Flip flopping his way towards greater irrelevance
No doubt Malaysians love to line up and hear Dr. Mahathir, the same way they people like to watch Baywatch or American Idol. There is a guilty pleasure involved but in the end only a few really find great substance therein.
Our ex-PM pulled a flip-flop straight out of the playbook of his most despised successor and the one who he made it his job to humiliate and denigrate for the last 2 years.
While campaigning in Perak today Mahathir said:
It (the BN state government) is now a matter of fact, so it must be supported unless they can prove that it is legally wrong. But at the moment, it seems the government is accepted by the people…
Not long ago, on March 14th he said
You cannot topple a menteri besar or a prime minister without a no-confidence vote in the assembly. There is no other provision
So which one is it?
Mahathir never had much regard for the rule of law. What a Judge might say on March 14th or April 6th doesn’t matter much as far as he is concerned.
The old fart is the law unto himself. He doesn’t have any respect for the judiciary. I can’t understand why people give him so much space. He practically destroyed the country single handedly and still is not satisfied with what he had done.
juni - April 6, 2009 at 9:13 pm
“No doubt Malaysians love to line up and hear Dr. Mahathir, the same way people like to watch Baywatch …” Din Merican
Lining up to see Mahathir in thongs?? Are you kiddin’? Just the thought makes me sick.
Mr Bean - April 6, 2009 at 9:16 pm
I will only line up to watch him being sent to the dock in court. Will even pay to watch him being sent to his jail cell. But i can tell you that before those things happen he will have flee to Zimbabwe or North Korea…He’s basically a rat…upon seeing his ship sinking, he’ll abandon it first. A traitorous rat ( remember 1991?)
Hamba - April 6, 2009 at 10:06 pm
Din, the man is a congenital liar. In the past, I thought he might’ve some redeeming qualities, but apparently I was wrong. Just ignore the scum and let him rot in the dustbin of history.
LChuah - April 6, 2009 at 10:07 pm
He is a ” GREEDY EVIL MAN “. There is position for his son and much money to make. He will say anything. There is no decency and dignity in the man.Only God can deal with him.
Drop dead for all we care.
chinlwu - April 6, 2009 at 10:09 pm
Bean, it is not strange that many people line up to see archaic curiosities no matter how disgusting… In this case, i think they have not seen bunions, flat-feet nor hooves (all rolled into one), on a human before. Not to mention getting a whiff of anaerobic putrefying gangrene from that infamous oral cavity – halithosis par none.
Menyalak-er - April 6, 2009 at 10:14 pm
He is a personification of SATAN. He has the penetrating eyes of Satan. His heart is made of stone. I wish he drops dead today.
Sam - April 6, 2009 at 10:31 pm
Indian Muslims in Malaysia: ancestry and history
Din,
I posted this article again just to remind everyone who is really Dr. Mahathir.
Din Merican and Anwar are also in the same boat according to this writer.
Bean,
Tunku, you and me must be from the same blood group. We share the same interest? No?
Kimma, Kurma and Karma
http://www.malaysia-today.net/2008/content/view/3779/1/
Posted by Raja Petra
Wednesday, 05 March 2008
BY Sheikh Moinudeen Chisti Syed Abdul Kadir
Kurma is an excellent Indian Muslim dish. The diference between a kurma and a curry is in the chilli.
A curry is reddish because it uses dried red chillies and also dried chilli powder. A kurma does not use dried red chillies or dry chilli powder. Instead a kurma is cooked with fresh green chillies. The taste and the colour are therefore different. Both are excellent methods for cooking poultry, mutton, beef, duck and even fish.
Kimma is of course the Kongres Indian Muslim Malaysia, which is the ‘mamak’ version of the Kongres India Malaysia or Malaysian Indian Congress or MIC which itself is a namesake of the Congress Party of India. The MIC was founded by Mr John Thivy of Ipoh in the 1940s as the Malaysian chapter of Nehru’s Congress Party of India.
It is really ignorant of the KIMMA members to claim that they are Malays when their party is still named after the Congress Party of India. This is a case of extremely serious mamak confusion.
An Indian Muslim can be anyone of Indian ancestry who is a Muslim. Tamils, Keralas, Punjabis, Sindhis, Mahrattas, Hydrabadis etc are all Indian Muslims. But in Malaysia a large majority of Indian Muslims are Tamil speaking. Hence the term Indian Muslim is generally applied to the Tamil speaking Indian Muslims. In Malaysia, Indian Muslims are also known as mamaks, DKK (darah keturunan keling), Kelings and Jawi Peranakan. The last one Jawi Peranakan is a strange misnomer. There is even a recent book written about the Jawi Peranakan which actually talks about the Indian Muslims.
In contemporary Malaysia Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar Al Bukhari, Zainuddin Mydin, Siti Nurhaliza binti “Thaarudeen”, Justice Haidar Mohd Noor, Ahmad Nawab, Akbar Nawab, P Ramlee, Man Bhai, Tan Sri Elyas Omar, Tan Sri Ali Abul Hassan are all Indian Muslims or descended from Indian Muslims. Malaysia’s first Speaker of Parliament Tan Sri CM Yusuf was a mamak. So was the permanent Chairman of UMNO Tan Sri Sulaiman “Ninam” Shah. ‘Ninam’ is actually truncated Tamil for ‘Naina Mohamed’. Former Sabah Chief Minister Dato Harris Salleh and present Chief Minister Musa Aman are all mamaks. They are not Pushtuns, Pakistanis or Yemenis.
Among our Prime Ministers Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad is the son of an Indian Muslim. Abdullah Badawi has mamak blood from his father’s side. Toh Puan Sharifah Radziah Syed Alwi Barakbah, the wife of our first PM Tunku Abdul Rahman, had mamak ancestry. The Tunku himself was of mixed Thai and mamak parentage. Ex DPM Dato Sri Anwar Ibrahim’s father is a mamak. The intellectuals Kassim Ahmad and Farish Noor have Indian Muslim fathers while the late Tan Sri Muhammad Noordin Sopiee had a mamak grandfather. Munir Majid is a Tamil speaking mamak and Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor is a mamak too.
Here it is pertinent to note the “Syed” and “Sheikh” name. Among Indian Muslims the name Syed or Sheikh is common, its no big deal. The names “Shah” and “Khan” are also very common mamak names. Other ‘Malay’ names like ‘Chik’, ‘Tamby Chik’ and ‘Keling’ are definitely of mamak origins too.
The name ‘Shah’ is not common among the Malays but strangely enough it is very common among the Malay sultans, for example Sultan Azlan Shah and Raja Nazrin Shah. Shah is NOT an Arabic name. It originates from Persia and comes to Malaysia from India through the Indian Muslim influence. This is just more indication of the mamak ancestry of our Malay rulers.
But among kampong Malays the name Syed and Sheikh are supposed to indicate Arab ancestry, the name Syed being associated with ‘keturunan nabi’ or lineage from the Prophet. To the kampong Malays these names are a really big deal. This is the furthest thing from the truth. Another common mamak name is ‘Maricar’. Actually it is ‘Marikiyaar’. This has evolved into ‘Merican’. Hence the thousands of Malays who bear the ‘Merican’ name today are also of mamak ancestry. They call themselves Jawi Peranakan. They are actually mamak.
Many smart Indian Muslims realized very early on this Malay liking for Arabic names and Arab ancestry. So they started passing themselves off, (or did not object if they were referred to) as Arabs, usually of Yemeni descent. In Malaysia too many Syeds and Sheikhs from among the Malays today are actually recycled mamaks. One good example is Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar Al Bukhari. Among the Malay elite Tan Sri Syed Mukhtar Bukhari passes of as being of Yemeni descent. His family actually comes from India. The former mayor of KL Tan Sri Elyas Omar is also of Tamil mamak origins from Penang.
Among the Malays it is also ‘ok’ if a mamak is from Pakistani descent. Perhaps Pakistan is closer to Bollywood. So some clever mamaks claim to be from Pakistan. The former Sabah Chief Minister Harris Salleh and present Chief Minister Musa Aman are said to be ‘of Pakistan origins’ but in actual fact they are of Indian mamak ancestry, and usually Tamil speaking.
Mamaks come in all colours and complexions from the dark skinned to the light skinned, green eyed and brown eyed types. A visit to the Masjid Kapitan Keling in Pitt Street in Penang or Masjid India in Kuala Lumpur on a Friday will witness all varieties of mamak.
The Indian Muslims in Malaysia today can be classified as follows :
Those mamaks who have inter married with Malays for generations and have actually become Malays. You can only know their mamak ancestry by their mamak sounding names like Merican, Shah, Syed, Sheikh etc, by their ‘Indian’ appearances – prominent nose, rounder eyes etc.
Those mamaks who have not inter married with Malays but who have assimilated closely into the Malay culture. They can only speak Malay and have cut off almost all their links with India. These would include thousands of mamaks in Penang, Kedah, Melaka and other parts of the country. Only their DNA remains Indian. But practically, for all intents and purposes they are Malay.
Those mamaks who are still very much Tamil and who can only speak pasar Malay. They may not have links with India but they watch Tamil movies and do not read the Malay papers or know much about the Malays. Despite being born in Malaysia they still would not know a ‘kuih talam’ from an ‘otak-otak’. Many KIMMA members fall in this category. That is why they still call themselves Kongres Indian Muslim Malaysia after the Indian Congress Party of Panditji Jawaharlal Nehru.
Those mamaks who are still very much Tamil and who cannot even speak pasar Malay despite being born in Malaysia. They will not know ‘nasi lemak’ from a hole in the ground. They will have strong family ties to India. They watch Tamil movies and know more about Tamil Nadu politics than Malaysia politics. They read Tamil Nesan and Malaysian Nanban religiously everyday to find out what is happening in Tamil Nadu and India. Again many KIMMA members also fall into this category.
Before 1970 the last two classes of Indian Muslims above (no.3 & 4) were usually overtly prejudiced against the Malays. Before 1970 many of them were not even citizens of the country. Their slang term for Malays was ‘valayan-katti’. This is a term invented by Tamil estate workers but which became widely used by most Tamils including Indian Muslims to describe Malays.
A ‘valayan’ means wire. ‘Katti’ means to tie something. So ‘valayan-katti means ‘a person who ties a wire’. What does this mean? In the early days of the rubber industry, the British tried to get the Malays to tap the rubber trees. However the native Malays had problems tapping the rubber tree in the proper manner and ended up injuring the tree, reducing the output of rubber. The British had better luck getting the trees properly tapped with the Tamils from India. Malays were then delegated the simpler job of using wire (valayan) to tie (katti) the little latex cups to the rubber tree. Hence the name ‘valayan-katti’.
Another Tamil term used for Malays is ‘naattu kaaran’ or ‘naattan’ which means ‘native’.
Before 1970 the type 3 and 4 mamaks above and everyone else did not see much in the Malays. But post 1970 and the New Economic Policy the mamaks realized that they suddenly depended on the Malay for everything, especially the ever precious ‘Entry Permit’ to get Permanent Resident status in Malaysia. Until then few mamaks got married in Malaysia. They always went back to India to get married. After 1970 and the NEP, the trend disappeared in a hurry. The Malays refused to give Entry Permits for mamak brides and grooms from India. All of a sudden mamaks realized that they were short of wives and husbands. Hence the rate of inter marriage between mamaks and Malays increased tremendously after 1970. After 38 years of the NEP, the mamaks are even more assimilated now through marriage than ever before. Today there is rarely a mamak family which does not have a Malay son or daughter in law.
Post 1970, the mamaks realized that real political power and with it economic largesse had shifted to the Malays. But many mamaks included in class 1 and 2 above had no problem with this shift in power because often they were the ones holding high office. For example the first Speaker of Parliament CM Yusuf, a mamak, was his own power in his day. It was only the class 3 and 4 mamaks described above who were (and still are) slow in assimilating into becoming Malaysians. The KIMMA represents many of these people.
Hence the present scramble among them to be recognized as bumiputras, to get Malay classification in the Birth Certificate, BIN in the IC etc.
But it is a fact that the Indian Muslims are heavily intermarried with Malays. This trend started over 600 years ago and continues until today. They and their offspring have played major roles in the history of this country. Sang Nila Utama, Parameswara, Tun Ali, Hang Kasthuri, Hang Tuah, Mani Purindan, Tun Teja, Abdullah Munshi and ALL the Malay Sultans are descended from Indian Muslims. The Perlis Royal family is almost certainly of mamak/Thai mix.
It is also true beyond any single doubt that from their earliest history here, the mamaks have had extreme affection which the Indian Muslims have had for the Malays throughout history. This could be attributed to the similarities in religion but there are also other Muslims in the country (including from India) like Pakistanis, Punjabi Muslims, Patans and also others like the Chinese Muslims.
Although the Indian Muslims are generally friendly with all races there is not as much intermarriage between Indian Muslims and other Muslims compared to the heavy intermixing and intermarriages between Indian Muslims and the Malays.
And it is an established fact (evidenced by all the names mentioned above) that throughout history the Indian Muslims have always stepped forward to defend the rights of the Malays. In the process many of the Indian Muslims have lost their identity almost completely to the Malays. Who are the descendants of the Tamil educated Munshi Abdullah today? No one knows. A DNA test will reveal Indian DNA among all our Malay rulers but which Sultan can or wants to retrace his Indian ancestry? These are the mamaks who assimilated into the Malay community from generations ago.
Fast forward to today : in UMNO there are thousands of mamaks fighting for Malay rights. In PAS there are mamaks fighting for Islam (aka Malay) rights. PAS stalwart Hanipa Mydin is a pure mamak while Deputy MB of Kelantan Dato Husam Musa may have mamak blood. In the old Keadilan ‘brother’ Abdul Rahman Othman, another mamak tulen, became party secretary general and then quit later – to join PAS. In the Civil Service and in the Melayu korporat sector there are thousands of mamaks helping the NEP ‘social engineering’ come true.
In Penang pure Malays are a rarity. As late as the 80s, they could only be found in Sungai Ara, Balik Pulau and other places where there were no roads. In all other places in Penang, mamak blood is almost a certainty. Hence words like ‘chacha’ and ‘nana’ are a part of Penang Malay. In Kedah and Melaka the mamak ‘penetration’ of the Malay populace is much more earlier than in Penang. Which means the mamaks in Kedah and Melaka have diluted their DNA into the Malay population from much earlier (from Portugese, Dutch and British times).
In short mamaks are a permanent feature of the Malay ‘make up’. It is the karma of the mamaks that they have become kurma in Malaysia.
tean - April 6, 2009 at 11:38 pm
Din,
That is a great one by RPK & Sheikh Moinudeen Chisti Syed Abdul Kadir.
After all that is said & done….
It might be 50:50 for all the 3 bye-elections….
UMNO/BN have always chosen the easier way of “Gutter Politics” & the “Law of the Jungle”….
Intimidation & hard to refuse Parting Gifts(Political, Business Goodies!) at this nation’s & taxpayer’s expense…
.
This great nation & its Leaders COULD have gone either of 2 ways….
The Honourable Westminster style of Democracy with the Rule of Law requiring the formation of the RCI prior to the appointment/s
That would make this great Nation, its King, its Leaders & its Rayaat proud of its Integrity, Transparency & Honour….
Or the easier way of “Gutter Politics” & the “Law of the Jungle”….
Intimidation & hard to refuse Parting Gifts(Political, Business Goodies!)
Desperate People, at Desperate Times, will RESORT to Desperate Henious Actions even if it means “Destroying” their “Honourable Family Legacy”, our Monarchy, All our nation’s Institutions, Pillars of Democracy & Justice, their own “MALAY MUSLIM HADHARI” party “UMNO” beyond “Redemption”, their own Kind, this country & its Many People!
What happened at the UMNO AGM will result in what I call “COLLATERAL DAMAGE” to their own “UMNO/BN Ketuanan” Warlords & their supporters
All the Grandoise Plans of ALL UMNO’s Incoming Wannabes (President, Dy President, Supreme Council Zahid Hamidi, Hishammuddin Hussein and Shafie Apdal; the VPs Mustapa Mohamed, Noh Omar and Musa Aman, Incoming Youth President KJ & Incoming Wanita President Shahrizat) COULD Backfire….
Remember “What goes round, will come round to “Haunt” these Desperate UMNO Ketuanan Beggars”
President Wannabe needs Mahyuddin plus his “Dream Team” to “Survive”….
With 2 “Accidental Trojan Horses” in KJ, Sharizat & many more to come….
Remember….Mahyuddin helped President Wannabe achieve the earlier March Transfer of Power instead of the “Agreed” June date….
President Wannabe does not realise that Mahyuddin has his own agenda….
For his own “Political Survival & his Business Agenda”, than for his Wannabe President, UMNO & the rayaat.
Zahid Hamidi….to counter PAS & any Islamic issues after his stint in PM’s Religious Division….
Azeez Malik the Mat Rempit Boss….to counter Wannabe President’s Enemy #1 KJ (Accidental Elected Council Member!) & his “Mat Rempit” tendencies….
Wannabe President has plans to “Trap” KJ & Sharizat into “Oblivion”….
Incoming Wanita President Shahrizat (Pak Lah’s Team – Another Accidental Elected Council Member!) as a “betrayer” who broke her promise to honour the transition plan not to challenge Rafidah
JJ had always been Wannabe’s Secret Proxy Professional (Electrical Engineer) from his state for decades….
There was alot of “Parting Gifts” (at the Nation’s & Rayaat’s expense!) fot the “Grand Finale”….
.
Two Tunships (which has been a Limited & Controlled Access for years!), the nation’s Carcosa residence of the “British Governor” & many, many more Upstream & Downstream…
With the incoming PM & his DPM now inviting Mahathir membership #000001 to be their “Adviser”….
They have all now Succumbed” to “Mahathir’s Trap”
Together with his 2 sons he is now the “Taiko” to continue from where he left the last time….
In any Corporate you have the Chairman, Board of Directors, the established Executive directors, etc that have been associated with the Company for years by convention….through their AGM’s with their share holder, etc.
Just how can the “Parachuted New Dream Team” justify their “Hostile Takeover”, remove All the Board Directors & Executive Directors overnight….
There will definitely be “Fireworks”, so let us sit back & watch the show….
“Devine Intervention” works “Wonders”….
You go fugure out….
flyer168 - April 6, 2009 at 11:59 pm
Thanks, Pet, for your most instructive and mirth-inducing comment
Antares - April 7, 2009 at 12:05 am
I noticed in the posting above by tean – April 6, 2009 at 11:38 pm. RPK talks a bit about Din’s ancestry too.
resident.wangsamaju - April 7, 2009 at 12:59 am
“Bean,
Tunku, you and me must be from the same blood group. We share the same interest? No?” tean
What blood is that? Blue blood?
Mr Bean - April 7, 2009 at 8:58 am
Darah Siam la apa lagi Bean.
Sebab itu ada hormone sabai sabai lebih sikit. Sabai sabai itu maksudnya relax. Relax itu Chinese girls in Kuala Lumpur prefer to say “happy happy”.
They always invite Din Merican over the phone..”kalu sinang mali la gua punya tempat happy happy ma!!!
Bean, As a famous Chotto mate singer, you should come back and happy happy with all the girls you’ve love before…
tean - April 7, 2009 at 2:58 pm
Bean,
Your USD is now RM3.60. Come back and happy happy lo..Din and his Cik Cun must be busy couting rial in Cambodia..
tean - April 7, 2009 at 3:05 pm
Hey tean,
“Sabai, sabai” or “Cabai, cabai” happy hour is still the best. I trust my XO than I trust my EX. With happy hour, “chotto matte” will become chotta matte in no time. Then together we’ll think what to do.
The FOREX market is in turmoil. USDLS will soon lose some 70% or more of its value. Who knows the Ringgit may replace the USDLS as the international currency.
Mr Bean - April 7, 2009 at 6:23 pm