Comments on: Weekend Musings 3: A European Muslim on Not Being European

By: Nizar

Nizar — Wed, 27 Sep 2006 06:46:25 +0000

Oooo .. hmm I heard about that b4 but then I heard it was cancelled and we still have to stick with Bin and Binti. My newly registered nephew still has it (boy, it’s really long). They said it’s to distinguish the son’s name from the father’s. For me, it’s no big deal. I only wish I could shorten my name. Perhaps remove the ‘Wan’ so that i won’t have to put up with the typical question: how come u live in Johor but ur name sounds like Kelantanese for the umpteenth time! Oh… and please… MOHD is not pronounced “mohod”, can I change that too? Nak ubah nama sikit jek, bukannya ubah jadik Nizar Joy… nauzubillah… hehe.

By: azlin

azlin — Wed, 27 Sep 2006 05:28:51 +0000

Something I left out.
Kids nowadsys get MyKid and it follows exactly what is written on the birth certificate.

By: azlin

azlin — Wed, 27 Sep 2006 05:27:44 +0000

A child does not need to be registered with bin and binti anymore. Even a malay child. JPN won’t put the bin and binti or even A/L or A/P.

By: Elina

Elina — Wed, 27 Sep 2006 02:34:10 +0000

Jordan,

Newcomer to your site but already a fan. Have had, and still continue to have, internal conflicts about race as I am mixed yet am externally compelled to tick the ‘Malay’ box on official forms…which really grates on my nerves because it forfeits at least 50% - or 100%, in your words - of my race and lineage. Politics and bureaucracy can really mess with this race concept. Congratulations on Alisdair, by the way, and for successfully wrangling through M’sian bureaucracy in getting his name listed the way you wanted!! Hopefully, it will not be a problem when he gets his IC (it was for me).

By: Nizar

Nizar — Mon, 25 Sep 2006 05:00:18 +0000

ooppss… I meant Aida.. hehe

By: Nizar

Nizar — Mon, 25 Sep 2006 04:57:33 +0000

Chiwi: Lol, u too got mistaken for Indo-Chinese/Filipino/Indonesian/Cambodian, etc..? That makes two of us! Haha
I wish they would mistake me for mat salleh but I’m too dark and short laaa huhu…

By: suri kurz

suri kurz — Mon, 25 Sep 2006 04:16:02 +0000

true true. race is overrated. we are all the same past our looks, or heights, or language, yet no 2 individuals are the same. prais Allah.

By: Chiwi

Chiwi — Mon, 25 Sep 2006 02:20:57 +0000

Nizar!!! I totally agree.. we are the ones that put ourselves in a box and put a big label on it…. We are all unique individual, no 2 are alike, except that the blood that runs thru us is red! So would a rose smell like it is if we give it a different name?? :p

By: Nizar

Nizar — Mon, 25 Sep 2006 01:38:44 +0000

From Al-hujarat (The Chambers), verse 13:

“People, We have created you all male and female and have made you nations and tribes so that you would recognize each other. The most honorable among you in the sight of God is the most pious of you. God is All-knowing and All-aware” (49:13).

Melayu ka, Cina ka, omputih ka… darah sama je merah. Obsessions divide.

By: ida

ida — Sun, 24 Sep 2006 12:48:53 +0000

Hmmm… If a ‘Malay’ is some one who
1. Speaks Malay
2. Is Muslim
3. Abide by the traditions of the Malay

… then I’m in trouble

1. I speak rojak Malay and only in Malaysia
2. my ‘muslims’ness is probably not the ideal in Malaysia
3. I don’t ‘follow’ Malay tradition in the UK - Shoes in the house, don’t eat rice regularly, don’t posses a ‘baju kurung’,etc etc.

It just shows that this whole legal/constitional Malay classification is a farce.