To be born with a tempurung stuck on one’s head

The product of 58 years of Umno Baru rule, in which billions of ringgit were poured into education, was seen last Sunday. Some Malays demonstrated in front of a church in Petaling Jaya. They felt threatened by the cross, which was located on the church’s roof. They also feared that their youth would be influenced.

You will have heard the expression, “To be born with a silver spoon in the mouth”. In Malaysia, a newly-minted expression has been formed; “to be born with a tempurung (coconut shell) stuck solid on one’s head”, in other words, to be born ignorant and stupid.

The thick shell of the tempurung is impervious to outside stimuli. Information and ideas cannot flow into the Umno Baru Malay brain. The Umno Baru Malay is stuck in a world of his own making, and because of his black heart, he will drag others down to his level.

The Muslims who went to mission schools have remained Muslims. Malay parents, who enrolled their children in these schools, were interested in the school ethos, the quality of teaching, the curriculum and school discipline. They were not bothered by the cross on the roof, the cross which was imbedded in the school badge or the wooden cross necklaces worn by the nuns and brothers.

Parents did not care if The Lord’s Prayer was said at assembly, or that the nun blessed the students with the sign of the cross. Parents encouraged the end-of-term school plays. They did not bat an eyelid that western songs were sung, hymns were played and boys danced with girls on stage. They knew this was part of the growing up process.

Education Minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s policies have failed our children. Despite the billions of ringgits spent on expensive projects, foreign teachers, and the latest technology, the Malays have not progressed very far in their world view and intellect.

Actually, the Malays have not left the security of the tempurung.

Most members of Malay royal families, including at least one sultanah and one prime minister, Najib Razak are products of mission schools. Has Najib come to the fore to stop the mindless attack on non-Muslims? No!

Najib has never been, and will never be seen as, someone who champions harmony. Harmony is the buzz word only when he is overseas, away from the conservative Malays.

Najib could stop all this bigotry, but he won’t. He cannot disappoint the extremists, who have pledged their loyalty, lest he be destroyed politically. They are only in it for as long as he can reward them, with contracts.

So the responsibility lies with other Malays, to speak out against the intolerance perpetrated by some Malays against their non-Muslim brethren. Progressive Malay voices are slowly being heard but it is only a whisper. It needs to be louder.

Currently, Saudi Arabian money is allegedly used to organise religious discussion groups, in homes and in mosques. It is doubtful if these are regulated. Not everything that comes out of the holy land is good. One such example is Osama bin Laden. In Saudi Arabia, Muslim holy sites, which Wahhabism disagrees with, are being demolished.

Only two things challenge Islam in 21st Malaysia. First. The foolishness of many Umno Baru Malays. Second. The lack of leadership of many Malay leaders.—  Mariam Mokhtar