Cik Siew emailed us today for some feedback for a paper he is doing research on, and I revealed my reasons for taking Malay. Some excerpts from my email to him:
"Personally I took malay because I feel that it is a form of respect to the region that I am born in. I feel that the Singapore government kicked out the compulsary education of Malay in schools because Malay is "not economically viable", which is an insult to the indigenous people of the region. Simply put, we Chinese came to the Malay lands, took over all the wealth and top postions, and even colonised the region with Chinese (which is the unofficial second language of Singapore - i think most malays find it hard to live life without rudimentary command of chinese).... i just feel that taking malay is my form of returning respect to the malays, and saying "sorry for taking over your lands, and colonising you all with the chinese language"... kind of apologising for my people..."
Singapore is aflush with English and Chinese, people often forget that we are in the middle of the Malay Archipalego.... and not in some province in China. As a native of the Malay Archipalego, it seems my duty to learn at least rudimentary Malay, the language of the land. In part it is to show respect to the locals (the true locals), to apologise for my people taking over the top positions and basically marginalising the native culture. It is the least I can do, to say "thanks for accepting us into your land, as a sign of respect I will learn your language". After all, I was born here, and I am a son of the land as much as you are.
A very humble Chinaman,
Jonathan
Actually am I a Chinaman, or a son of the Malay Archipalego? It is a connundrum, and I would like to call myself a Citizen of the world, but as long as I live in Singapore I am living on Malay land, and as a sign of respect I should call myself a "son of the land".
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