Thursday, April 26, 2012

Onward Singapore!


I just learnt a rather surprising fact recently about the inhabitants of Singapore.

It turns out; the majority of them cannot speak Malay.

Perhaps that’s not much of an eye brow raiser. But consider this; Malay is one of their official languages. Furthermore, their national anthem ‘Majulah Singapura’ is written in Malay and only be sung in Malay.

The term ‘Majulah Singapura’ is seen on a lot of the official buildings, crest or what have you around the country. It was a term that really made an impression on me when I first came to Singapore.  As a Malaysian, Singapore had always been the more modern, more developed neighbor we all so loved to envy and make fun of, a bit like Belgians with the French, or Canadians with the US. We didn’t like them for the way prosperity had made them, but we still respected that they achieved what they did, which was so much, with what they had, which was so little.

So when I first learnt of the term ‘Majulah Singapura’, I was impressed. Literally it meant ‘Onward Singapore’. I remember thinking that this was just about the most appropriate motto you could ever attach to Singapore. It is a country all about progress, development and becoming a global, world class city... moving forward in short. You feel it the moment your feet touches the ground here. ‘Kiasu Singapura’ would probably fit the bill too.. but I’ll stay away from jibes for now. Credit should be given to where it is due, and Singapore truly lived up to its motto. I mean the first one of course.

So I guess as a national anthem, Singaporeans would have every reason to feel proud singing it. If only they understood the words that is.

My surprise about Singaporeans not being able to speak Malay wasn’t so much about the ability itself, but rather that they were singing their own national anthem in words they themselves didn’t understand. Kind of like how a lot of Muslims in Malaysia learn how to read the Quran and Arabic words without really knowing the meaning of any of those words.

Of course, it was explained to me that Singaporeans (who aren’t Malay) would be thought the meaning of the anthem in the other official languages i.e. English, Mandarin and Tamil… so overall, they did understand what they were singing…… but still…. It doesn’t feel quite right to me that a citizen of a country would need a translation of his national anthem before he could understand it. It just isn’t right. Perhaps there was a historical reason why Malay was kept, I wouldn’t know. But it doesn’t seem like Singaporeans themselves know either. It becomes especially ironic when I, a Malaysian, could read or listen to it the very first time and understood perfectly what it said. It’s like your neighbor being able to read the sign board in your house that you yourself cannot read.

I don’t mean this as a jibe, nor any disrespect to Singaporeans. It is a country that continues to have my respect and admiration. Singaporeans and Malaysians have such common roots that sometimes when I’m here, I forget that I’m really overseas. Everything here feels just like home, but better in many ways.

But you really got to do something about your national anthem. 

Monday, April 16, 2012

Old @ Heart

Some fast facts:

- I'm starting to consider gardening a pretty fun hobby.
- Pruning Petunias is the most exciting thing I've done recently.
- I listen to Lite Fm
- I listen to Business Fm
- I consider Double Espresso a hardcore drink
- I'm getting paranoid about health stuff
- I no longer read comics.
- I dont watch TV.
- I somewhat dislike Facebook.
- I don't know most of the latest music, movies or online sensations.
- I know the lyrics to more oldies that pop songs
- i stubbornly think everything from the 90s were superior.
- l still think i'm as hip as any other 20 year old, if not more....

Man..... I'm getting old.

Friday, April 6, 2012

Good Friday, No Holiday?


Why isn't Good Friday a public holiday? 

Many people know Christmas is an important day for Christians. But did you know that Christmas is important BECAUSE there was Good Friday and subsequently Easter? If you take Good Friday and Easter away, no Christian would bother celebrating Christmas. Christmas is meaningful because of Easter. Easter is meaningful because of Good Friday. Did you know that? Ask any Christian, he/she will tell you why. 

You don’t get catchy carols, presents or holiday treats on this weekend of Good Friday and Easter. It’s a lot less glamorous, and a lot less noticed here in Malaysia, but I assure you, it is a lot more important.

So if Christmas is a holiday, why isn’t Good Friday one too?

When Malaysia won the (not so) prestigious Suzuki cup a few years ago, a public holiday was declared.

When the Sultan of Kedah entered the Malaysian Book of Records for being elected the Agong for the second time, a public holiday was declared. 

So, when Jesus Christ died on the cross this very day two thousand years ago, paying for everyone’s sins, why isn’t a public holiday declared?

You may say “Well, that’s a religious thing… and I’m not a Christian. We are not a Christian nation. Ini negara Islam…Why SHOULD it be a holiday?”

The same reason Aidifitri, Aidiladha, Awal Muharram, Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday, Christmas, Deepavali, Wesak, Thaipusam, Agong’s Birthday, Sultans Birthday, Federal Territory day, Labour Day, Chinese New Year, Malaysia Day and all the other days gazette as a public holiday;

That people should be allowed to celebrate the things that are important to them.

And that others that may or may not find those things as important, are still allowed to be happy for their neighbour and celebrate with them.

Isn’t that supposed to be the whole ‘muhibbah’ 1Malaysia thing that’s supposed to make us Malaysian?

Good Friday and Happy Easter guys. 

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Freedom from self

Isnt it funny... That we think the ability to go along with our impulses, our desires, our cravings, our longings without inhibition is what freedom is all about..

When in truth, walking down that path often brings the opposite.

We become the prisoners of our own desires, hostage of our own hearts, victims of our own lust.