Tale of a busload full of Bangladeshi voters - by Anas Zubedy

My comments on RED

A friend’s family friend owns a tour company. Here’s their story.

1. On May 5, 2013, A tour bus with 42 Indian national tourists traveling from Johor to Kuala Lumpur for a short KL tour. And then From KL they were going to Genting Highlands. The bus is a bonafide tourist coach.
2. While in KL the tour guide who is a Malaysian wanted to vote. He was registered at Bukit Indah, Ampang. He got permission from his tour company to stop by and vote. Therefore he parked the bus full of the Indian national tourists about 500 metres from the poll station (Bukit Indah school). the bus driver and the tourists waited in the bus.
3. While waiting for the tour guide to finish, some members of PKR and PAS (they were wearing tshirts with the party logo) asked the driver to come down and explain why they were there, in the meantime, the rest of the PR members went into the bus and started questioning the passengers in a very harsh and rude manner, accusing that they are illegal voters.
4. They forced all the passengers to come down from the bus, but the bus driver insisted that the tourists stay in the bus. Then PR people insisted on holding up the tourists and the bus.
5. Then they started arguing and yelling at each other. The bus owner came. By this time, there was a huge crowd outside the bus. All from the same political party. The youth members were the rudest ones. Without questioning, they assumed those are phantom voters.
6. Then they started spreading the news around, taking pictures video, uploading it on FB, etc - saying that there are phantom voters in Ampang.
7. They almost got into a physical fight, but the bus owner managed to sort everything out and the PR people escorted the bus out of Ampang.
8. This entire commotion went on for about 1 hour and no policemen came even though the police station is only about 150 meters away.

Note:

My dear Malaysians, we can be better than this. We have the capacity to respect foreigners. Even those who come here to make a living in our nation of plenty as labourers; remember, many of our forefathers were just like them. We need to heal ourselves from hatred, arrogance and racism.

Thank you.

Anas Zubedy

Kuala Lumpur

***My Comment: I do agree that we need to heal ourselves from hatred, arrogance and racism. I have good friends among Malays, Chinese, Indians etc. and we are like a family. We care to each other, support and encourage each other despite the different on our religion and political views. We do quarrels few times on few things, but as a family we respect each other views and opinions. We didn't practice hatred, arrogance and racism.

This is a beautiful country with loads of ethnics. We should be together  building the nation and provide check and balance for it's betterment. Please don't let racism, arrogance and hatred mastering yourself.

Storytelling Jamming Session - Project Linkages

Project Linkages Organizing Committee Cordially invites 

You

to the Launch of  

Linkages Cer-Cerita Storytelling Jamming Session

18 May 2013, Saturday at 9.00am

Rumah Arboreta, FRIM, Kepong

Please join us as our guests. Do bring along your friends and family, and especially elder citizens. We got some special gifts for them, besides paying them a tribute for sharing stories ... on life in the good old days; health & wellness; tips & remedies, etc.  

This event brings together young and old across all communities and cultures to share knowledge and wisdom within a window of 48 hours. Set in the midst of a serene forest, this will be a nostalgic and enriching family outing to be cherished by elder citizens.  It offers a great opportunity to tap and narrate the wisdom and indigenous knowledge of our elder citizens - creatively and compellingly. 

Prizes and recognition of elder citizen's wisdom, wit and knowledge captured in videos and photos  awaits creative participants.   

Please RSVP before 15 May 2013.  

Warm regards

Ramesh Pillai

Manager, Project Linkages 

017 8828 302 

www.linkages.my 

Note:    1. Please let us know if you want us to officially invite any senior citizen as our Special Guest or Story Teller.

            2. Please forward this invitation to your circle of friends, colleagues and family.

            3. Please follow us on our Facebook and  Likewww.facebook.com/projectlinkages 

INVITATION Please watch:  Linkages Video 

Please watch:  Linkages Video 

PROGRAM

Chinese Pendatang! Indian Pendatang! Melayu...also Pendatang!!

Due to its geographical nature, The Malay Archipelago comprises of various big and small islands, isles and islets ranging westward from Madagascar Island, East of Africa to the Polynesian isles in the Pasific and include Taiwan, Hainan Island and parts of Vietnam and Cambodia in the north and even New Zealand in the south. 

The historically well-known Parameswara who fled to Kota Singa (now Singapore) and then established the Sultanate of Malacca, was a descendant of the Palembang sultanate and this made the hosts of Malacca sultans after him were his descendants. Parameswara leaved with him hosts of other descendants whom later established a number of sultanates in Peninsula Malaysia. The Perak Sultanate was established by DYMM Sultan Muzaffar Syah, the eldest prince of Sultan Mahmud Syah, the last sultan of Malacca. 
The Johor Sultanate was developed when Sultan Mahmud Shah (Sultan of Malacca in exile and the first Sultan of Johor-Riau-Lingga) fled to Bentan and later to Kampar, Sumatra during the Portuguese bombardment of Malacca. When he died, his son Sultan Allauddin Riayat Shah was proclaimed the second Sultan of Johor. (The current Johor Sultanate is not descendants from the Johor-Riau-Lingga sultanate). 

It was also historically mentioned that Parameswara’s earlier descendents goes back to Sang Nila Utama and Wan Empuk/Ratu Chendera Puri (the fist Malay-Singapura Sultanate rulers circa 1160-1208) to Raja Suran of a Ceylonese Dynasty to Raja Iskandar Zulkarnain (Alexander the Great) of the Greek Macedonia.

Origins of the Kedah Sultanate is full of legends and myths and mainly from verbal sources. It was said that the Kedah Sultanate had very close relationship with Raja of Rum (Turkish), Raja of Parsi (Persia/Iran), the Moghul Sultanate in India and the Maurya Dynasty also of India and the Siamese dynasties. Phra Ong Mahawangsa, a Hindu-Bhuddist seventh ruler of Old Kedah later converted into Islam and adopted the title Seri Paduka Maharaja Derba Raja and was later known as Sultan Muzaffar Shah. In the context of the Malay Sultanates, he was recognized as the first Kedah Malay Sultan to rule under the Islamic government banner. This was said to happened during the late 11th or early 12th century.

According to historical sources from China, Kelantan was once ruled by one Maharaja Ku-ma-r during the 15th century. It’s not known the origin of Raja Ku-ma-r. According to Siamese historical sources, Kelantan was ruled by Raja Seri Dewa circa 1493. His origin was not established. Local sources indicated that when Kelantan was attacked by Malacca, Sultan Mansur Shah, the then sultan of Kelantan, retreated to Pattani.

The Syed Jamalullail family of Perlis was said to originate from Palembang. Syed Harun Jamalullail was appointed the Penghulu of Mukim Arau by the then Sultan of Kedah and later his son, Syed Harun was proclaimed Raja of Perlis.

Raja Lumu was the first ruler to use the title Tuanku Sultan of Selangor in 1766. Raja Lumu, the son of Daeng Celak the Yamtuan Muda of Johor, and his brother are decendants of Opu Trendiburang Daeng Rilaka, Raja of the Land of the Bugis, came all the way from Land of the Bugis, Celebes Island to Tanah Melayu. 

It is a well known fact that the Negeri Sembilan royal families are descendants of Minangkabau sultanate in Pagaruyung, Sumatera and so do all of the Minangkabaus in Malaysia. 

The earliest known Chinese settlers in Tanah Melayu was those Chinese whom accompanied Princess Hang Li Po to Malacca. The Babas and Nyonyas are all said to be descendants of Hang Li Po and her followers.

The earliest known Indian settlement in Tanah Melayu was also during the Malacca Sultanante. Indian tradesmen, mainly of the Ceti origin, came to Malacca and started the Ceti Peranakan through marriage with locals and made their headway into the royal court of the Sultanate; one such example was the aristocrat Seri Nara Diraja who held a dignified position in the royal court of the Malacca sultanate. 

Let us now examine some of the contemporary Malay sub-ethnic groupings :

The Malay communities in Malaysia today are formed from the various sub-ethnic groups from every corners of the Malay Archipelago that had migrated to Tanah Melayu since hundreds of years ago; this include the Achehs (North Sumatera), Minangkabaus (Western Sumatera), Mandailings (North Sumatera), Bengkulus (Bengkulu Island off Sumatera), Rawas (Rawa Island), Palembang (South Sumatera), Lampungs (Jawa Island), Jawa (Java Island), Sunda (Sunda Island/Straits), Bugis (South Sulawesi, Celebes Island), Banjars (South Kalimantan), Sulus (Isle of Sulu), Minahasas/Menados (Manado, North Sulawesi), Pattani (Southern Thailand), Cham (Kingdom of Champa, Central Vietnam/East of Cambodia), There are also a small number of Flores (Isle of Flores), Lomboks (Isle of Lombok), Sumbas (Isle of Sumba), and Malukus (Isle of Molucas).

Jawa : a well-known Malay ethnic from Java Island. 

Bugis : originated from Land of the Bugis, South Sulawesi, Celebes Island. The Bugis are mainly traders; they traveled all over the Malay Archipelago to trade. Bugis settlement can be found largely in Selangor and Johore. 

Bawean (pronounce Boyan) : came from Bawean Isle and can be found all over West Malaysia, especially city centres such as Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Ipoh, Johor Bharu, Malacca and Seremban including Singapore. It is not known when Baweanese first came to Tanah Melayu but a population census in 1849 indicated substantial settlements of Baweanese existed in Singapore and the Straits Settlement.

Jawi Peranakan : Malay ethnic of Indian origin; mainly male traders migrated from South India to Penang Island and married local Malay women. Their offsprings are known as Jawi Peranakan. The “Maricans” are one example of Jawi Peranakan; for instance Tan Sri Hassan Marican, former President & CEO of Petronas. 

Mandailing : sub-ethnic of the Batak clan evolved in Northern Sumatra. Migrated to Tanah Melayu circa 1820’s to study Islamic religion. Can be found in Selangor, Perak, Kedah and Penang. Those Malay names ending with Nasution, Lubis, and Siregar are of Mandailing origin. 

Patani : located in Southern Thailand was once ruled by the Malay Patani Sultanate consisting of Patani Dynasty and Kelantan Dynasty during the mid 15th century. Both these dynasties among them had at least 16 known sultans and sultanahs ruled Patani between the 15th century right up to the 19th century when the Siamese rulers “took over” the sovereignty and administration of the Patani sultanate. The Patani settlement’s main concentration is in Kelantan and small numbers can also be found in North Perak, Perlis and Kedah. The “latest wave” of Patani “migration” into Peninsula Malaysia occurred most recently thr000ough the opening up of “tom yam” eateries all over the country. 

Banjar : originated from Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan. The Banjars first known wave of migration to other parts of the Malay Archipelago including Tanah Melayu was during the 1850’s when conflicts between ruling dynasties and the Dutch came to its apex. Their settlement can be found all over Malaysian largely in Perak and Sabah.

Other Malay sub-ethnic groups known are Orang Kampar (from orginating from Kampar, Western Sulatera) and Orang Rawa (originating from Pulau Rawa off Sumatera). Both are closely related to Minangkabaus and their spoken dialects are similar to that of the Minangkabaus.

It is interesting to note that one Orang Kaya Indera Shahbandar Dato’ Hussein Mohamed Taib, who was a chief administrator in the Pahang Civil Service as well as a court officer in the Pahang Sultanate is a descendant of the Bugis-Johor aristocrat family that migrated to Pahang in the 18th century. His son, Abdul Razak Hussein was the 2nd Prime Minister of Malaysia and his grandson, Najib Tun Razak is the current Premier.

All in all, the issue here is that the Chinese are definitely “pendatang”, the Indians are also definitely “pendatang” as well as most Malays in Malaysia are also definitely “pendatang” within the historical context. What is there for us to shout about. It is a historical fact that we are all indeed “pendatang” to this holy and sacred land. 

What’s more important for us all “pendatang” is to forge close cooperation in the spirit of merdeka and look ahead to better ourselves and together develop this nation despite our differences in our very own “pendatang” characteristics. 

Sources : Ensaiklopedia Sejarah dan Kebudayaan Melayu, DBP.