The Language of Change
I came across this post in Malaysia Today by Hishamuddin Rais (dated 1st April) which really got me thinking.
Hisham was arguing that one of the main reasons why intellectuals and NGOs in Malaysia have failed to effect constructive change or political reform in Malaysia, is due to the fact that they don't communicate in Malay.
There's nothing novel or particularly surprising about this assertion. Even with my own NGO, I've been trying to get us to have a regular column in the local Malay dailies, so that we could effect a stronger change and raise the awareness within the Bumiputera community.
But so far, we've had relatively little success. It seems that Malay newspapers are more interested in politics, polemics, religion and entertainment rather than economics, business or technology issues.
I remember that even when they agree to do a coverage on technology-related issues, the journalists always manage to dilute the content to such a superficial extent, that it becomes a meaningless piece. To them, it's about catering to the audience. It's telling, when no such dilution is usually necessary, when it comes to regular column writers for the English-based dailies and weeklies.
Sometimes, I get the impression that there is an even an audience and class divide between Malay and English newspapers - and the type of people who read them. That it goes beyond language and takes into account the social and political perspectives behind the users of the language.
Malay newspapers in this country, if I may be so bold to assert, feel and sound very Malay. English newspapers in this country, at the other extreme, tends to sound very un-Malay. Just read the content and the slant and you'll understand what I mean.
The newspapers in Malaysia are not just a language-based national medium of communication. They are bastions of mono-racial and mon-religious perspectives and interests (and this includes the Chinese and Indian newspapers)and sometimes, multi-racial interest ideology. They hold on to a certain bias/agenda and they make no apologies for it.
I've always believed that one of the main things that have always held the Bumiputera community back is the quality of the things that they read.
And one of the reasons why UMNO has exercised such great control over the Malay community is for 2 reasons - first, the Malay dailies (like Utusan Malaysia and Berita Harian) are the most widely read reading material by the Malay community (and to many, their only habitual reading material).
Secondly, the Malay dailies are owned by the Government (and most times, controlled by the ruling party)and it has always been used as a tool for Government propaganda - more than it is used as a channel for educating the public.
This is of course true with the English dailies as well, to a certain extent - but the Malay dailies carry this to an extreme, sometimes. UMNO and even Opposition politicians have always used the Malay newspapers as a way of "grandstanding" their stand for the Malays, even to the point of being caustically racial in their remarks.
******************************************************
But coming back to Hisham's point - he wasn't arguing from the typical perspective of Malay being the national language and therefore we should communicate in this medium.
His basis was far more common-sensed - that most of the 60% Bumiputera population in this country speak Malay regularly, as their main medium of communication and logically, if persuasion was to be made to the majority on any issue - it should be in Malay. Hisham argued that Malay is a "strategic language" in effecting change.
I agree with him. Change of any kind in Malaysia (be it political, cultural, social, religious or economic) would be impossible, without persuading the majority to go along with it. And regardless of whatever endeavour or industry that you're in and would like to see Malaysia move toward, you will only be effective if you also do your persuasion in Malay.
************************************************************
But why do we hold back? Why do most intellectuals and non-race based NGOs in this country still not convey their persuasion in Malay or through Malay medium of communications?
There could be a variety of reasons.
One is class - somehow, there is a skewed belief in this country that if you're able to speak English fluently, then you must be either from the middle or upper class. Coming from a colonized heritage, the mental link between language and superiority still persists in the minds of some.
One is a multi-racial existence - it is an undeniable fact that most urban middle and upper class Malaysians unite because of their common medium of communication, which is English. It's a neutral ground - no one feels that they're compromising their own language or cultural agenda - when you're speaking in a language that is not native, to any of the races involved.
Another is education - being educated in a school, university or college where English is the primary medium, encourages one to communicate in that medium more frequently. And you will find that most of these people, think in English - even if they can communicate in Malay, fluently (this tends to happen to overseas graduates)
Another is work. The corporate and business world is heavily biased towards the English language. This is not only true of Malaysia but in most parts of the world, too (other than countries like Japan, Thailand, etc.) English is the business lingua franca of the world. (Go no further for evidence, than the reluctance of local employers to hire graduates with poor English competency)
Another is media and publications. The onslaught of Western English-based media and publications into our lives is irreversible and pervasive. Almost all of our TV programs, almost all of the movies in our cinemas, Bloomberg, the majority of books and magazines available in the country, majority of signs in a shopping mall, majority of instructions in hotels in the country, English Premier League, Formula One, almost all songs by Western entertainment icons - they're all in English.
Even when our Malaysian singers sing, they've copied the styling of their English language based counterparts - look at Too Phat - local group, localized context of music but the rap styling of the rappers who rap in English.
And another reason is the fear of their identity being questioned, by virtue of the issues which they raise. When a Malay chap writes in New Straits Times, none of the NST readers will judge him as being less of a Malay, by perhaps, his non-mainstream stand on issues.
But when he takes a non-mainstream stand in the Utusan Malaysia or Berita Harian, he takes the risk of being publicly censured by his own kind, for that stand.
Sometimes, the reluctance has less to do with language than it does about the sensitivity of the issues and the concern over the reaction of the political masters of the Malay newspapers. If you've noticed, all Malay politicians try to sound more racially-biased in the Malay newspapers and more moderate in the English newspapers.
This is probably due to the fact that the readers are divided by language preference, too. I was more informed by a senior personnel in NST once, that only one-third of the readers of NST are Malay. And I'm willing to bet that almost all the readers of Utusan Malaysia or Berita Harian are Malay (and more so, the Chinese and Indian newspapers are not read at all by the other races).
Our children of various races don't go to the same schools anymore - 94% of primary school enrolment in national schools are purely Malay and Bumiputera. We don't really communicate in the same language publicly, on the issues that matter.
Our newspapers are divided by race, language, audience and political allegiance. Our TV watching preferences are divided by language too - unleashing different types of content and exposure to different communities - inevitably, resulting them going at a different pace (as the variety of local programs, especially on knowledge issues, are not as wide as English-based foreign programs - although some of the knowledge-based programs by TV3, are excellent)
Another is religion, the way it is practised in Malaysia. With the exception of one mosque run by ISTAC, all Friday sermons (khutbah) are in Malay. And the other is civil service and dealings with the Government - the only language is Malay.
But if we want Malays to grow or be persuaded by whatever medium of persuasion - then it is necessary for their sources of influence - the Malay media, authorities and political masters be it old or new media - to take a more neutral stand and allow for the process of learning to happen, by virtue of intelligent debate and discussion, to seek the truth on issues.
Especially for the majority of the Malay community that hardly reads (other than for the purpose of rote learning and passing exams), the importance of keeping the Malay media unbiased and apolitical, is essential in raising their awareness on issues.
Keeping the people in the dark and playing to the race gallery may be an easy way of running the populace, but it betrays and demeans them in the long run, as we rob them of the ability to think critically and constructively and to quickly adapt to the challenging demands of a globalized world.
For Malay language - the language of change in Malaysia, to be effective - the medium of such language should be allowed to operate without political, racial or editorial fetters on the variety of opinion expressed and without shooting down, the non-mainstream view or diluting down complex issues, to over-simplistic bare bones.
Some "sacred cows" paradigms will have to be open for challenge, to allow the questioning of some fundamental assumptions amongst the Malay community. Then you will see society's agents of change coming forward, to put forth their persuasion.
After all, no one likes to debate in a forum where the moderator and fellow debaters do not want to find the truth on issues, but only wants to be seen winning the debate or demogogues quickly coming to predictable conclusions. Nothing can be learnt in such an environment.
Humility, constant questioning and probing and the ability to admit that we're wrong are pre-requisites in our efforts to grow, in intelligence, maturity and wisdom. That's what we need from the Malay media, both old and new.
Hisham was arguing that one of the main reasons why intellectuals and NGOs in Malaysia have failed to effect constructive change or political reform in Malaysia, is due to the fact that they don't communicate in Malay.
There's nothing novel or particularly surprising about this assertion. Even with my own NGO, I've been trying to get us to have a regular column in the local Malay dailies, so that we could effect a stronger change and raise the awareness within the Bumiputera community.
But so far, we've had relatively little success. It seems that Malay newspapers are more interested in politics, polemics, religion and entertainment rather than economics, business or technology issues.
I remember that even when they agree to do a coverage on technology-related issues, the journalists always manage to dilute the content to such a superficial extent, that it becomes a meaningless piece. To them, it's about catering to the audience. It's telling, when no such dilution is usually necessary, when it comes to regular column writers for the English-based dailies and weeklies.
Sometimes, I get the impression that there is an even an audience and class divide between Malay and English newspapers - and the type of people who read them. That it goes beyond language and takes into account the social and political perspectives behind the users of the language.
Malay newspapers in this country, if I may be so bold to assert, feel and sound very Malay. English newspapers in this country, at the other extreme, tends to sound very un-Malay. Just read the content and the slant and you'll understand what I mean.
The newspapers in Malaysia are not just a language-based national medium of communication. They are bastions of mono-racial and mon-religious perspectives and interests (and this includes the Chinese and Indian newspapers)and sometimes, multi-racial interest ideology. They hold on to a certain bias/agenda and they make no apologies for it.
I've always believed that one of the main things that have always held the Bumiputera community back is the quality of the things that they read.
And one of the reasons why UMNO has exercised such great control over the Malay community is for 2 reasons - first, the Malay dailies (like Utusan Malaysia and Berita Harian) are the most widely read reading material by the Malay community (and to many, their only habitual reading material).
Secondly, the Malay dailies are owned by the Government (and most times, controlled by the ruling party)and it has always been used as a tool for Government propaganda - more than it is used as a channel for educating the public.
This is of course true with the English dailies as well, to a certain extent - but the Malay dailies carry this to an extreme, sometimes. UMNO and even Opposition politicians have always used the Malay newspapers as a way of "grandstanding" their stand for the Malays, even to the point of being caustically racial in their remarks.
******************************************************
But coming back to Hisham's point - he wasn't arguing from the typical perspective of Malay being the national language and therefore we should communicate in this medium.
His basis was far more common-sensed - that most of the 60% Bumiputera population in this country speak Malay regularly, as their main medium of communication and logically, if persuasion was to be made to the majority on any issue - it should be in Malay. Hisham argued that Malay is a "strategic language" in effecting change.
I agree with him. Change of any kind in Malaysia (be it political, cultural, social, religious or economic) would be impossible, without persuading the majority to go along with it. And regardless of whatever endeavour or industry that you're in and would like to see Malaysia move toward, you will only be effective if you also do your persuasion in Malay.
************************************************************
But why do we hold back? Why do most intellectuals and non-race based NGOs in this country still not convey their persuasion in Malay or through Malay medium of communications?
There could be a variety of reasons.
One is class - somehow, there is a skewed belief in this country that if you're able to speak English fluently, then you must be either from the middle or upper class. Coming from a colonized heritage, the mental link between language and superiority still persists in the minds of some.
One is a multi-racial existence - it is an undeniable fact that most urban middle and upper class Malaysians unite because of their common medium of communication, which is English. It's a neutral ground - no one feels that they're compromising their own language or cultural agenda - when you're speaking in a language that is not native, to any of the races involved.
Another is education - being educated in a school, university or college where English is the primary medium, encourages one to communicate in that medium more frequently. And you will find that most of these people, think in English - even if they can communicate in Malay, fluently (this tends to happen to overseas graduates)
Another is work. The corporate and business world is heavily biased towards the English language. This is not only true of Malaysia but in most parts of the world, too (other than countries like Japan, Thailand, etc.) English is the business lingua franca of the world. (Go no further for evidence, than the reluctance of local employers to hire graduates with poor English competency)
Another is media and publications. The onslaught of Western English-based media and publications into our lives is irreversible and pervasive. Almost all of our TV programs, almost all of the movies in our cinemas, Bloomberg, the majority of books and magazines available in the country, majority of signs in a shopping mall, majority of instructions in hotels in the country, English Premier League, Formula One, almost all songs by Western entertainment icons - they're all in English.
Even when our Malaysian singers sing, they've copied the styling of their English language based counterparts - look at Too Phat - local group, localized context of music but the rap styling of the rappers who rap in English.
And another reason is the fear of their identity being questioned, by virtue of the issues which they raise. When a Malay chap writes in New Straits Times, none of the NST readers will judge him as being less of a Malay, by perhaps, his non-mainstream stand on issues.
But when he takes a non-mainstream stand in the Utusan Malaysia or Berita Harian, he takes the risk of being publicly censured by his own kind, for that stand.
Sometimes, the reluctance has less to do with language than it does about the sensitivity of the issues and the concern over the reaction of the political masters of the Malay newspapers. If you've noticed, all Malay politicians try to sound more racially-biased in the Malay newspapers and more moderate in the English newspapers.
This is probably due to the fact that the readers are divided by language preference, too. I was more informed by a senior personnel in NST once, that only one-third of the readers of NST are Malay. And I'm willing to bet that almost all the readers of Utusan Malaysia or Berita Harian are Malay (and more so, the Chinese and Indian newspapers are not read at all by the other races).
Our children of various races don't go to the same schools anymore - 94% of primary school enrolment in national schools are purely Malay and Bumiputera. We don't really communicate in the same language publicly, on the issues that matter.
Our newspapers are divided by race, language, audience and political allegiance. Our TV watching preferences are divided by language too - unleashing different types of content and exposure to different communities - inevitably, resulting them going at a different pace (as the variety of local programs, especially on knowledge issues, are not as wide as English-based foreign programs - although some of the knowledge-based programs by TV3, are excellent)
Another is religion, the way it is practised in Malaysia. With the exception of one mosque run by ISTAC, all Friday sermons (khutbah) are in Malay. And the other is civil service and dealings with the Government - the only language is Malay.
But if we want Malays to grow or be persuaded by whatever medium of persuasion - then it is necessary for their sources of influence - the Malay media, authorities and political masters be it old or new media - to take a more neutral stand and allow for the process of learning to happen, by virtue of intelligent debate and discussion, to seek the truth on issues.
Especially for the majority of the Malay community that hardly reads (other than for the purpose of rote learning and passing exams), the importance of keeping the Malay media unbiased and apolitical, is essential in raising their awareness on issues.
Keeping the people in the dark and playing to the race gallery may be an easy way of running the populace, but it betrays and demeans them in the long run, as we rob them of the ability to think critically and constructively and to quickly adapt to the challenging demands of a globalized world.
For Malay language - the language of change in Malaysia, to be effective - the medium of such language should be allowed to operate without political, racial or editorial fetters on the variety of opinion expressed and without shooting down, the non-mainstream view or diluting down complex issues, to over-simplistic bare bones.
Some "sacred cows" paradigms will have to be open for challenge, to allow the questioning of some fundamental assumptions amongst the Malay community. Then you will see society's agents of change coming forward, to put forth their persuasion.
After all, no one likes to debate in a forum where the moderator and fellow debaters do not want to find the truth on issues, but only wants to be seen winning the debate or demogogues quickly coming to predictable conclusions. Nothing can be learnt in such an environment.
Humility, constant questioning and probing and the ability to admit that we're wrong are pre-requisites in our efforts to grow, in intelligence, maturity and wisdom. That's what we need from the Malay media, both old and new.
posted by Stingrayz | 10:35 AM
11 Comments:
The melayu malays think very highly of themselves and actually think the'speaking' malays are arrogant.No way will they listen to you,sad but true. They cannot change and they cannot make decisions...'serah pada tuhan'.
What can we do to change them?,I think we can start with the food they eat.
Interesting article, and some very strong (and colourful!) language by Hisham.
If I'm not mistaken, Malay (written in Jawi) was used as a strategic language of change in the early pre-War independence movement. I guess it was not open for the trouble-makers to propogate their ideas using the English media under British rule. Now the two languages have swapped places, except that, in Felda Taib Andak and Benut, the strategic "language" of change is Islam.
Score: Govt 2, Anglophilic NGOs Nil.
Anon 2
mmm.. was hisham referring to the bukit dsara's 'Open Dialogue Centre' in his article?
btw, mr. SR, i read kadir jasin's blog on the RMk9 (http://kadirjasin.blogspot.com/2006/04/bumiputera-terus-ketinggalan.html) and i recalled you writing somewhere here also on the 30% - 70% bumiputra equity, or was it someone else :P err.. i'll hv to go dig your archive i suppose..
Anonymous:
Interesting that you pointed out the point about food and nutrition - so did Royal Professor Ungku Aziz. :)
I don't think the Malays (be they Melayu Malays as you would term them or anglicized Malays) are incapable of change.
The Malays are a product of their environment.
For example, why do we get Malay ICT graduates (of equivalent SPM achievement) of different qualities when one comes from Multimedia University and the other, from one of the public universities?
It's because the environment from MMU exposes them, to demands of the outside world and the environment in the public universities, keeps them under a coconut shell - unaware and totally unprepared for the realities in the outside world.
You want to change the Malays? Change the environment (for the middle-class and tertiary-educated and above who should be ready to compete on their own two feet) and you will see them adapt and thrive.
Keep them protected in the name of the "Ketuanan Melayu" excuse and you will see them regress to the standards of an African tribal chief, one day.
Anon 2:
Yes, you're right on the point on Jawi.
But back then, there was a Kaum Muda (versus Kaum Tua) that spoke the language of change, be it in Malay or in debating the "qiblah" of proper Islamic thought.
Za'ba was one of the Kaum Muda thinkers who embraced both Malay and English language and yet, held on to the proper Islamic values and interpretation - which aside from the religious tenets, included hard work, quest for knowledge and economic achievement.
The Malay is never divorced from his identity - his Malayness and his religion, Islam. It forms the backbone of his identity, in public.
The strategic language of change is Malay. The strategic DRIVER of change is Islam - the correct interpretation of it.
But you will be surprised - the more of a true Muslim a Malay gets, the less Malay (in a regressive sense) he will become.
Because the correct interpretation of Islam requires amal ma'ruf (to do good deeds) and nahi munkar (to avoid sins).
It does not recognize the justification of Ketuanan Melayu or political dominance, for tolerating corruption and unfairness to fellow human beings, be they Muslim or otherwise.
It does not recognize the dominance of any one race, language or any one particular political belief - the overriding criteria is justice.
It will be like when the Prophet brought Islam to the arrogant Quraisy tribe.
And Islam is a far bigger world out there. And many Muslims speak and write in English, as a means of propagating their faith - which is the correct thing to do.
Isn't that the Prophet's first calling - to spread the word of God?
Score: Islam 1, Govt. 0, Malaysian people, -1.
heavens, i wonder what category i'm in.
Nyonya La Mer:
Yes, it was me. I wrote about the pressure exerted by the "70 lobby". Can't rememeber what it's called, dear. Check the archives-lah.
Dinzie:
Easy test. Check your preferred language and newspaper.
As far as random society labels go, you'd probably be suspected anglophile in expression and conservative Malay in
values. ;)
That would put you in the same category, as most of the leaders in the Tunku/Tun Razak era. :)
Good one. I read the article and it gives food for thought. I was reflecting on culture myself after a rare karaoke session over the weekend. Yes, of all times.
Anonymous:
Thanks.
People reflect best on things in the strangest of places (karaoke is a good place - music drives you to relax and it makes for clearer thinking. That's my excuse, anyway. ;)).
I do some of my best thinking in the shower! :)
Noni dearie:
Oii, welcome back busy woman. Missed having your comments here! How's zee laki and kiddoes-lah? My regards to zee laki. :)
Thank you for your wish on this Maulidur Rasul. If anything I've written here has been food for thought for others, I'm thankful for it.
And don't worry about expressing yourself on this blog. You've got carte blanche in my space, dear. :)
Noni:
Within reason and only with the politest swear words.
No Malay swear words, please - they always sound worsen and more vulgar than the English ones! :)
Noni:
It's a carte blanche with "Asian values". Shoot me, I'm a staunch Mahathirist, at heart. :)
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