Posted on by Kit

After the apology over the keris

by Azly Rahman

We must resolve the keris controversy generated by Umno Youth chief Hishammuddin Hussein, who has brandished the keris at the party’s annual assembly twice now.

At last year’s meeting, Umno Perlis delegate Hashim Suboh said at the end of the debate on economy and education issues: “Datuk Hisham has unsheathed his keris, waved his keris, kissed his keris. We want to ask Datuk Hisham, when is he going to use it? […] Force must be used against those who refused to abide by the social contract.”

This was in relation to Hishammuddin’s alleged weakness in dealing with demands from Chinese schools.

We live in a world in which signs and symbols of violence colonise our consciousness. From cave walls inscribed with images of Neanderthals clobbering a baby dinosaur, to production of images disseminated worldwide via the electronic media and Internet, we are confronted with violence.

We are creatures of signs and symbols manipulated by those who own the means of producing static and moving images. Objects of violence – of deaths and mega-deaths, of decimation and of demolition, and of the demonstration of defiance and destruction – all these, throughout history, have become symbols of choice for those in power.

Consider those crude-looking objects like sharpened stones and rocks used by cavemen to club one another, spears used in Alexandra of Macedonia’s phalanx, the spears and swords used in the Taiping Rebellion in China, cannons used in Gettysburg in the Civil War in America, and the rifle used by the Saddam Hussein in celebrating victory, the 21-gun salute in a modern military-inspired ceremony in Kuala Lumpur, the range of inter-continent ballistic missiles buried in the silos of Nevada – and finally the Malay keris.

Consider the sharp and pointed object. It involves release of inner tension, of perhaps the libido and repressed energy, of anger or frustration and of the lack of language to communicate peace.

All the energy from the body, flowing through the shoulders, the biceps, the hand, the wrist, the fist, and finally all these, the chi, the chakra or the tenaga lahir dan batin – all contained like the Einsteinian fusion-ed energy – is released through these objects of anger and destruction such as the keris. The technology of killing continues to be perfected as human beings become more sophisticated in the art and science of anger mis-management.

The traditional keris – like Malaysia’s proposal of the East Asia Economic Caucus – is a weapon of mass confrontation and has evolved in this postmodern era into a symbol of mass deception. It is a symbol. It is a sign. It represents something. The keris is a semiotic subject of study and must be looked at from different perspectives of meaning.

What is the nature of repression, the untamed libido, the repressed energy, the anger, the frustration, and the bottled up fear that is encapsulated and buried in the psycho-archeology of the keris? I hope the original creator of the Umno logo can answer this question.

Proposal for Umno

I want to propose something new. I want to invite Umno to consider changing its antiquated logo, the keris. It’ll be a good branding exercise to increase marketability in line with Malaysia’s corporate-ideological restructuring.

If Apple Computer can do that with its original 1970s unfriendly logo of an apple falling on Newton’s head and have it evolve into something friendlier like ‘take the byte off an Apple’, then Umno can do so as well.

When I was a child sitting under a rambutan tree in a Malay kampong in Johor, I had this question: what if Parameswara the assassin-prince – who was watching with thrill a mousedeer kick a Rottweiler into the Straits of Malacca – had sat under a durian tree and the fruit fell. What if it hit his head and he had to be taken back to Palembang to be hospitalised for concussion?

Would Malacca have been ‘founded’; would ketuanan Melayu have become an issue; and would the keris have been wielded at the Umno general assembly? I do not know.

History can be the greatest coloniser. Memories lie. There is no such thing as ‘historical fact’ when selective, authored and doctored accounts based on power/ideology/genealogy of truth and falsehood are used to report ‘historical events’ – and turned into ‘facts’ to be disseminated by our nationalistic and patriotic Sejarah/Tawarikh/History teachers and curriculum developers of the Biro Tatanegara.

Umno must improve its logo. It must hold a logo competition. The criteria must be this: only symbols of peace are allowed. And one must submit an essay of 500-word on why the symbol of the party is chosen.

One must first read studies on signs and symbols of violence throughout history and how they have shaped human consciousness/cognitive evolution.

And one could consider these words from an ancient Malay text:

. …Shukur dan sabar ihsan Islam
Suci dan ikhlas hakikat dalam
Menjalankan ucap siang dan malam
Memuji Tuhan Halkul Alam.
Inilah keputusan jalan hakikat
Ibu nyawa sudah dapat
Nyawa dan badan sudah mufakat
Boleh kita membawa sifat…

A symbol of any good and friendly ancient Malay scripture that glorifies the common person and not the ancient rulers would be a good replacement. A symbol of peace is needed.

The enquiring mind is more powerful than the weapon of mass deception. A new regime must have this as a foundation. I hope to see Umno’s new logo.

74 Replies to “After the apology over the keris”

  1. shall we agree, dato seri hisham and datuk hashim were telling all the Malays,kami punya darah hanya punyai sel-sel melayu sahaja!so,indirectly,it also means the rest of Malays have less malay-sel inside their body,needless to say,you all should be stabbed using the keris too,was that what they meant?
    if datuk hashim’s remark is not seditious,i dun know what is sedition means,what happened to our Internal Security (Paklah) and Deputy (Baharom) Ministers that time?Were they fell into deaf?any action taken against Dato Hisham and Datuk Hashim?
    Malaysia is flooded with these type of uneducated datuks,not many ppl respect them anymore,furthermore,scumbags,morons,goons,gangsters,extremists can also be datuks,wtf!!!

  2. Azly Rahman has written beautifully, except he has left out arrogance of the keris brandisher. He is not a normal person. He was and still is the Minister of Education (ask Oak Lah why). He should realise the implications of his words and actions on the thousands of school children – in whom the future of our nation belies.

    A lot of things which were not seen during the era of Mahathir. Call him autocratic, call him by all sorts of names, but he was indeed a very strong leader.

    Arrogance and the weak leadership have intentionally turned peace into chaos, worries, and suspicion. The UMNOputras clearly are not interested to have Malaysia a better place to live in, a Malaysia which can garner respect everywhere its subjects present, and a place which we can proudly call our home.

    If not because of the demoralised defeat in the 12th GE, the arrogance will be perpetuated, only to push the nation into more turmoil. If not because of the demand of the people power, if not because of their realisation that there would be practically no hope of a return to acceptance by the people, the public apology would not have been uttered.

    We only wish that all the those elected into positions will not betray the trust bestowed upon them by the people. Sincerity is the word – to work for the people and the nation for a better future is what we want to see.

  4. Talk of “repressed energy”, “the untamed libido” shows Dr Azly Rahman influenced by what Dr Farish Noor researched and said about the keris as a phallic symbol in the latter’s article “Pity the Poor Keris: How a Universal Symbol became a tool for Racial Politics” on 27th Nov 2006

    To quote Farish : “The keris, it has to be remembered, is a composite object: It consists of the blade (mata keris) as well as the sheath (sarong keris); and in the symbolic coupling of the two (the keris inserted into the sheath or sarong) we see the symbolic enactment of the sexual act of copulation or intercourse. Here the upright keris assumes its phallic identity as the penetrating element (linggam), while the sheath assumes the status of penetrated object (yoni). But a tantric reading of this would reverse the order of interpretation by arguing that the masculine power of the keris blade is being enveloped and thus contained within the sacred feminine space of the sheath; thereby bringing about equilibrium and order, when the feminine encapsulates, embodies and contains the masculine. Ultimately, therefore, harmony in the universe is achieved when the expansive (and potentially destructive) power of the masculine is domesticated and tamed by the feminine.”

    Azly said that Umno must improve its logo. Would he approve the sheath as a more peaceful and gentle symbol?

  5. Some people never learn from their mistakes. Wasnt retaining the then extremely unpopular min for international trade in cabinet a good enough lesson? Isnt retaining the edu min now tantamounts to committing the same mistake? Good luck to you pak lah. More of such mistakes please and keep them coming.

  6. “Mahathir – Call him autocratic, call him by all sorts of names, but he was indeed a very strong leader” – lkc57. Would not the keris symbolise this kind of strong leadership? For a change the sheath kind of leadership may be preferred.

  8. Sheath kind of leadership connotes conciliatory and consultative styles, not so confrontational, more gentle and patient, probably more wisdom where rakyat can be the keris, threatening with their voices and votes, criticising and thrusting demands for change for the better.

  10. YB Kit Siang,

    Fyi, Dato Seri Anwar is taking a 81% handsome lead in a survey conducted to find out who should be the next PM of Malaysia. Samy Vellu is currently at 2nd spot with 9%.

    At the same time, YB Lim Guan Eng is leading the race for the post of Deputy PM.

    sonofpenang.blogspot.com

  20. hemph … wonder why action has not been taken against this idiot hashim? Is he really hard up of the blood of people who question their righst as enshrined in the federal constitution?

    pakatanrakyat-malaysia.blogspot.com

  21. Dear uncle Lim,

    As you are the leader of DAP which is like the boss of the exco-excos (and CM Lim)… Could you take a look on the recent outcry by about 55 NGOs regarding the un-transparency and unsatisfying appointment of Cities Councilors by Penang government?

    As a supporter of DAP, I’m deeply saddened by the fact that the DAP-led government did not react positively towards the outcry…

    Trying to be silent means the Penang government admits the wrongdoing? or the state government wants to let the outcry gone like wind… and easily chicken out from giving just an explanation, a statement and a roadmap towards local council election?

    I hope you can also positively state the DAP’s stand on local council election, and how far the DAP, as an opposition party in parliament, wants to push the local election through…

    Regards,

  22. “Datuk Hisham has unsheathed his keris, waved his keris, kissed his keris. We want to ask Datuk Hisham, when is he going to use it? […] Force must be used against those who refused to abide by the social contract.”

    Why would need to use a Keris? Unless you want be “Pendekar”. This is crap. A developing country with a barbaric mind.

  24. From the start, I don’t think the Keris as a symbol was the problem. The problem is the way it was used by Hishamuddin and the subsequent rhetoric by Suboh and others including famous SIL.

    Put it this way. The symbol of American Republican party is the Elephant. If the Republican Party had organized an Elephant stampede as part of their political campaign, I think they would have suffered much worst than Hisamuddin did.

    The Keris is not designed to be an offensive weapon. Its a symbol of defense. If Hissamuddin had waved a block of brick, it would be equally offensive.

    The problem was not the Keris and Hissamuddin made it a problem. I thought he his apologies to the Malay community was even more important but not for the reason he stated but rather for his abuse of what was not meant to be.

    The problem is not the Keris but what they did to it…

  26. Logo’s design, in relation to whether political party, corporation, product or service, is intended to symbolize what it is identified with.

    To me UMNO’s logo of two keris(es) crossing/cutting each other is symbolic of internecine intra-party feuds, fights conflict and power struggles afflicting UMNO [eg. UMNO Ultras coup d’ tat against Tunku, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s earlier conflicts with Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, then Anwar Inrahim and now Pak Lah not to mention the subterranean tensions between Najib group and the premier’s group] especially when the keris, as was conventionally used, was a weapon of violent fights, bloodshed and duels to the finish as that between traditional folklore heroes Hang Tuah’s and Hang Jebat’s keris(es).

    It might have been different if instead of two keris(es) crisscrossing in duel, the logo shows only one keris tucked inside its sheath, which, in Eastern philosophic traditions, whether Tantric or the Taoist Ying & Yang, might well symbolize cosmic as well as party’s harmony.

    DAP’s logo is ok – only one “Rocket”, with 4 boosters for one directional drive and support, to push it to the higher political firmament and stratosphere of modern, dynamic and progressive society or organisation against a white background of (supposedly) purity and incorruptibility. And it is not even a phallic symbol – long and pointed though the rocket’s shape may be – because it is pointed one way – upwards, unlike the thrusts and parry, forward and pull back of the keris – somemore in the basence of its sheath!

    It is strange that when one uses logo to symbolize an identity or an attribute, not enough thought is given to how the objects chosen as symbols are normally used and their context of usage.

  30. ///The Keris is not designed to be an offensive weapon. Its a symbol of defense/// – Bigjoe.

    Many would take issue with that.

    How is it a symbol of defense – is it used to ward off attacks? A weapon by definition is a weapon, which whether used by Hang Tuah, Hang Jebat or the Pirates of Sulu, it had always been ultimately (when push comes to shove) an offensive weapon of attack, to maim, injure and kill the opponent in combat! The best defensive weapon is your pair of legs, running away with the keris…..The keris is wavy precisely because it is intended to inflict a painful mortal and fatal wound : once thrust into flesh & bones, it cannot be extricated by just pulling it out.

    According to Langkawi’s legend, a fair maiden known as Mashuri, unjustly accused of adultery more than 200 years ago, was executed and with her dying breath, cursed the island so that it would remain barren for seven generations – the weapon of her execution was a special keris by which she bled white blood , which some believe signifies her innocence.

  33. bocor ? u mean leaking ? Like leaking every month once ?

    cheng on soo, apology from the one who said ” to soak/bathe his kris in chinese blood ” . Well that apology will only be forthcomming “IF” the chinese were offended by that statement !!

    Now to prove that the chinese were indeed offended by that statement you will need to BEG AAB so that he will lend you his BIG DEAF ears. He will probably set up a Royal Commission at the expense of the tax payers and do nothing about it once the report is out.

    maybe we can just sheathe the keris on the flag with a condom, so it doesnt look so dangerous !

  35. drmaharajahrk,

    I can’t really understand what you are trying to convey here about the bocor condom laa….

    anyway you like it, whether come every month or daily its up to you laa…even shallow-minded, uneducated and low-class ministers can insult women in parliament using the bocor analogy, it wouldn’t surprise me a layman would use it as well.

    And whether AAB will use tax money to inquire those so called keris wielders or not also doesn’t matter – WHAT matters most is that the Chinese dare to speak up – which is our right to!

    I doubt the Malay would keep quiet if some foolish uneducated Chinese would say that “The Chinese broadsword shall devour the flesh and blood of Malays!”.

    What have the Chinese done to Malays to deserve such fanatical treatment? And now you are saying we must just keep quiet and let the past be the past? On what grounds?

    Duh!

  36. In respond to kingkenny,
    “the keris and the keris wielders are all stupid…..Chinese blood cannot drink finish one…. how can?!”

    If they interested to drink chinese blood in Malaysia which many chinese businessmen in M’sia has experienced this, it is OK provided they do a good job in returning back the wealth to the general chinese community, but these suckers keep them in Australia, like what Mr. Taib is doing.

    That Keris is to remind the Malay, if they don’t work hard, they will become irrelevant one day. Even they work hard, they can’t compete with China, because in China even at higher cost, but the labor cost is cheap, and there are plenty of ppl. wanted the job.

    Now the Malays are suffering more because all the infrastructure for their conveniences are been cancelled or delayed, so that later it will cost higher to build, there’s nothing that can bring down the material cost if you the country has lost it’s fundamental principle to develop the infrastructure.

    Infrastructure = Foreigner Investment + Inflow of Foreigner Funds

  37. 50 years in Malaysian history, these umno guys still did’nt understand a single thing.
    Might be they’ve gone “ponteng” whenever their history classes commence.
    The Chinese are mostly the ones who help built Malaysian’s economy to it’s height.
    At that time, we do not even have to depend on oil for growth.
    Now, Malaysia is booming and you threatened to wipe us out with your rusted kris.
    Without us, our country might even be worse than indonesia or Malaya will alway remain Malaya.
    You people will never have a chance to enjoy riches and power by now.
    Please don’t backstab us as you’re only breaking your rice bowl.

  38. lakilompat,

    you are clever…whether RM, USD, SD, AUD, UK Sterling OR blood…the Chinese have more

    your mind does think ahead of most other people…this country with its current crop of “leaders” will choke the country sooner or later…unless changes for the better could happen sooner rather than later!

  39. It’s not just about the keris. It’s also about the man who wielded it and the ppl supporting him. They just needed sth to threaten the Chinese.

    In the real scenario, they have used OSA, ISA, middle fingers, mat rempits, 5% cheaper houses, JPA scholarships, university courses, Gov contracts and Gov funding.

    UMNO must go and have to go. We need to throw away the curry puff if the filling is tainted or poisoned.

  41. i have a better idea, get lost, disappear, that kind of bahaviour is not from a minister, he should resign .
    and Bee ends clubbers should cry out their family shame elsewhere not at the national press and nation attention.

    We need real work not talk and talk and talk , just like their old days and their old ways not shy at all, cheated the people and now blame the people for not electing them.
    Damn thick skin and stubborn, bee end get lost and let the new malaysian malaysia begin.

  42. Anyone who considers what Kerishamuddin has uttered as “an apology” must be out of his mind. By beginning his “apology” with a big IF, it makes his whole statement insincere and irrelevant, so how can it ever be an “apology”!!!!!

  44. The symbol is OK!
    You have to see how a guy is using it
    I remember during the keris issue, the joker went to china and met with the youth wing of Chinese Communist party. The Chinese was actually saying something sarcastic to the joker and he took it as compliment. What a laughing stock!

    read my take on my blog…

    Shiok Guy

  45. UMNO logo never suffer a problem until the day Hisham made an apology that came too late. The rakyat knew the intention of his keris episode is nothing more than attracting the malay support for his political survival, at the same time weaken the other BN component partners. Hisham fail to understand that such action will instilled fear and create anger amongst the non-malay. Now when the rakyat look at the UMNO logo with two unsheathe keris, they think of Hisham and his kissing act. That make them recalling such fearful memories and in the end this logo will bring down UMNO. We wait for the next UMNO AGM, and let us see whether Hisham will kiss his keris again.

  46. I see the point differently. “Improve your image” is what I read and UMNO is advised to change “not only the symbol” but also its attitude, and the message it wants to spread.

    Well, the same can be the “message to DAP”. Look at it positively, not that DAP has done “much wrong” but definitely much room for improvement, and this is a good message to all political parties, not just to UMNO.

  47. That Keris is invented by the Chinese not the Malay. Those materials are imported from China and the woods etc. Why is he kissing it? long time ago, the armies already using gun not the Keris, is Keris really a weapon or just ancient folklore.

  48. There are many developed countries out there still think Malay build house on trees and they eat their babies, how ironic. Some might be true, yes some of the multi million building the govt. build at Perak collapsed – who is the main contractor? they are too skilled to build house on trees? eat their babies, yeap among their own cronies project, Tun Dr. Mahathir JB-Singapore bridge etc. So till today, that heritage diseases still remained.

  49. Are they backward when they waive Keris instead of laser gun? who will still fight with Keris in this modern age, where country go full scale economy war, resources war (oil, gold, land).

  50. We accept that to be a symbal for UMNO and for the Malays. The person who brandished it had sufferred the ignonimous consequence brought about by him to his party and the party’s coalition member parties.

    It was a bitter lesson for the brandisher and his party and the episode was now etched in the history of the party and the country as a blemish rather than glorification. A bitter pill that would leave the bitter after-taste in their mouth for a long long time to come.

  51. Excellent idea to replace the keris on the UMNO logo. I can think of several great symbols that will do the job:

    1. sheath over Kerishamuddin’s head (his head is filled with hot blood, no brain matter). It aptly represents the state of affairs with the UMNO leadership today anyway.

    2. keris up Kerishamuddin’s posterior orifice (it will help clear his head of arrogance, and all the crap that’s stuffed him up)

    3. keris through Kerishamuddin’s left ear and exiting his right ear (this will remind all UMNO members that when the head is empty, it almost always is a fatal condition)

    4. keris stabbed through Kerishamuddin’s unnaturally extended tongue (long tongue, many lies; keris through tongue = pennance)

    5. double keris strikes into Kerishamuddin’s eyes (another reminder to all UMNO members that they still have not truely seen and therefore, they fall miserably short in understanding why BN and UMNO lost GE12. ‘Kerishamuddin’s eyes’ because HE pulled the wool over their eyes at the UMNO GA when he stood in a unsheated phallic thrust with the keris in hand…like an imbecile)

    Who says the keris needs to be removed from the UMNO Logo?

    Today, we live in the ERA of REINVENTION. Give NEW meaning to the keris in the UMNO logo! Just ensure the meaning conveyed and perceiver’s takeout are POSITIVE!

    Like my 5 proposals – very positive!

  52. Kerishamudin is prepared to leave politic, there’s a group of job hunter seeking for banana eating poser, to promote Brazilian Bananas, i think it suits him, he got that smile while attempting to chew those ripe bananas.

    He will be like Koh Tsu Koon who remained clinged to his party, ah pek gila sure give that advise. “Why must resign!” Why must show the world u lost?” don’t be stupid! ah pek gila keng aik sure told him like tat. With his brain, Tsu Koon is smart enuff to said, oh i offer to resign and quit all my post within Gerakan, but it is the Gerakan members who beg him to stay. :o) What Penangites can do? spank me? wakaa… stupid penangites

  53. After losing 5 states, Gerakan is still strong becos Federal govt. sponsored funds to recapture Penang in another 4 yrs.

    At the expense of all the Rakyat future infrastructure. All these funds used to channel to BN state are now finding its way thru legal loopholes into “Bakti” or formal party.

    We Malaysian are stupid enough to allow the BN govt. to use Rakyat tax money to regain BN agendas. BN managed to channel out successfully funds which is suppose for the state, and also convinced 55 NGOs pig head to interfere with state govt. affairs.

    Those NGOs are supposed to boycott the Federal govt. for stopping future project for the good of society and picket the govt. for channeling out the funds due to legal loopholes, instead to go and interfere with state affair which i illegal. Whoever the 55 NGOs pig head leader, shame on you and your filthy family to knock ur table and support it.

    Whoever the 55 NGOs head please give name, and address, the red paint are ready for ANTI NGO movement to take action.

  54. Can anyone please provide the car number of these 55 NGOs head, and what model, and colour it is, the ANTI BN NGOs will proceed to send message to halt their ANTI STATE GOVT. MOVEMENT.

  55. this thread is hilarious…

    keris >> sheath >> durex >> coconuts >> bocor >> drink blood >> made in China! >> ‘Chinese superiority’ >> ‘Chinese hegemony’ and soon, on this train of thought, >> Chinese global domination!

    to all our Malay brethren reading this, anthropologically speaking, if we regress sufficiently in this discussion, we will end up in Yunnan.

    But going forward from what’s happening today, I think Yunnan is irrelevant, there’s no such thing as ‘Chinese superiority’ and ‘Chinese global domination’ is light years away – not until the Elephants and the Donkeys collapse under the weight of their own regressive politics.

    So, the reality today is, the Chinese hawker scrapping a living by the roadside is as much betrayed by BN and MCA as is the Malay and the Indian respectively by BN/UMNO and BN/MCA.

    I don’t see this Chinese hawker and thousands more Malaysian Chinese thinking ‘Chinese superiority’ nor ‘Chinese global domination.’ Instead, they are more worried about the rise in cost of wheat, rice and ice! And how to make it from one day to another – just like our Malay and Indian brethren.

    Which is why Kerishamuddin’s abusive display at the UMNO GA hurt so many non-Malays, especially Chinese.

  56. sorry, ‘…Malay and the Indian respectively by BN/UMNO and BN/MIC.’ I suppose my slip is because MIC is really, for all intents and purposes KAPUT, just like GERAKAN. Even more so, as the mop-head Gangster is back from the grave! OMG, what a haunting spectacle!

  57. “Chinese hawker scrapping a living by the roadside”

    Do u know how much CASH these roadside scrapper earn per month, if the food is great, well, without tax, they can earn better than a factory manager. If the food is not great, they shud close shop and seek refuge as beggars.

  58. Factory Manager have mountain of debts, and family commitments, some ended up CBT, some graft, and some run away. The roadside scrapper are they as long as they survive old age, they normally use a bicycle. Do u know the roadside Durian seller, 1 durian average is between RM 20-24, if they sell 100 durians per day, that’s alot don’t even bother abt. state or federal tax, normally these durian peddlar don’t even know how to fill the form etc.

  59. Now how abt. those illegal pirated CD, VCD & DVD peddlars? did they pay tax? they are filthy rich with no enforcement officer, but these enforcement officer are now richer receiving pay cheque from both the govt. and these peddlars.

  60. Kerishamuddin had tried to explain why he waved his keris etc by spinning it as part of Malay culture etc. . The point is, that he is like wearing a swimming trunk inside out to the official dinner function instead of to the pool. For it is acceptable to wear swimming trunk to the pool but not to the dinner function!!! Similarly, it is ok for the King/Sultan to kiss the keris at special function and not every where!!! moreover, it is just in an umno youth assembly and not even the President of umno did it in the main assembly, so it is not a norm, but with ulterior motive to stir up the emotion of his supporters to shed blood!!!

  61. The meaning of one person wearing/saying/doing something is totally different which depends on the time, space and location!!! Just imagine this, it is ok for us to be naked if taking bath inside the bath room, it is totally unacceptable in our culture to be naked in the public!!! Got it!!!

  62. If anyone want great publicity, he can go to China / India parlliament, and wave his kris, & say “something to similar”, & surely, he will make himself to newspapers’ headlines in those 2 countries with nearly 39% of mankind

  63. Krishmuddin, did he really apologise? Or, as I beleive, it was just a political stunt! If he is really sincere (in wanting to apologise), his “apology” should have been spoken sincerely. I think he is just palying a game. He was well aware of his own arrogrance and ‘hatred ‘ towards non-Malays, especially the Chinese, when he unshealthed and kissed it and later on his insistence that it was his ‘right’ to do so and no one should question (his actions!) What AOORGRANCE! If he is really sincere and remorseful, he should be man enough to resign as Minister of Education and be an example of what being a “true leader” is, to all our children

  64. lakilompat, I don’t know any roadside hawkers like the ones you know – those who make tons of money. I do know a few who, even while they make decent food, close shop and move on anyway because they can’t make enough to be sure of a steady income to look after their families with the way prices are going up on everything.

    But you brought up a few good points about all the illegal activities, the tax evasion, not even knowing how to fill the form etc.

    So, you want PR in Penang, Perak, Selangor and FT to come down hard on these tax skippers, DVD peddlars and other unsavoury characters? I’m with you as long as you haven’t ever patronised the roadside hawker who doesn’t pay his tax (most don’t even know how to fill the form as you say) and if you have never bought a single copy of pirated CD, VCD or DVD.

    A clean-up of this country is good. Let’s focus on obliterating the BN, UMNO, MCA, MIC and Gerakan crap instead. Once that is done, the positive results will pour forth and cascade down to the grassroots anyway.

  66. yeah … i agree . M16 with a keris as a bayonnet !!! to show how to integrate keris as part of so called ” Malay ” culture. I had talked to so many Malay friends about brandishing/kissing the keris, some being UMNO members and guess what, they deny it is of Malay culture. It doesn’t even reflect the gentle and polite nature most Malays are.

  71. Dear Readers,

    I refer to never ending stories on Hishamuddin and Keris. What is it with Keris that riles the Chinese and Indians ( the way one Chinese Assembly Hall along Jln Maharajalela with its reminder or rather deception on closure of a Chinese school in Damansara several years ago riles the Malays).

    Keris holds a special place in Malay customs. Malay Rulers kiss Keris during coronation. Keris signifies courage, sovereignty, chivalry, passion among others. Keris itself is immortalised as a logo in UMNO flag.

    Upset because Hishamuddin held it in UMNO General Assembly? Was it because of his passionate speech?. I followed his speech. I had not heard him saying Keris to be used against non Malays.

    Perhaps readers may not remember that PM himself in the very same assembly reminded Malay delegates that “Keadilan untuk semua”, meaning while promoting the interests of the Malays, Malays must upheld the spirit of justice to other races.

    Is that what UMNO has been doing?. It had not taken everything before even when it had ample chances to do so. It still allowed non Malay candidates in Malay majority areas.

    It amused me when Star or New Strait Times reported that it was one reason why UMNO lost votes. Maybe. But these newspapers never reported that one of the main reason why Tan Chai Ho lost in Bandar Tun Razak is due to the fact that Malays are upset over the Chinese Assembly Hall building in Jln Maharajalela lying about closure of a Chinese School.

  72. Passionate speech has its place and responsibility.

    The body language, tone and the highly charged environment are some of the important factors to determine the real intention.

  73. Ah Shamshul, it is one of the mysteries of life…the great divide if you will between the Chinese and the Malays that may never be bridged. It is at once a cultural divide as well as a religious divide. Unless the Chinese is Muslim or the Malay a non-Muslim, that divide is great. It is how we perceive values as much as how we each interact with our material world.

    To site just a very simple but absolutely divisive subject as example, take the pig! I will not need to say much about how a Malay (who is Muslim, because there are increasingly Malays who are NOT Muslim) views the pig but man, for the Chinese the pig reigns supreme! It is the centre piece at a traditional Chinese wedding! No self-respecting Chinese would miss out on this utterly tempting, absolutely delicious roast pig! Nowadays, it tends to be a bit lean but who gives a hoot as long as we get to sink our teeth into a delectable morsel. And it is also indispensible at a traditional Chinese funeral. For the very same reasons but I suppose in reverse. Nonetheless, it gets EATEN!

    So, from cradle to grave, we have a special role and place for this animal in the Chinese culture. But always, it ends up in the stomach!

    And the keris? Well, when you have the keris held up and someone says ‘bath Chinese blood with it,’ then held up again, and someone else says ‘when will it be used’ and then held up yet again in defiance to ‘desensitise non-Malays,’ if you are Chinese, you probably have this feeling like…you would LOVE to chop the freaking roast pig up and eat it!

    It is kinda Chinese thingy – slaughter >> roast >> chop >> eat!

    If you could imagine for a moment – squeal, squeal >> sizzle, sizzle >> chop, chop >> yum, yum!

    But I don’t imagine you could. The GREAT DIVIDE!

  74. If this Hashim Suboh guy has been quoted correctly,
    it just shows his true character.

    What do you readers of this blog who are lawyers think of the statement? Can it be considered “incitement of racial tension” and therefore can be prosecuted in a Malaysian court of law?

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