I came across some articles in MALAYSIAKINI which you might find interesting as they seem to highlight something that we have long taken for granted as The Way of the World, for Malaysia at least! Here it is commonly assumed and understood that by virtue of of conversion to Islam you constitutionally become a Malay.
Umno full of 'non-Malay' leaders
by Jamiliah Kassim | Nov 19, 07 4:34pm
The Indian-Muslim opportunists in Umno
by AM Raj | Nov 21, 07 6:16pm
Some points from these articles.
- Malaysia is the only place in the world where one can change one’s race.
- Many of them, indeed, occupy senior positions in Umno.
- There is another Umno leader whose late father was a state MIC chief!
- They continue to make a mockery of the New Economic Policy by grabbing opportunities meant for the bumiputeras.
Are these people trying so hard to convert to become the "Malay" merely for reasons associated to the Malay special rights or is it simply fashionable these days to be called a Malay and ostracizing your own? Indeed we are a long way from a bANGSA mALAYSIA
2 comments:
i like this post...
i find it very sickening...u know in our federal constitution, article 160, it defines what a malay is..can u believe that, a definition for a race..
a person can always change his/her religion...but ur race remains with u till death.
article 160 says that a malay is 'a person who professes the religion of Islam, habitually
speaks the Malay language, conforms to Malay custom and -
(a) was before Merdeka Day born in the Federation or in
Singapore or born of parents one of whom was born in the
Federation or in Singapore, or is on that day domiciled in the
Federation or in Singapore; or
(b) is the issue of such a person;
As a result, Malay citizens who convert out of Islam are no longer considered Malay under the law.
Hence, the Bumiputra privileges afforded to Malays under Article 153 of the Constitution of Malaysia, the New Economic Policy (NEP), etc. are forfeit for such converts.
Likewise, a non-Malay Malaysian who converts to Islam can lay claim to Bumiputra privileges, provided he meets the other conditions.
A higher education textbook conforming to the government Malaysian studies syllabus states: "This explains the fact that when a non-Malay embraces Islam, he is said to masuk Melayu (become a Malay). That person is automatically assumed to be fluent in the Malay language and to be living like a Malay as a result of his close association with the Malays."
this has made religion a tool to "special" privileges...means that thousands of people convert to Islam not for the sake of inner faith & belief...but for the privileges u get here in Malaysia..
so sickening
Hmmmm...yeah thats what these fellows are called ; Constitutional Malays...for as long as they speak their language and practice their culture and profess their faith they become one....its a gaping loop-hole in our constitution, misused to the max!Very unfortunate :(
We are also Malays (minus the religion)..he he he :)
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