A Professor Of Law – LIAR, you were a senior lecturer ON LEAVE.
19.) I Was A Constitutional Lawyer – LIAR, you were a senior lecturer ON LEAVE.
20.) Without Me, There Would Be No Ethics Bill – LIAR, you didn’t write it,introduce it, change it, or create it.
21.) The Ethics Bill Was Hard To Pass – LIAR, it took just 14 days from start to finish.
22.) I Wrote A Tough Nuclear Bill – LIAR, your bill was rejected by your own party for its pandering and lack of all regulation – mainly because of your Nuclear Donor, Exelon, from which David Axelrod came.
23.) I Have Released My State Records – LIAR, as of March, 2008, state bills you sponsored or voted for have yet to be released, exposing all the special interests pork hidden within.
24.) I Took On The Asbestos Altgeld Gardens Mess – LIAR, you were part of a large group of people who remedied Altgeld Gardens . You failed to mention anyone else but yourself, in your books.
25.) My Economics Bill Will Help America – LIAR, your 111 economic policies were just combined into a proposal which lost 99-0, and even YOU voted against your own bill.
26.) I Have Been A Bold Leader In Illinois – LIAR, even your own supporters claim to have not seen BOLD action on your part.
27.) I Passed 26 Of My Own Bills In One Year – LIAR, they were not YOUR bills, but rather handed to you, after their creation by a fellow Senator, to assist you in a future bid for higher office.
28.) No One Contacted Canada About NAFTA – LIAR, the Canadian Government issued the names and a memo of the conversation your campaign had with them.
29.) I Am Tough On Terrorism – LIAR, you missed the Iran Resolution vote on terrorism and your good friend Ali Abunimah supports the destruction of Israel .
30.) I Am Not Acting As President Yet – LIAR, after the NAFTA Memo, a dead terrorist in the FARC, in Colombia, was found with a letter stating how you and he were working together on getting FARC recognized officially.
31.) I Didn’t Run Ads In Florida – LIAR, you allowed national ads to run 8-12 times per day for two weeks – and you still lost.
32.) I Won Michigan – LIAR, no you didn’t.
33.) I won Nevada – LIAR, no you did not.
34.) I Want All Votes To Count – LIAR, you said let the delegates decide.
35.) I Want Americans To Decide – LIAR, you prefer caucuses that limit the vote, confuse the voters, force a public vote, and only operate during small windows of time.
36.) I passed 900 Bills in the State Senate – LIAR, you passed 26, most of which you didn’t write yourself.
37.) My Campaign Was Extorted By A Friend – LIAR, that friend is threatening to sue if you do not stop saying this. (Obama has now stopped saying this.)
38.) I Believe In Fairness, Not Tactics – LIAR, you used tactics to eliminate Alice Palmer from running against you.
39.) I Don’t Take PAC Money – LIAR, you take loads of it.
40.) I don’t Have Lobbysists – LIAR, you have over 47 lobbyists, and counting.
41.) My Campaign Had Nothing To Do With The 1984 Ad – LIAR, your own campaign worker made the ad on his Apple in one afternoon.
42.) My Campaign Never Took Over MySpace – LIAR, Tom, who started MySpace issued a warning about this advertising to MySpace clients.
43.) I Inspire People With My Words – LIAR, you inspire people with other people’s words.
44.) I Have Passed Bills In The U.S. Senate – LIAR, you have passed A BILL in the U.S. Senate – for Africa, which shows YOUR priorities.
45.) I Have Always Been Against Iraq – LIAR, you weren’t in office to vote against it AND you have voted to fund it every single time, unlike Kucinich, who seems to be out gutting you Obama. You also seem to be stepping back from your departure date – AGAIN.
46.) I Have Always Supported Universal Health Care – LIAR, your plan leaves us all to pay for the 15,000,000 who don’t have to buy it.
Guest Blog for Toffeenuts 1: Pavlovian Pinafores
November 14, 07I’m guest-blogging for Alex Steinert Miles at his blog Toffeenuts And A Scarlet Heart.
You can see the post at this link named Pavlovian Pinafores.
Michael Chick
October 3, 07– Anthropological Definition of Malay
As every Malaysian should know, the legal and Constitutional definition of ‘Malay’ is as follows:
“Malay” means a person who professes the religion of Islam, habitually speaks the Malay language, conforms to Malay custom and –
(a) was before Merdeka Day born in the Federation or in Singapore or born of parents one of whom was born in the Federation or in Singapore, or was on that day domiciled in the Federation or in Singapore; or
(b) is the issue of such a person;
– Article 160 of the Constitution of Malaysia
Note that the above definition does not include any actual racial, genetic or descendency aspects. Rather, what makes a Malay ‘Malay’ are cultural, lingual and (yes) religious characteristics.
Michael Chick (stated website http://www.discovermalaysia.biz/ ) posted a long, very informative comment regarding what the anthropological concept is with regard to being ‘Malay’ – that is, what races and which geographical areas the Malays are descended from.
I thought it interesting and enlightening enough to deserve its own post. Read it below. A follow up to it is at Michael Chick – Who are the Malays? And how to unite them.
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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 – Malay Identity Across Boundaries” Edited by Timothy P. Barnard published by Singapore University Press. 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 6,000 yrs ago, they moved into Taiwan, (now the Alisan), then into the Phillipines (now the Aeta) and moved into Borneo (4,500 yrs ago) (Dayak). They also split into Sulawesi and progressed into Jawa, and Sumatera. The final migration was to the Malayan Peninsular 3,000 yrs ago. A sub-group from Borneo also moved to Champa in Vietnam at 4,500 yrs 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:
An excerpt 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 60,000 yrs 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 6,000 yrs 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 6,000 yrs ago nor the Australo Melanesian group from Africa.
Ready for this?
The Bugis are the cross-breed between the Mongolian Chinese and the wandering Arab Pirates. (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? Legend tells us that she is 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? But wait a minute….
That’s what legend says. Let’s look at the proof. The solid evidence. There is a well next to the Zheng He Temple in Malacca which is supposed to be the well built by the Sultan of Malacca for her. According to legend, anyone who drinks of it shall re-visit Malacca before they die. Hmmm smells like a romantic fairy tale already. But let’s look at who Hang Li Poh actually is. Which Ming Emperor was she a daughter to? So I got into researching the entire list of Ming Emperors. Guess what? Not a single Ming Emperor’s last name begins with Hang. In fact, all their last names begin with Tzu (pronounced Choo). So who is Hang Li Poh? An Extra Concubine? A Spare Handmaiden? Who knows? But one thing for certain, is that she was no daughter of any of the Ming Emperors. Gone is the romantic notion of the Sultan of Malacca marrying an exotic Chinese Princess. Sorry guys, the Sultan married an unidentified Chinese commoner.
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 100 yrs 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 some Prime Minister decreed that they were to be strangely “declassified” in the 1960’s. WHY? How can a “native son of the soil” degenerate into an “un-son”? The new classification is “pendatang” meaning a migrant. Wait a minute, isn’t EVERYONE on the Peninsular a migrant to begin with?
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?
Inpersuing this thread, and having looked at the history of Prophet Muhammed (BTW, real name Ahmad) we couldn’t figure out which descendant line The Sultan of Perlis was. Perhaps it was by the name Syed, which transcended. Then we would ask which of the 13 official wives named in the Holy Koran? or was he a descendant from the other 23 names of the non-wives? Of the 13 were (at least known) 3 Israeli women. Then you would also ask yourself, isn’t Prophet Muhammad an Israeli himself? The answer is clear. All descendants of Moses are Israeli. In fact, the Holy Koran teaches that Moses was the First Muslim. Thus confirming all descendants to be Israeli, including Jesus and Prophet Muhammad. It is also found in Sura 2:58 & 59 which specifically mentions that the Torah and the Kitab (Bible) are Holy Words of Allah. But since this is not a religious discussion, let’s move on to a more anthropological approach.
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 2,000 yrs old. Pre-dating Borrobudor AND Angkor Watt. Who came about around 500-600 yrs 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 2,000 yrs 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 6,000 yrs 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 2,000 yrs ago during the “Golden Hindu Era” for a duration of 1,500 yrs.
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 1,500 years 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”.
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See also Indian Origin For Malay History, Words & Customs for more on the non-local origin of Malay customs, Where Did Parameswara Come From? The Origin Story for a hysterical look at what our ‘modern version’ of school textbook History is like, and Repulse and Prince of Wales for my own research into the Malaysian textbook misrepresentation of the famous battle.
Hidden Revelation in the Genealogy From Adam to Noah
January 26, 07This is the first Guest Article that I’m featuring, an enlightening insight into the genealogy from Adam of Noah. I gladly welcome more on any topic 🙂
For those of you who have been following Apologia tou Kristou, this is the third featured example of the Messiah, Jesus Christ being declared waaaaaay back in the Old Testament.
(See A-Cross to the Promised Land and Christ as God in the Old Testament, with The LORD Said to my Lord and Isaiah in the Dead Sea Scrolls for additional support.)
And now, from guest blogger Michael Parson:
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I have much to share that might not be known by some, and would love to build up knowledge and faith (with the help of Jesus). I thought I might start by showing you a interesting insight I have come across from listening to lectures given by Dr. Chuck Missler.
Sometimes when reading Scripture we find things that at first glance seem to be nothing more than a bit of information the Spirit has put there so we will understand history. A good question to ask is, did God place this here for more than describing history?
I recall this about myself, how many times I have opened the New Testament and skipped over the genealogy of Jesus in Matthew. I heard a testimony of a Jewish man who found Christ through the start of Matthew. He had not known about Jesus, and when he read the Genealogy it hit home to his Jewish roots.
The Spirit places things there for many reasons. It tells us in Proverbs 25:2 – “[It is] the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings [is] to search out a matter.”
And Jesus tells us in the Gospels that if we look at the Scriptures (meaning the Old Testament), we will find that they are written about Him.
So I would like to share with you another discovery from a genealogy we find in the Bible. This one is found near the beginning of the Bible, in Genesis 5 . It is the genealogy from Adam to Noah.
You will find from the Scriptures that it was common for people to name children with a meaning. Usually it would describe an attribute, an act in their lives, or something to come. A great example of this is Jesus, Whose name means salvation.
Hebrew names come from a root word, for example Adam comes from the root word ‘adomah’ which means ‘man’. This is a fitting name as he was the first man.
As we carry on throughout this genealogy, we can dig up the meanings of the names from their Hebrew roots. For time’s sake I will only give a few examples of root words, but remember what God said to us in Proverbs 25:2.
Continuing through Genesis 5, we find Seth is next in line after Adam. Seth’s name means ‘appointed’, you will find a reference to this in Gen 4:25, where Eve says God has appointed her another son in place of Abel who had been killed by Cain.
After this we find Enosh which means ‘mortal’. The root is ‘anash’ which mean incurable, wound, grief… You can see how his name means mortal with words like that associated with it!
Next we have Kenan which means ‘sorrow’. Some of these name meanings are a bit sombre, I don’t think I would like to be named sorrow! I wonder why parents would name their child that? I can just imagine:
“Honey, I’m pregnant.”
“Oh man, my freedom is gone! Sorrow, oh what sorrow!”
🙂 Sorry, I’ll go on. Next we have Mahalalel. Things get a bit brighter with the meaning of his name. The first portion ‘mahalal’ means ‘blessed’ or ‘praise’, and ‘El’ is the name for God. (When you see ‘El’ in any name it has God’s name built into it, like Daniel.) So Mahalalel means ‘the blessed God’.
Next we have Jared which means ‘shall come down’. A rather odd meaning for a name? But read on and you shall see…
After this we have Enoch, which means ‘teaching’ or ‘commencement’. We know from the book of Hebrews that Enoch did not die – he was taken up by the Lord. His story is one of salvation. At 65 years old, he turned to God and walked with Him for the remainder of his 300 years of life, as a prophet proclaiming God’s judgment on a corrupt Earth.
The judgment would later come by the Great Flood in Noah’s time. There is a lot to talk about when it comes to Enoch, but I will save it for another day. I’d also love to address the reason for the long life spans in the Bible.
Next we have Methuselah. His name means ‘his death shall bring’. Methuselah’s name is actually a prophecy for the day of his death, for the Great Flood ‘his death shall bring.’
You will find a great show of Gods grace in this for Methuselah has the longest life span recorded in Scripture. God gave the world 969 years to turn from sin. But they did not.
Next we have Lamech, the root of his name means ‘despairing’. You will see the meaning of his name still evident in the English word ‘lament’.
Now last but not least, we have Noah. His name comes from the word ‘nacham’ which means ‘to bring relief’. Noah’s name means ‘comfort’ and ‘rest’.
And we’re done, from Adam all the way to Noah! Now this is where it gets good. I’m sure you will find it worthwhile.
Is the above just a genealogy filled with interesting names? Or is it something more? Now that we’ve found the root meanings of each name, let’s put them all in order:
Adam – Man
Seth – Appointed
Enosh – Mortal
Kenan – Sorrow
Mahalalel – The blessed God
Jared – Shall come down
Enoch – Teaching
Methuselah – His death shall bring
Lamech – Despairing
Noah – Comfort and rest
Put those meanings into a complete sentence and you get: Man (is) appointed mortal sorrow, (but) the blessed God shall come down teaching. His death shall bring (the) despairing comfort and rest.
And there you have it, in the names of Adam to Noah, a summary of the New Testament message – the Gospel of Jesus Christ!
For Jesus is Himself God, who came to down to Earth to teach. His sacrificial death on the cross washed away the sins of despairing man, and gave them comfort and rest.
Wow that’s great eh! I would say there is no way it could be by chance. A seemingly boring genealogy holds inside itself a short summary of the New Testament, and also holds the statement that Jesus is God.
Jesus was right when He said the whole of Scripture speaks of Him! The Bible has the fingerprint of God all over it. It has a depth that we could spend all of eternity searching. And if we search with the power of the Spirit, He will show us the wonders to be found in the Scriptures.
Thank you for spending the time to read this, and I hope it put a smile in your heart! God bless.
Michael Parson
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THE SCOTTTCAST 