Sunday 24 June 2007

Are Malays Really Like This?

Is it true what they say about the Malays? I have heard many jokes about the Malays and I dare say they are not flattering ones. One joke in particular that I like and would like to share if you have not heard it yet is about the Malay convict in Pulau Jerejak. No it is not meant to poke fun at the Malays. What I like to put forth here is this "Are Malays in general like this?

A warden was chatting up 3 convicts in Pulau Jerejak, Malaysia's Alcatraz.

He asked the Chinaman what he was in there for.
Wa rompak bank. Bila mau lali punya time wa sudah tembak mati 2 olang.

Then he asked the Indian fellow.
Saya gangster la jugak encik. Saya tarak kira punya, saya panggil saya punya gang kita kasi tetak sama itu parang.

Then it was the turn of the Malay guy.
Abang saya tak buat apa pun, saya kena naya la abang.

When I first heard the joke it sound funny because the line used by the Malay guy is so typical Malay. Then I got to thinking, are Malays really like this? I am a Malay myself so please do not take this as a race thing.

34 comments:

Bergen said...

Time to take a good look at ourselves, maybe laugh at ourselves so we can learn something, or look at the whole thing from a different perspective. The better we are able to deal with this, the better person we will be. Those who can't laught at themselves won't be able to see anything, or learn anything. Don't take ourselves too seriously, at times. Try to loosen up a bit and don't have the impression that others are out to get us. Instead, why don't we get them.

Unknown said...

Bergen,
I am with you there. I do take this lightly that is why I laughed at it. If a Chinese or an Indian wants to laugh at this too they are welcome but do look also at the answers of their counterparts in Jerejak. My intention is to know what others think of this. By others I mean the Malays, Chinese and also Indians. Can we all laugh at ourselves or we prefer to laugh at others only?

zewt said...

KTN... dont quite understand the joke though.

Unknown said...

I used to teach my workers to prove me wrong that an Indian behave like double headed snake....can talk and twist things....a chinese..nothing is straight....except their hairs...and the malay are lazy workers.
I said first thing to learn is WANTING to get respect from others...by them respecting others and remembering customers correct spelling names and be punctual to appointments.
Boy...you should see how the malays can bring so many medical chits...falling sick every week!!
Now things have changed for the better...as when majority have changed....they do feel shameful.....whatever races maybe.
I will not say malays are the worst...but the Indians do have alot to catch up.
Malays are now working seriously in commercial firms....much better than before.Perhaps being parents themselves have changed them. I have a malay worker..frequently late to work for two years non stop....no matter how I teach...will not change....but now married and need to fetch wife to work..he is now the earliest to office. So you see...workers still lack love and loyalty to the places where they earn money to buy food for their families.
Our oldern days loyalty are over.

Unknown said...

However...Malays need to be more aggressive and talk...not just listen and smile.
They lack confidence.

Silent Me Not AUthor 1 said...

lol. i have heard of that many times too in real life.

typical questions+answers:

"why did you fail the course?"
>> "dah berusaha dah, tp fail jugak, apa nak buat?"

"ko gembira ngan kerja ko sekrang?"
>> "boleh la, cukup makan, ader rezeki, bersyukur la tuh."

Unknown said...

Yes malays work hard...but once they feel they have enough ...they tend to be contended and be lazy....not wanting to learn more to move forward. As they seem to be more religious than other races..it is up to all the Imans to talk sense and realities in life suited in Malaysia....and not one suited in Afganhistan...for example.

Unknown said...

Malays must correct malays to be more effective.

ali allah ditta said...

A typical Malay excuse..."saya tak buat apa" and always "kena nanya". I am still wondering when will the Malays wakeup from their dream and throw their crutches away??

Selagi gomen dok suap selagi itu mentaliti subsidi tak kan berubah dan kalu berubahpun,they will say,"aku kena nanya!"

cheers.

Unknown said...

I recalled a I employed a malay driver. I did that..as he said he was staying very near my house.
Car keep giving trouble and I caught him putting the aircond in full blast with music on...while waiting for me for one hour....car not moving at all. Ofcourse ..the famous medical chit is presented every week too.
Then one day he knocked down by front gate and cost me RM4500 to replaced BUT he blamed the gate for not opening. I sacked him....and he brought 6 brothers to see me next day.
The eldest immediately notice he knew me and started to tell me...don't worry ...he deserved the sack. What if no one knows me? What will happen?
There is a example...the some malays do not admit their mistakes...thus can never improve.
Then I start looking for people who are seriously hungry for a job to feed the family...yet the laziness is so clear. I guess so many pages of vacancies makes people tend to take life easy...no problem in getting another job.
One came for an interview...showing 4 jobs in 6 years. Each job salary is higher than the last one....and have all sorts of excuses to resign. I tried few...never work...they are the real non productive irresponsible type.

ZABS said...

People have to be told of their mistake. However if all this shortcoming had been brainwashed into them since their childhood, they will accept it as a natural thing to do or say. They won't admit it as a shortcomings. No action shall taken to improve themselves, to make things right or maybe they are proud of their (bad)behavior. Behaviors can be changed, if you admit if it is a bad one, by yourselves, not by others, and if you are ready to change.

Unknown said...

Zewt,
The Malays will always say that someone is out to get them, it was never their own doings.
Monty,
When times, were good and jobs aplenty, I agree the Malays' attitude towards work is shameful. My late brother used to tell me that he didn't like employing them coz some of them will skip work for nothing, even worse when they just drop their tools and leave. Let me tell you something I heard from a Chinese friend of mine. He is a Penangite but told me this in Kelantan in the late 70s. When we talked about the Chinese being good workers he told me it was because, the Chinese in Malaysia comes from the breed who wanted to work. Their forefathers risked their lives uprooting to come here. They were willing to work hard. There were many still who did not want to migrate because basically those were the lazy Chinese. He said you find many of them back in China. I guess what Bergen said is right. If the Malays are the minority race in some country, they are hard working but when they are here in their own homeland, coupled with the subsidy mentality you get they unproductive ones.

SMNA,
Then there is this attitude, Alah dapat A pun gaji sama jugak dengan dapat C. He conveniently forgets about other advantages of getting an A. Alah duit bukan buleh bawak mati. Here he forgets that the money would help his children when he is dead and gone.

Zabs,
Why did the Malay said that he 'kena naya'? Could it be that he truly believes that he has the right to break the law because this is his country or he is truly paranoid thinking everybody is out to get him. Mungkin kah ini sbbnya ramai Melayu cepat percaya dengan fenomena'buatan orang' sehingga bomoh2 guna cliche ini selalu sangat.

Alah Ditta,
Could it also be the many Malays suffer from inferiority complex? Just a question worth exploring because they are fast to say'apa lah ada pada saya, dah la miskin takdak rupa pulak tu'.

tokasid said...

Salam chegu:
All this 'aku kena naya' 'ada orang dengki kat aku', 'anak aku tak pass pasai cikgu dia taksuka dia'...are excuses made as a self defence mechanism used by people who deny their shortcomings. This is deep in the Malay psyche. Most probably since hundreds of years ago.

The Malays have a good proverb: Berani kerana benar, but only applicable if you are telling it to others. If bad things happens to you that proverb is not applicable.

We have seen it all the time.
When your warung/gerai is not doing well; someone must have use a bomoh to destroy your bizness.
When you children doesn't do well in school- blame it on the teachers: "Cikgu tak pandai ajar" and he forgets that other students with the same teacher scored.
Whe you fall ill and goes to a bomoh first before going to a doctor: Ada orang khianat kat saya dan hantar santau kat saya.

The list goes on and on..
Some of the things said and done are against Islam's teaching( but of course many Malays believe in adat and pantang from bomohs more than the Quran, in real life).

The question now is: How can we change that mentality from the general Malay public? I have no answer to that.

Unknown said...

kata tak nak....I think you should plan printing 10,000 next year Muslim calendar with exactly what you have put out. With your face...looking at it everyday....the house dwellers will think positives..laugh and be happy. Excuse me for thuis....I cannot help saying...you do look like an orang hutan...already fully formed as a noble human being.....hahahahahahaha
Sorry my dear friend...I just cannot help it.....hahahahahaha

Unknown said...

Maybe you suprimpose my head to be held by your hand ...as your plaything.....hahahahahaha
That calender should sell. I WILL BUY 1000 to give out to my customers.....hahahahahaha

Unknown said...

hi..katak tak nak...Are you sensitive over my joke? It was meant to make you and readers laugh at us....no real other reasons.
Why so quiet?
If you felt hurt...please accept my sincere apology....and will not do it again. You can make one me...I don't mind.
I have a problem. I feel at ease with people I consider sincere friends and start poking fun at them...and they to me. We just laugh it off.
Perhaps ..this is also the differences between a muslim and a chinese..one very sensitive....the other totally broad minded?
We are talking about ordinary foks ...not high society blokes.

Unknown said...

kata tak nak...YOU MAY DELETE MY LAST THREE MESSAGES.
THANKS

Unknown said...

Monty,
I am sorry I have been quiet. Don't worry, I am also an old man la. I can take jokes and criticism. I know you are only joking. I am just a little bit busy because we have to get the students report cards ready and also to do the analysis of the exams so I could only spare a little bit of time. In fact I am on my way to school now coz I have 2 teachers under my charge. They are mathematics teachers and I have to coach them English. I hope you don't think I am sulking. Maybe tonight I will have the time. Thanks for coming often. I guess thats what friends are for. Anyway you don't have to apologise.

Unknown said...

Doc,
Betoi cakap you. Apa kah yang kita perlu buat, itu yang penting. Mungkin ada pembaca di luar sana yang buleh bantu?

Unknown said...

Salaam Bro, I read about this entry yesterday but donno what to comment. But I need to say something too as I agreed with you..totally. We easily blame others for our own weaknesses and problems. We sometimes say yang baik itu dari Allah dan yang buruk itu datang dari diri kita sendiri but I really don't know if some really understand what it means...

Bro, I tagged you for a noble effort. Please visit my blog to find out ya.

Take care and my salaam to kakak.

Mat Salo said...

Spot On Chegu!

Itu laa Melayu - buat salah pon tak berani mangaku. What hurts me most is to see my brethren often ridiculed for having "no telor". Sedih...

Unknown said...

I am glad you responded positively as a dear friend.
Yes...I admire you talking about your own race weaknesses and I try to exposed then from experiences with love for all...one day call ourselves Malaysians and not by race anymore.
It will be nice if you can put out your experiences on chinese or indians weaknesses too....plenty actually.

Anonymous said...

Monty

I remember during my school days at a scout campfire (1970s), singing our heart out amount our friends malay, chinese, indian, sikh and others and this one song that I particular remembered for your request to "kata tak nak" ....here it goes....

Itu orang melayu banyak susah lah
Dia suka suka tak mau akui lah
Itu orang india banyak susahlah
Dia suka suka minum tuak lah
Itu orang cina banyak susah lah
Dia suka suka tak mau kalahlah
Itu orang bengali banyak susah lah
Dia suka suka ahem...ahemm lah

Bulldog lah minum bulldog lah minum
Minum lah bull dog jadi gemalai...

Monti, I know you have dificulty in understanding the song, ask your indo maid to translate it to you..pardon me,

Unknown said...

Raden,
I try my best ya? You take care yourself.

Mat Salo,
Nak sumbang mahram depa pandai bila kena tangkap kata kena naya. Shit man they don't want to change.

Monty,
I don't want to touch on other races coz I don't want to stat a furore but if someone insensitively do it and that I believe it is done with malicious intent then I would have no alternative but to retaliate. I would rather say it about my own race coz we have plenty of weaknesses.

Bru99,
Yeah we use to sing that too but ours goes
Bulldog ka minum
Bulldog ka minum
Bulldog ka minum la
Bulldog ka minum
Badan la sihat lah.

Anonymous said...

I was taught young that if you are able to laugh at yourself or who you are, it is an indication of your self confidence of who you are and self-awareness of your own worth.

They say, self deprecation is the ultimate boast you can give yourself.

People who are unable to laugh at themselves are suffering from inferiority complex, or a sense of worthlessness.

That's in the psychological paradox.

Unknown said...

Frank,
True if a race can laugh at itself is indicative of self confidence but it should not stop there, the race must also be able to take criticism from other races as long they are made sinserely.

Mr. Right said...

All,

Most Malays (not all, read; most, majority, etc.) Sebenarnya terkena penyakit malas. Then, bila kena penyakit tu akan kena sekali penyakit-penyakit berjangkit yang lain. Penipu, pemberi alasan, cepat puas hati, penyibuk, pemalu dan macam-macam lagi. Tapi the basic attitude adalah MALAS.

Tapi aku percaya give them (us), few years then majority yang malas tu akan jadi minority.

Ok... that my 2 cent.

Unknown said...

Mr. Right,
Rasa2nya nak bagi Melayu sedaq dia kena jadi minority baru dia rasa perit, baru dia lebih competitive. Let me tell u one incident yang jadi tadi di sek. I told one teacher to give her resit to the despatch/office boy to claim her photographs at the PPD. She did just like I said and you know what he said? "Ckgu pi ambik sendiri". That is his job. He was lucky it wasn't me otherwise I would surely give him a piece of my mind.
Yes, you kata MALAS tu memang betul.

Unknown said...

hi you two guys with the song....first one...monty don't admit defeat or don't admit he is defeated...or will never want to loose an argument...which is which?
Second one is a new found protector of monty....how nice.
Anyway...it does not matter...I can take jokes too..like kata tak nak....except from anyone that is telling lies about me....that have political agenda behind his intentions.
KTN blog seems to be having Penangites love joking!! I like that...and from malays too!!
It is good for Malaysia.

Journey said...

Are Malays like this? MY answer is NO.

Today I met the the most hardworking Malay chap ever. The dude works as full time sales person and part-time taxi driver. Single father divorced and have 1 child. What a superman. How he rationalised it? He woke up oneday when his friends ask him - how he want to live his life. Did he want to drink it away or work to be person contribute to another life?

This is in Singapore and there is many more Malays in SG that work to achieve more in life. The problem in Malaysia is more of being too complacent and taking for grant what is available.

Are Malays really like this - NO.

Unknown said...

journey....Be it any race. One who works like that....and I have known few are working like that so to give his family the best he can give...with his blood sweat and toll. Usually will have a good and old life with children loving and take care of him forever.
KTN will agree with me.
We old futs should know....don't we...KTN?

Unknown said...

Journey,
As you can see, that person is in Singapore. When you are the minority you tend to be different.
Of course there are Malays like that in Malaysia too. I know of a few Malays whom I am proud of but I have seen many of of the type I am talking about. Thanks for caring to share your opinion.

Monty,
Yes, Those who work hard at least have the satisfaction that they have done their best. They do not regret life but those who don't will one day regret saying 'If only ....

Journey said...

If I may, let me ask in return, a few question with regards to the post.

Do you think Malays in Malaysia would ever change in the next decade?

If yes, what would be the potential cause or catalyst?

Unknown said...

Journey,
Not in the near future. Being the majority and enjoying special privilages do not help the Malays in the long run. The special privilages has got to be taken away bit by bit and the Malays must be made to play on a level playing field to develope a certain kind of competitiveness.
Handouts only make them complacent.

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