Posted on by Kit

RTM’s CNY misrepresentation of Malaysian Chinese

Letters
by Oldtimer

I am appalled by the way the government misrepresented
the culture of the Chinese. On the second day of
Chinese New Year, at 9pm, RTM broadcasted the Panorama
programme which showed what a “typical” Malaysian
Chinese family preparing for Chinese New Year. Instead
of showing a typical Chinese family, they purposely
showed a Muslim Chinese family and passing the family
off as a typical family. They showed the food
preparations and, of course, did not show any pork
dishes. How can you not show pork dishes for Chinese
new year? They also did not show the people going to
temple and worship their ancestors. Instead they tried
to show this Chinese Muslim family celebrating Chinese
New Year the Muslim way.

I have nothing against Chinese Muslim, but they are a
minority among Chinese Malaysians, and do not
represent the majority of Chinese Malaysians.

It is appalling the way RTM is trying to manipulate
the true picture of the Malaysian Chinese. They
purposely did not show the three key elements- pork,
temples and ancestors worship.

If the government is trying to promote Islam among the
Chinese population here they have in fact, created a
bad impression of Muslims in Malaysia. It just showed
how shallow the government’s commitment to plural
society and religious and cultural freedom. By passing
off the Chinese Muslim as a typical Chinese family in
Malaysia, they have gone to the extreme.

The BN government, and especially the MCA, should be
voted out. It is a real shame that the government
tries to tell a big lie. This government is worse than
PAS. They just want everyone to be Muslims and are
willing to lie openly.

(Can those who have seen the RTM Panorama programme at 9 pm last night give their reactions and impressions? – Admin)

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91 Replies to “RTM’s CNY misrepresentation of Malaysian Chinese”

  1. Next Deepavali, RTM will broadcast another programme showing a “typical” Malaysian Indian family preparing for Deepavali. Instead of showing a typical Indian family, they will purposely show a Mamak family and passing that family off as a typical Indian family. Will Tun Dr M volunteer for that role?

  3. What is new? Come Aidil Fitri the local mass media will highlight some converts to Islam . Come Deepavali they will highlight exHindus who are now Indian Muslims. Does not UMNO realise that after so many years of islam being in Malaya the propagation of their faith is still confined mainly to conversions for marriage purposes.

    At least the Chinese Muslim family wants to retain their Chinese identity and not like so many others, use the Constitution and call themselves Malays!

  4. Islamization in the country is not a prediction nor theory, it’s a FACT! Continue voting the current government will only worsen the situation, they are using Islam as a tool for gaining politic advantages

  6. Some call this nation building. Since Islam is the official religion of the federation and since RTM is a government controlled TV channel, who can blame them? If we don’t like what we see, the logical thing to do is to switch to other channels. Why the whining? We should exercise our constitutional right to free speech by changing channels. What’s wrong with changing channels? I switch the TV off every time I see what I don’t like.

    It’d be different if they tie you to a chair and make you watch!

  7. it doesnt make sense at all,b4 they converted to islam,didnt thy tell by uztaz tat in tis very world,thr is only 1 God,thy hv to ignore watever previous ethnic celebrations?
    tis is damn contradicting!like the seremban body-snatching (gan’s family) incident,if thy still respect chinese cultures,why the elder son brought a group of religious officers and snatching death body?
    damn it!

  8. They are narrow minded, but good in twisting facts. They are also insulting Chinese culture and traditions. Maybe very soon, they will have apologise to all Chinese on earth, especially nearer the GE.

  9. THey do this blatantly in the believe that the Chinese will keep queit……the little Napoleans have infiltrated every sector of the civil service and the politicians have lost control. The DAP and Lim Kit Siang should focus their anger on Tan Sri Sidek, the KSN..who has vowed to clean up the service of these charlatans….

  11. One consolation I think is many don’t watch RTM any more. I hope very few actually watched so that the impact is not there. In any case, the issue is not really whether we have the choice to watch or otherwise. The issue being highlighted is that RTM has portrayed the Chinese culture and tradition wrongly using state fund provided largely by Chinese who eat pork, ancestor worship and visiting temples.

    Some people would say it is our constitutional right to watch or not to watch. This is nonsense. The Chinese have their constitutional rights to watch on “free tv” (provided through taxes paid by them) something that correctly portray their culture and tradition especially during the lunar new year.

    Some people would also say Islam being the official religion of the Federation and therefore we can not blame the government for promoting Islam in state sponsored TV. This is a typical bunkum. These people have some half bake knowledge and they think every damn thing is law and constitutionality. They have said these ad nauseam already. They can’t even differentiate between promoting Islam and portray Chinese culture and tradition wrongly. No wonder our judiciary is shamble. It is not just judges and prosecutors. We have half past six lawyers and wannabes too. Scum bags lawyers who just know how to exploit on the misery of others and talking cock because it is free here.

  13. It only shows us the shallow minded leadership in RTM. If a grand festival like CNY could be portrayed in this manner what else can we Malaysians expect from these leaders on other national issues. The twist and turn is something norm in BN. Last night I was out with my Malay friend who told me this. ” Malay Leaders in Malaysia want to portray themselves as good Muslims even if many of them are not; they are being hypocrites. Very few leaders like Tun Musa Hitam who is not a hypocrite, who never come out declaring himself as a good muslim did not get the majority support, This is Malaysia.” What a truth.
    Not forgetting, the whole world know our Information Minister is the biggest Hypocrite.

  15. Yeah, i dont watch our local tv programs anymore especially the stupid news showing all the BN hypocrite. Dont want to waste my time listening to all the bulls–t from BN.

    Anyway BN is going down. It will be history.

    GOD BLESS DAP.

  17. AAB:” you can comment on me, criticise me…. but do not say I did not work hard”.
    AAB is asking sympathy votes, please do not give your vote to the liar. He promised to catch the big corrupted fish duirng the last GE; after a landslide winning he broke his own promise

  20. Why so surprised by all these? After all, no one is in charge of running the country so every little Taliban is trying to out-mullah one another just to draw attention to themselves so that the boss knows they exist. Even school heads are doing it these days. I’m only surprised that there are actually people who still watch RTM programs. The tasteless craps they’re dishing out is so embarassing.

  21. “It is wishful thinking that they can change the Chinese culture which is more than few thousand years old- well BEFORE CHRIST (BC)”

    The traditional Chinese calendar did not use continuously numbered years, but many people consider the new year starting in 2008 to be 4705.[1]

  25. Stop and Think

    1) I’m sure that RTM has guidelines and cannot possibly broadcast something that’s haram. Imagine the hue and cry they would have to face if they decided to broadcast a pig being roasted or braised.

    2) My family regularly goes on a vege diet because CNY falls on a new moon day. If you look at real Chinese, they eat anything. It’s only in Malaysia that we have this zealousness about pork because it’s a differentiating factor between us and them.

    My point is to stop and think.

    PS: I’ve not seen the ad. Maybe someone can put it up on YouTube.

  26. I watched a programme but it was about a reunion dinner in a halal restaurant because the daughter of the Chinese family got converted to Islam and so the family had to consider that point. Probably it was a different programme altogether.

    I agree on the point that we are being brainwashed in a very subtle manner. First to see Islam as people’s friendly. Then to see Islam as the way of life. Gradually to believe that only Islam can give all humans salvation and to be found in heaven when we die.

    Non-muslims have to keep Islam in Malaysia at bay. Islamic followers have to give the same kind of respect to other followers of other religions the same respect it commands from others.

    These days, Islam is made stronger by its’ uprising in the western and middle eastern world. Islamic extremism is a threat because the followers do not fear to die as they believe that by dying, they can get a free ticket to heaven. Islamic moderates like many in Malaysia believe in convincing and they are doing just that because non Muslims are not strong enough to say that they cannot do so. The majority of the mass media is controlled by the ruling Islamic party. The reporters and the journalists will report on nothing but support for the Barisan Nasional and by doing so, they forget they are collaborators with Islam even though they are not Islamic followers themselves and they are helping Islam to gain a foothold as well as a stronghold in Malaysia.

    God have mercy, grace and forgiveness for Malaysia !
    God Bless Malaysia !

  27. I dont watch RTM,TV3. I thank my GOD that the Muslims have not invented a device that can switch on my tv set when I switch it off. The Chinese civilisation and its culture goes back thousands of years long before the Malays started to leave Yunnan now part of China to move south. The Malacca Sultanate was paying HOMAGE to the Chinese Emperors probably kow towing to the Chinese Emperors like what some of our Chinamen here today are unashamedly kow towing to their Malay Emperors.
    We have Chinamen and women who are converted or who have converted to iSLAM dropping their Chinese surnames and adopting 100% new names and a brand new race called Malay.
    Why give up a glorious civilisation for one that uses muscle to say Ketuanan?
    RTM is using Islam to remind the Chinese who the Boss is.
    The Chinese Muslim family should insist that come the Muslim new year they should also feature in RTM programmes and they should also insist that Mosques should have Chinese architecture as well.

  28. Darkhorse,
    Please desist from commenting intelligently if you do not know the issues involved. otherwise it only serves to reflect your ignorance.When the govt does something which is wrong it is wrong. It does not matter one iota whether we watch or not.Your foolish excuse that just because no one forces us to watch means its alright.One day the govt hang you at the market place for saying something stupid I guess you would say its alright as long as you dont have to watch you hanging from the top of the tree.Your logic seems to imply that after all no one is forcing us to watch you hang so its alright. Got that dummy.?

  30. Darkhorse’s logic is right, if the channels were controlled by market forces. Naturally, if most people don’t like what the channel was serving, we will all turn it off an the channel will gradually disappear.

    But in the case of RTM, it’s a bit different, since they’re not governed by market forces. So, turning the channel off won’t make them go away.

  31. When the Germans started their anti-Semitic pogroms in the early 1930s, most ordinary people in the West “turned off the channel” and pretended not to notice. Had they voiced out their disgust, the Holocaust would never had happened. So, turned off the channel at your own peril

  32. There Pak Lah was talking about mutual respect for other races & religions and here you see his people (he controls Malaysian TV) showing total disrespect!
    This is what I’ve been shouting about the BULLDOZER mentality of BN gomen.

    Pls VOTE OPPOSITION!

  33. (1) RTM is a national channel but its content is entire for the Malay audience
    (2) The target of the show (if that’s how it was portrayed since many did not actually watched it) is the Muslim Malays
    (3) Therefore , definitely NO picture of a ROAST PIG in the midlle of the dinner table
    (4) I think the show is about Chinese Muslim.right from the beginning and I doubt its for the Chinese audience at all.

  34. Very interesting; dawsheng, Jacques Gernet may have been wrong too………..

    “A History of Chinese Civilisation by Jacques Gernet
    Jacques Gernet’s definitive account of 3,500 years of Chinese history, politics and culture in a magnificent illustrated Folio edition
    Jacques Gernet’s penetration of the history of Chinese civilisation is breathtaking”

    Jacques postulated that the Chinese invented paper, gunpowder and printing and were pioneers in the fields of medicine, technology and ceramic arts. Theirs is a far longer cultural tradition than that of any western nation, with symbols of the language appearing in stone inscriptions as early as 1600 BC.

    Cheers!

  35. Talking about tolerance. Some times because of our insensitivity, one can look real idiotic. I was at an Indonesian Hotel with a ‘sensitive’ colleague on a business trip. At dinner time, being together, I decided to forgo my non-halal meal which was available . The Indonesian waiter was serving another table with non-halal food, and then serve us. My partner wasn’t too pleased and he questioned the waiter as to why was non-halal served at this apparently INDONESIAN hotel?The reply” if we serve only Muslim food, we have to shut down our hotel. 70% of our customers are from China, Japan, Korea ,Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore. Apa salah-nya? Saya ta’makan, pelanggan saya mahu makan, saya mesti uruskan!!! My colleague is supposedly ‘educated’, being a senior manager was given a lecture on how to separate business from one’s belief!! Happily, I noted , he couldn’t reply and was caught with his mouth wide open!!
    On another occasion, we were eating the famous Bah Kut Teh at a stall at Pandamaran, a local Muslim censured the Indonesian helper for handling pork. Her reply? ‘ kalau awak ada kerja bagi saya, mungkin saya ta’perlu buat kerja ini. Kalau ta’da, you Diam! Saya ta’makan daging ini, saya telah di bayar buat kerja!! Cakap pandai!!
    You sendiri pun ta’kerja! Jalan-jalan saja!!

  37. Zack,
    Guna lah otak. How could you say it is for the muslim audience when it is suppose to portray a typical chinese family celeberating Chinese new year.And how can chinese family celeberate CNY if no roast pork and trotters broiled in mushroom and sea cucumber.Why RTM have to portray chinese muslim celeberating CNY? Its our chinese new year and not a muslim new year.

  38. “Your logic seems to imply that after all no one is forcing us to watch you hang so its alright. Got that dummy” RICHARD TEO

    The government uses its control over the public media incessantly churning out propaganda and other materials in its effort at nation building for many years now. What’s new? That has been going on for years. Understandably, what upsets many of us here on this blog, who do not share the BN government concept of national building based as it is on the model of assimilation of cultural minorities, is the need felt by the BN government to distort how celebrations are actually carried out by the Chinese in Malaysia – to the extent, as some complain, of depicting the Chinese as if they are mostly Muslims (?). Apparently there are religious zealots holding positions of power and influence in government who are insensitive as to what the non-Muslim minorities feel, who see it their duty to indoctrinate viewers. Of course viewers know better (including Malays and Muslim viewers themselves) what to believe and not to believe, but that is not the point as many here will say – and I agree.

    Some no doubt may even see this last move as another interference in the fundamental liberties of Malaysians as expressed in our Constitution. Who knows they may be able to make a legal case out of it.

    My personal view is that it is time that the government take a fresh look at political Islam and where it is taking this country. I think the BN government has been taking this country in the wrong direction since the 80s.

    Switching off your TV or changing channels is not going to change anything, of course. I never suggested that it would. There is more than one TV channel and speaking for myself nothing makes me happy than changing TV channels and knowing that I can control what I hear and see – which is what constitutional right to free speech is all about.

    But I do think that instead of whining like some seem to be doing, a better use of our time would be to organize groups, communicate with those who share the same political views and beliefs, arrange transportation and make sure we exercise our constitutional right to vote now that elections are here. There is nothing that we could do for those who have been disenfranchised but there are many who do not plan to exercise their constitutional right to vote because they feel their vote would not make a difference. They are wrong. It could.

    .
    I expressed my opinion in those terms hoping to draw out some real intelligent comments. I cannot say this one by RICHARD TEO is one such comment I was looking forward to read and certainly not from someone who contributes articles on a regular basis to this blog.

    Calling commentators names is certainly not the way to make your point.

  40. Darkhorse,
    Please read again what you wrote earlier.you suggested in your earlier post that readers should just switch off to another channel if they dont want to listen to what the RTM channel is broadcasting. (the chinese muslim CNY celeberation.)My point of irritation is that it was a silly unintelligent suggestion.By your implication we should just switch to another channel rather than criticise RTM’s subtle exultation of Islam as a way of life.In your next post at least you display a more sensible criticism of the govt’s effort in taking us in the wrong direction but that was not your earlier comment.Your words to the effect that’who can blame them’ seems to suggest that you even condone what RTM was doing.Your later post seems to have taken a 180 degree turn.Please refer to your earlier post and you will see that the whole piece was devoted to suggesting we are at liberty to switch to another channel and that I feel is not an intelligent suggestion to a serious issue we are discussing.

  41. Saji ‘ayam cucuk’
    Oleh Zainuddin Zain dan Rudy Syareme Seriffudin
    [email protected]

    Jakim tarik sijil halal restoran ‘hotel korek’ guna arak dalam masakan

    GEORGETOWN: Biadab! Itulah perkataan paling tepat menggambarkan tindakan restoran milik sebuah hotel apartmen di Jalan Bukit Dumbar di sini, yang memperoleh sijil halal Jabatan Kemajuan Islam Malaysia (Jakim) tetapi menggunakan ‘ayam cucuk’ yang disahkan tidak mengikut syarak.

    Lebih memualkan apabila serbuan Jakim dan Kementerian Perdagangan Negeri dan Hal Ehwal Pengguna (KPDNHEP) di hotel berkenaan, Selasa lalu mendapati restoran terbabit turut menggunakan sejenis arak dari China dalam masakan.

    Ini serbuan kedua dalam tempoh dua minggu ke atas hotel apartmen yang terkenal dengan jolokan ‘hotel korek’ itu apabila pada 26 Januari lalu, Jabatan Agama Islam Pulau Pinang (Jaipp) menahan lima pasangan kerana berkhalwat di premis itu.

    Ketua Hab Halal Jakim Pulau Pinang, Yusuf Abu Bakar, berkata serbuan jam 7 malam itu dilakukan selepas Jakim Putrajaya mendapat maklumat mengenai makanan yang diragui status halal dijual di restoran berkenaan.

  42. Have not seen RTM programs for Donkey years after subscribing to ASTRO, anyway these Chinese Muslim have got the balls to celebrate Lunar New Year minus the Pork dish, unlike some mamaks dying to become the so called Bumi Putra to the extent of trying to erase their origin.

  43. Richard Teo .
    Please tell us how to criticise RTM’s subtle exultation of Islam as a way of life.
    How about help us voice out the Muslim Prayer or Muslim Teaching that pop up in the middle of some pop music you were listening down the road from RTM.
    Yes i switch off the radio when i get to that part… am i also unintelligent ? If you are a malaysian, you would have known why Darkhorse said what he said … something like “you know lah …”

    We need a hero like yourself … So let hear it from you.. but not about how unintelligent Darkhorse or maybe me is ?

    Show us your wisdom…

  44. Scorpian 6666,
    Please read carefully what Darkhorse wrote in his first post before making unintelligent comments.Please dont act like a kindergarden school kid that needs to be corrected at every turn.If you dont know the essence of what Darkhorse wrote in his first comments and my reply to his comments then please refrain from passing any remarks.

  45. “My family regularly goes on a vege diet because CNY falls on a new moon day. If you look at real Chinese, they eat anything. It’s only in Malaysia that we have this zealousness about pork because it’s a differentiating factor between us and them.” Sybreon

    I’d like to understand viewers’ opinion as to how religion creeps into the issue. Or is it culture that is the issue? Or is it both? They are some Chinese who are not Muslims who do not consume pork as a matter of personal choice – not on account of any religious beliefs. I believe there are more Chinese in this world who are Muslims than they are Malays.

    Sybreon’s comment above opens up a different and interesting perspective to this ‘old’ issue. Could it be a convenient label used to differentiate as he says “us and them” and if so why? Sociologists may have something to say. Or is it just part of the racial profiling to which all Malaysians have been made accustomed over the years, is not illegal and convenient. Or is there a more sinister motive?

    Malays and Muslims are not the only ones who do not consume pork. There are Christians who do not. The Jews certainly do not. Pigs are classified as being among one of the ‘unclean’ animals and not to be consumed – according to the Old Testament of the Christian Bible and the Jewish Torah (the first five chapters of the Old Testament). I do not think Chinese everywhere else find this offensive as it is part of somebody’s religious beliefs, but in Malaysia many like Old Timer seem to find it increasingly so and the question is why? I would like to think it is a reaction to the increased efforts at Islamization by the government and the perceived intolerance being shown to Chinese culture and customs. Pork is not a religious issue to the Chinese.

    Orthodox Jews religiously avoid coming into contact with ‘unclean’ food much like the Muslims in Malaysia. They use different dishes when entertaining their non-Jewish guests at their homes, store non-kosher food in different freezers and wash their dishes in different sinks etc. Many shop only at kosher outlets. More would only dine at ‘kosher only food’ restaurants – just like Muslims only go to halal only eating places, restaurants and wet markets.

    Is the anger expressed here by Old Timer a reflection of the broader intolerance he sees today to “Chinese customs” which was not the case he saw in the 50s, 60s, and even the 70s and 80s? If so it would be understandable.

    The issue really is about pride of the Chinese in their language and culture which has a history of more than 5,000 years – and the fact that assimilation is anathema to the Chinese. How else would you explain the numerous Chinatowns we see dotted all over world?

  46. “Yes i switch off the radio when i get to that part… am i also unintelligent ? If you are a malaysian, you would have known why Darkhorse said what he said … something like “you know lah …” We need a hero like yourself … So let hear it from you.. but not about how unintelligent Darkhorse or maybe me is ?” Scorpion666

    Forget about Richard Teo!

    He cannot write English more than a few lines without making grammatical mistakes. You see those in his ‘contributions’ to this blog which lack any substance. Should we expect him to really understand what another has written? But calling another commentator “unintelligent” and “a kindergarden school kid that needs to be corrected at every turn” (this Richard Teo cannot even spell kindergarten) just because he disagrees with you is doing a disservice to this blog, and certainly asking you to shut up is a betrayal of everything YB Kit stands for which is freedom of speech.

    Richard Teo is behaving exactly like those BN goons do in Parliament to YB Kit.

  47. Undergrad made an eloquent theory that it was all about pride of the chinese ‘in their language and culture.’I would like to respectfully disagree on this point because like the title of this article mentioned,it is all about misrepresentation.If RTM wish to portray a typical chinese family celeberating the Chinese new year it should portray a correct representation of a typical chinese family’s celeberation, warts and all.It should not rope in a muslim convert and pretend it represent a typical chinese in Malaysia celeberating CNY.This would be a gross misrepresentation of the actual chinese new year celeberation that is been celeberated by a typical chinese buddhist family and that includes ancestor worship and a reunion dinner that includes a liberal serving of roast pork and other pork dishes gulped down with copious bottles of alcohol drinks.

  48. Blackeye,
    I recall you were the naive guy who made the idiotic statement about what’s wrong with the sukhoi fighter plane and which I correctly blasted you. So I see you now have an axe to grind with other remarks which you have nothing much to contribute anyway.Looking at your previous comments which I have followed diligently I doubt you have much to say on much of the subjects deliberated.your statements made were neither constructive or merit any substance.Perhaps I should not even response to your comments because there is nothing intelligent about your comments.It is the kind of response I expect from someone who made a fool of himself in the previous post and is now finding an opportunity to be vindictive without first ensuring whether his comment is valid.If you really think you can write very well why dont you contribute some articles in this blog so readers can view and evaluate how intelligent you are.

  51. I would consider myself privileged to have your response then to the issues I raised:

    “But calling another commentator “unintelligent” and “a kindergarden school kid that needs to be corrected at every turn” (this Richard Teo cannot even spell kindergarten) just because he disagrees with you is doing a disservice to this blog, and certainly asking you to shut up is a betrayal of everything YB Kit stands for which is freedom of speech.

    Richard Teo is behaving exactly like those BN goons do in Parliament to YB Kit.”

  53. “Please refer to your earlier post and you will see that the whole piece was devoted to suggesting we are at liberty to switch to another channel and that I feel is not an intelligent suggestion to a serious issue we are discussing.” Richard Teo

    Aren’t we? Aren’t we at a liberty to do so i.e. switch to another channel? I’m not trivializing the issue, if that’s what you mean. Commentator Scorpian666 sees the point I was making. You did not.

    But since when having a difference of opinion or an approach to an issue, is an excuse for name calling? Since when to disagree means to be disagreeable?

  54. Taken in isolation I dont think such an ad is a problem. It can be taken to be a positive attempt to show the plurality of Malaysia – that a Chinese family can be a Muslim one.

    HOWEVER, given the recent context of the Malaysian racial polarisation and attempt to give an Islamic bent on everything, the tendency is the reverse and it is probably the case that the action was done in bad faith and the intention was to mislead.

    Shame on Malaysian current government for this despicable action

  56. … I would like to think it is a reaction to the increased efforts at Islamization by the government and the perceived intolerance being shown to Chinese culture and customs. … – undergrad

    You eloquently said what is in my mind.

    In Malaysia, the resistance is a combination of religion and race. It is not one factor or the other.

    Next I would like to touch on the freedom of choice.

    We all value freedom to practice our beliefs, faith and culture. However, when it crosses the line to the extent that it limits another person’s freedom, it need to stop.

    For instance, a Muslim is obligated to be a good example and to preach his faith. So we must NEVER stop anyone who wants to share and preach his faith to you.

    The most we could and should do is just to polite decline the opportunity to be converted. If there is a God (and I believe there is), then we are the ones will be answerable to why we declined those opportunities to convert.

    The case of the RTM show in a way violates this principle. I have not problem if it said this is how a Chinese Muslim celebrates CNY. But to say this is a typical Chinese Malaysian way is a LIE.

    It is using a LIE to promote the Muslim way in Malaysia. Would an honorable Muslim resort to lying to promote his religion? I don’t think so.

    Next, using the national TV channel to do it is very close to push it down a person’s throat. Thus where is the opportunity to decline save by turning off the TV. Of course, we could but is this right?

    I would have totally no disagreement if RTM were to qualify this show as a Chinese Muslim way and then saying that this is how a Chinese convert to Muslim is celebrating CNY. And if they like they can extol all the positive benefits of this conversion.

    I guess from the remarks here, that did not happen.

  58. ” …..And how can chinese family celeberate CNY if no roast pork and trotters broiled in mushroom and sea cucumber.Why RTM have to portray chinese muslim celeberating CNY? Its our chinese new year and not a muslim new year….”

    As I know it, CNY is not a religious celebration but a cultural one. Meaning all CHINESE irrespective of what their religion are will celebrate CNY. The fact that CNY is mixed with religious elements is a “ajaran salah” on the part of those CHinese who is celerating it that way. There are many Muslim in China who celerated CNY but they don’t bring pork into their home. That is the piece of cultural that RTM is interested in. It never about converting the Chinese into MUslim. RTI is just just showing the richness of the Chinese culture where the Muslims, Buddists, Christians are able to sit and have their reunion dinner but still respecting each other because blood is thicker than water!

    And for those who do not watch the show…shut up!!!

  59. This is not the 1st time that the MORONS are misleading the public., when i watch the CNN and BBC adverts regarding Malaysia truly Asia , it makes me sick to the stomach., They have bastardize the nation and now they want to depict to the world all Chinese in Malaysia are muslims. how perverted can they be ?

  61. ““Undergrad made an eloquent theory that it was all about pride of the chinese ‘in their language and culture.’I would like to respectfully disagree on this point because like the title of this article mentioned,it is all about misrepresentation.” Richard Teo

    I understand it is about misrepresentation of the way Malaysian Chinese celebrate their Chinese New Year. But I cannot explain away the anger that is expressed here without referring to the pride the Chinese have over their language and culture. RTM is a government channel, and this is not the only gross misrepresentation. But it seems to touch the nerves of those who viewed it. At least that was what the writer would have us believed.

    It was my offer of an explanation for what it is worth (just my 2-cents) as to why the writer seems to harbor so much anger.

    I certainly have not seen and therefore do not profess to know exactly what the writer is talking about; but if Zack’s comments “I think the show is about Chinese Muslims right from the beginning, and I doubt if it is for the Chinese audience at all” are worth anything, the issue has to be looked afresh.

  62. I don’t know if this is the most insidious thing RTM has done this season. What I noticed even more is the fact that this year, there is this abundance showing of of Malay participant in CNY, speaking chinese, greetings etc.

    The subtle message is this: Malay want to celebrate CNY or other races celebration with them. In fact, they are trying to very hard. So if you are not doing it with them, its your fault. You don’t have halal food or you don’t invite them or you alienate them by speaking too much Chinese. Its a sub-conscious psychological warfare only a disturbed social pevert can think up.

    Its the same with economic struggle. If Malays are not in the private sector, its the private sector fault for hiring Chinese speakers (strangely, Indians don’t have as much problem with us but would go the streets against the govt), don’t promote bumiputras etc…

  64. Decades of politics of race and religious had done enormous damage to our country with permanent, long term and far reaching consequence.

    For a harmless piece of meat ate by more than 2/3 of the world’s population since the begining of time……..the leader/s are prepared to divide the people to achieve their narrow, short term and damaging political objectives……rampant corruption, crime and gross excesses and abuses are OK.

  65. Zack, should not UMNO show how the majority of the Chinese in Malaysia celebrate the Chinese New Year? Islam has complicated the way Chinese New Year has been celebrated. The Chinese have religious ceremonies during Chinese New Year. How come RTM does not show this Chinese Muslim going to Mosque first day of Chinese New Year and making prayers like what the non Muslim Chinese would do traditionally, offer prayers at their altars?

  66. But since when having a difference of opinion or an approach to an issue, is an excuse for name calling? Since when to disagree means to be disagreeable? darkhorse

    Oh, you do it all the time, you do it with malice.

  67. That was law of contract and equity 101 for you on the subject of transfer for value, in good faith and without notice. In the example I gave I had to reduce it to a language you could understand since you failed to understand despite repeated attempts by undergrad.

    You seem to have a grudge against anybody with knowledge of the law which you obviously do not. This is a political blog; and politics as everyone knows involves the law. It is about the constitutional rights of citizens. It is about human rights. It is about justice and the role of the judiciary. It gravitates towards the country’s constitution and the role of Parliament. You can see from the issues raised in most of the threads on this blog. You cannot separate the two.

    If you don’t like to hear them then perhaps you should consider moving on to blogs like
    http://sloone.wordpress.com/ which has less to do with serious politics and more on entertainment. But even there your excesses will not be tolerated the way they seem to be here, and you’ll find yourself booted out in no time.

    Now, before you cry out loud that you have the right to be anywhere you want and who am I to tell you what to do, I am not telling you what to do. I thought it might be a good idea to see civility returns to this blog – the way it was before you came and trashed it.

  68. Yes, civility, now you are talking. I also agree with that very much.

    By the way, before Richard Teo gave you a good lecture (is it 101 or pre Uni level?), I also wrote a piece commenting on your insensitivity and false sense of legality and constitutionality. It shows I am not alone. I reproduced below for you to read in case you missed it.

    This is not about knowledge in law and constitution. It is about faculty, my friend. You are like a parrot and so also are many of your wannabe friends.

    limkamput Says:
    Yesterday at 11: 20.39
    One consolation I think is many don’t watch RTM any more. I hope very few actually watched so that the impact is not there. In any case, the issue is not really whether we have the choice to watch or otherwise. The issue being highlighted is that RTM has portrayed the Chinese culture and tradition wrongly using state fund provided largely by Chinese who eat pork, ancestor worship and visiting temples.

    Some people would say it is our constitutional right to watch or not to watch. This is nonsense. The Chinese have their constitutional rights to watch the “free tv” (provided through taxes paid by them) on something that correctly portray their culture and tradition especially during the lunar New Year.

    Some people would also say Islam being the official religion of the Federation and therefore we can not blame the government for promoting Islam in state sponsored TV. This is a typical bunkum. These people have some half bake knowledge and they think every damn thing is law and constitutionality. They have said these ad nauseam already. They can’t even differentiate between promoting Islam and portraying Chinese culture and tradition wrongly. No wonder our judiciary is in shamble. It is not just judges and prosecutors. We have half past six lawyers and wannabes too. Scum bags lawyers who just know how to exploit on the misery of others and talking cock because it is free here.

  69. And I suppose that is your definition of civility when interacting with others – calling commentators names like “scum bags” (a word you wrote as “scam” the way you pronounce it which reveals your true identity). Who can blame you?

    “The Chinese have their constitutional rights to watch the “free tv” …” limkamput

    Who says the Chinese don’t? Why are you having an argument with yourself? There is nothing that I wrote which suggests that!

    If you think you see trash all the time on government controlled TV channels, you’re always at liberty to switch channels. That’s what you do. That would be consistent with your earlier call for a boycott of the mainstream newspapers and get your news from the internet instead. Isn’t it not like changing TV channels? Unfortunately, in Malaysia to own a TV set you’d have to pay a fee for the license. If you do not want to pay the fee then the logical thing for anyone to do is not to have a TV in their homes. The choice is yours to make. There is no law that requires you to have a TV.

    I suppose it is too much to expect someone like you to understand how the constitutional right to free speech relate to these issues.

  70. ““The Chinese have their constitutional rights to watch the “free tv” …” limkamput

    Everybody has a right to watch whatever they want to watch. Everybody has a right not to watch whatever they don’t like or want to watch. Duh!

  71. If the issue is the government measures at Islamization of the country which is what it is all about and which intrudes into the lives of non-Muslims, then the way to end it of course is not by switching of TV channels or switching from mainstream media but by going to the polls and elect a new government.

    That is pretty obvious. Or should I say it should be obvious to readers who do not feel anything like the need to nurse their deflated egos.

  72. PORCINEPHOBIA, fear of anything piggish, especially in a supermarket check out counter, but it’s OK to receive coffee, tea money from any Butcher. heck, money is money I suppose.

  73. To: Richard Teo

    I would consider myself privileged to have your response then to the issues I raised:

    “But calling another commentator “unintelligent” and “a kindergarden school kid that needs to be corrected at every turn” (this Richard Teo cannot even spell kindergarten) just because he disagrees with you is doing a disservice to this blog, and certainly asking you to shut up is a betrayal of everything YB Kit stands for which is freedom of speech.

    Richard Teo is behaving exactly like those BN goons do in Parliament to YB Kit.”

    I’m still waiting!

  74. Everybody has a right to watch whatever they want to watch. Everybody has a right not to watch whatever they don’t like or want to watch. Duh! Darkhorse

    Is this a parrot mimicking again? You should quote the relevant articles also, duh

  75. BlackEyes, who are you? I have not seen you contributing once on substantive matters other than running other people down. So you think you are one up because you know how to spell kindergarten. Oh, i am sorry, those just completed kindergarten surely know how the spell the word correctly.

  76. Darkhorse, colonel and all your other handles like blackeye, bodo etc, Please don’t conveniently forget the challenges you threw at me. Have you all paid up the contribution to DAP’s fund? Don’t act dumb ok. Talking is free here, but once commitment made, must pay.

  77. Old timer, it is not “IF the Government is trying to promote Islam” it is the Government IS trying to propogate the islamic faith amongst the huge non Muslim population in Malaysia.
    If you count the amount of money allocated to convert the non Muslims than it is a very expensive exercise.
    Yes the odd conversion for marriage is always a favourite topic with local newspapers.
    But the murtad that follows after a failed marriage will be kept under wraps.
    The Government is actually using our (non Muslim) money to criticise our religions when they promote Islam.
    The Chinese Muslim or Muslim Chinese? family is one such example.
    They do not use a traditional Chinese New Year celebration for screening but chose to show celebrating CNY the Chinese Muslim or Muslim Chinese Way.
    So what is the message that people who watch RTM (mostly Malays) will get? HALAL if islam.Melawat tanpa was was.
    But the non Muslim or non Malay cabinet Ministers dont speak out.
    Darkhorse: We should ask the Government to give us channels on RTM to promote our non Muslim religions. Can we tell the Government tell your Muslims not to watch? The Muslims will say why are we paying for you to promore your Kaffir religions? So the issue is not about switching of TV sets or radio sets. Why cant we be given equal opportunities to spread our non Muslim religions?

  78. Check this out then!

    “Commentators here know for some time now that no one can or should hope to have an “intellectual” exchange with this limkamput retiree who has a “kampong attap education” to use his own words. When he reads this he’d show he is not what many others think he is, praising you even – but it would not last. Why?? He keeps tripping over his artificially self-inflated ego, if you know what I mean. Don’t take my word for it. Just browse through the threads and you’ll know what I mean. Many of his comments got deleted and he was warned by YB Kit and the Administrator and had to withdraw at one time. Now he’s back annoying and irritating commentators (interspersed with praises occasionally for obvious reasons) with his personal and hostile remarks – if you so much as disagree with him. Correct that. You don’t have to disagree with him, just expressing your views would be sufficient. He’d take the opposite view which often is not his own but just to show he is ’smarter’ than you, ‘knows more’, ‘traveled more’, ‘been there done that’ – if you know what I mean.

    You put your finger on the button earlier when you refer to him as “a boy losing a game having a hunger for attention”. We have a name for that – ADS or Attention Deficit Syndrome. Which he didn’t know what that stood for because he asked what it meant.

    If you’re looking for a good exchange of ideas try it out with commentators like Oknyua, HB Lim, Jeffrey, Godfather and Undergrad2 to name a few.

    On the other hand, you could continue with this “intellectual” exchange with him because now he’d show you more respect and even praise you for your views – but only to prove his critics wrong.”

  80. Nothing to surprise about the ‘Government’s media’ act. Those who is aware about this should explain or ‘educate’ those who is not. Slowly this kind of media will be get less interest and their will be face out by the Malaysian.

  81. BlackEye,
    Nobody cares and nobody reads your hallucination/delusion/insinuation. Even if they read, I think many don’t understand your incoherent and rotten English. Please face reality. You are incompetent and useless just like BN.

  82. I read with disappointment the petty arguments & name-calling between the readers in this blog, what is the main issue? why is our National TV station programme showing religious propaganda using tax-payers $$ mind you. So that gives me & you the right to question RTM1’s intention, that should be the focus of this blog, see a problem, report it in this blog for all to know, & discuss as free citizens (as what DAP stands for) how to solve this particular problem. ln my opinion, taking into account of people I meet personally, westerners & mid-easterners, there MUST be a separation between state & religion, period. Religion cannot be used to run a country, there will be tendency then, that country will be mis-ruled, the people oppressed, freedom of speech, opinion, expression will be suppressed etc etc & history have proven this to be correct. Take one good example Saudi Arabia,
    home of Islam, can u build a church there? Can a woman drive, heck she cannot even leave home without a male-relative with documents to accompany her to buy groceries. Can anyone declare
    that he wats to be an atheist, that’s death sentence mind you?
    What’s the connection, u ask with M’sia? That’s the direction the M’sian goverment is going. Now itself u can read the report already 1.5million M’sian have migrated overseas, at least 95% is non-Malay, non-muslim & if this trend continues, muslim 95% by 2050, so when “we 95% you 5%, who cares what is your opinion?”, by then u won’t even have a blog like this to argue & raise any concern, unIslamic to question an Islamic gomen…..
    No.1 goal now is how to prevent a 2/3 majority by BN, so oppressive & discriminative laws cannot be passed without the opposition’s scrutiny & consent. Issues which affects our rice-bowl & future, come-on guys, grow-up stop calling each other names,
    “UMNO now-Taliban next-time” people will be laughing at us, my frens…..

  83. There’s but one person that needs to grow up and grow up fast!! The rest are just helping him on.

    “There MUST be a separation between state & religion, period.”

    Too late for that Islam has been given a constitutional role when the country passed the Constitution in 1957. We have to take it from there. Pakistan has Islam as its state religion which is one notch higher. In Malaysia, Islam is the “religion of the federation” and there is a difference between the two.

  85. BlackEye Says:
    Too late for that Islam has been given a constitutional role when the country passed the Constitution in 1957.

    Who are you to come to this conclusion, the Federal Court Judge or a phua tang sai wannabe? Yes, you are right, that person who needs to grow up fast is YOU!

  86. “Even though without 2/3 majority, BN can still pass laws, albeit after much shouting match in Parliament assuming BN have only a simple majority.”

    The purpose of denying them of their two-thirds control of the national legislature i.e the highest law making body, is to prevent them from amending the Constitution without seeking the support of the political opposition. And not to prevent the law making body from performing its constitutional role which is to make and unmake laws.

  88. Blackeye,
    Sure, you don’t even know that there are provisions in the Constitution that can be amended without 2/3 majority. Real phua tang sai fellow. Look, you can’t write coherently, your thinking process is muddled up, your personality is what the Chinese called “seow ren” (small people). One thing you qualify – you have the characteristics to be a BN candidate.

  89. “Sure, you don’t even know that there are provisions in the Constitution that can be amended without 2/3 majority. ” limkamput

    To amend the Constitution would require a 2/3 majority, block head! Period.

    How could you amend certain constitutional provisions without amending the Constitution?? Any amendment of any provision would by definition be an amendment of the Constitution!

    LOL! LOL! Muahahaha….! You’re a real retard.

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