Below is the J-Star‘s poster boy for Moderation, Niki Cheong.
He has some questions for Malaysia.
BELOW: The J-Star‘s ‘Brave Views, Bold Ideas’ muhibbah line-up comprising one Indian, one Malay and one Chinese
Firster public figure Niki Cheong was featured by Internet TV three days ago on Nov 8.
Ivy Josiah [programme host]: “What is your message to the people who do say you are a foreigner, y’know – ‘Go back to China’ …”
Niki Cheong: “I think my first question to them would be like ‘What makes you think that I’m a pendatang? What is it about me that is pendatang? What is it about my history and my family’s history is different from yours, and then we see how different we are’.”
BELOW: Taped for Incite.MY.tv (full interview here)
Related:
Helen Ang 
” What make you think that I am a pendatang “?.
A very good question , which only require a simple answer .
A pendatang will behave like pendatang though they might posses Malaysian I/D. In Malaysia they allowed such things ,remains as pendatang and at the same time remained as what you are .
Does that answer your question ?.
After reading all the comments on the subject over the pasr few days I’ve come to the conclusion that calling these Dapsters pendatang is an insult to the current batch of pendatang (legal or unrecorded) from Nepal, Bangladesh, Africa, MidEast etc who are here seeking a better life. They have made an effort to understand the Laws of the country, they are learning and speaking Bahasa, they respect the local customs. They are proud to be here.
But where is the pride in being Malaysian for these Dapters? LKS wrote that last year people were embarrased to admit they are Malaysians because of the (inter)national tragedy of MH370. Seriously?
re: “LKS wrote that last year people were embarrased to admit they are Malaysians because of the (inter)national tragedy of MH370. Seriously?”
Seriously, yes. Because of globalization, our local Chinese is able to be more in contact with PRC Chinese than with Umno Malays, PAS Malays, Perkasa Malays, Isma Malays, Pekida Malays, civil service Malays, uniformed services Malays, etc – that’s a lot of Malays under various umbrellas whom the Dapsters hate.
The majority of passengers in the missing MH370 were China nationals. Dapsters and China Chinese have a common language and shared platform in social media, for example Weibo (the Chinese Twitter).
China Chinese took the downing of the plane very badly, if you will recall. See below, a China Chinese demo and placard message.
What LKS reveals about the Malaysian Chinese simpatico with the mainlanders is quite true.
But … at that time PRC citizens lumped Cina with Melayu as Malaysians. They were angry at Malaysia the nation and ALL its citizens, not just Melayu. That’s just sad.
Dear Aunty Helen,
When I asked my mother about ‘pendatang’, my mother told me to talk to Aunty Shamrahayu and Aunty Ramlah Adam since they are the expert and now I understand the issue better.
They are wonderful people and always glad to answer questions. I think that the self proclaimed moderates should do the same. It is better than talking nonsense. Do these people ever want to learn?
Recently, Aunty Sham made this statement:
Pensyarah Fakulti Undang-undang Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Malaysia (UIAM) Prof Madya Dr Shamrahayu Abd Aziz menolak dakwaan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Najib Razak baru-baru ini apabila mengatakan kaum Cina di Malaysia bukan pendatang.
Beliau berkata, kenyataan perdana menteri itu tidak boleh mengubah sejarah negara mahupun sejarah kewarganegaraan. “Sejarah tidak akan berubah dengan perubahan masa. Kewarganegaraan kaum bukan Melayu tidak dipersoal.”
“Namun, sejarah tentang kewarganegaraan tersebut tidak akan berubah sampai bila-bila.”
re: “… answer questions. I think that the self proclaimed moderates should do the same. It is better than talking nonsense. Do these people ever want to learn?”
http://swf.tubechop.com/tubechop.swf?vurl=466X5OVCJX8&start=128&end=159&cid=7030223
halo boy, lu cuba paham tu konteks bila uncle aunty bertutur,
prof to prof otak udang
And by belittling the professor makes you a whole lot smarter, huh HY?
sir, not at all, i am not better than any otak udang, however i am not a professor.
Takes one to know one.
“A better Malaysia”?
Better by whose standards?
Is it better only if swine farms dot the country and horribly pollute our rivers?
Is it better only if we embrace your liberalism, with its free-thinking, hedonistic, “if-it-feels-good-then-do-it” mindset, which, despite proclaiming to be learned and sophisticated, actually encourages the consumption of alcohol, a recognized poison causing of various physical and societal diseases?
Is it better only if the majority of the population are led to watering down their faith to cater to the whims of the supposedly anointed few?
I could go on and on, but I’d rather not. As the Malay saying goes, “Sudah terang lagi bersuluh” (the Sun is out, and the fucking spotlight is blazing).
Niki is a Peranakan Buddhist with mualaf sisters and thus has muslim nieces and nephews – his BM is also pretty good. Why is he the occasional bete noir apart from his association with MM et al?
He’s a bit of a ditz (in a nice way) honestly, but quite harmless all in all.
Ditzy Niki wants to know. He asked a question on Net TV, and which is also the national topic of the moment.
Can you help provide him with some answers?
____________________________________________
re: “Niki is a Peranakan Buddhist with mualaf sisters and thus has muslim nieces and nephews”
I remember. You’ve told me this before in a previous post.
re: “Why is he the occasional bete noir apart from his association with MM et al?”
Good that he’s a Buddhist. Otherwise I’m accused of being one-track in selecting ‘evangelical Christian’ subjects only.
re: “He’s a bit of a ditz (in a nice way) honestly, but quite harmless all in all.”
The road to hell is paved with harmless intentions, particularly when ‘ditz’s are elevated to become opinion leaders.
Niki’s “Brave Views, Bold Ideas” poster above was made into billboards during the J-Star Moderation campaign. As well being the programme’s young face, he was the ‘Moderate’ touted when WCW & Gang took their brainwashing into the campuses.
Hey young man Niki,
I have a few questions for you first before I come to a conclusion whether to call you a pendatang or not.
1. Can you sing the Negara Ku and understand its’ meaning?
2. Can you tell me the RukunNegara, all the five of the Rukun?
3. Can you speak simple and proper Bahasa Malaysia? Forget
good. “Lu” and “gua” not acceptable. Slang like “olang for
orang”, likewise “manyak for banyak” and “talak for tidak” also
not acceptable.
4. Do you respect the Federal Constituition and especially that stating Islam and Bahasa Malaysia as the official religion and language respectively of Malaysia?
Comments to answers:-
1. If your answers is “No” to questions 1 and 2 but “Yes” to 3 and 4,
then you need to learn about 1 and 2. You are still okay.
2. If your answer is “No” to questions 1,2,3 but “Yes” to 4, then you are a typical market or coffeeshop Ah Pek or Ah Soh. After so many years or maybe a lifetime in Malaysia and yet couldn’t speak proper B. Malaysia. Can you then be proud to call yourself a Malaysian?
3. If your answer is “No” to question 4, then you shouldn’t be here in Malaysia in the first place. You should call yourself “Pendatang”.
REMEMBER;- ” THE FEDERAL CONSTITUITION IS THE MOTHER OF ALL LAWS AND RULES IN MALAYSIA”.
Re:point no 3..Actually kan, if you look at how young Malay kids are posting on FB, you will see that many are speaking gibberish Bahasa Malaysia ..pening baca untuk kepala orang tua mcm saya nie :)
What is the fuss with this ‘pendatang’ name-calling? For the Chinese and Indian, the label have been used since time immemorial. Can’t they get used to it? Why still feel offended? Every time the label is used, they get upset. Demand apology etc. but none is forthcoming. Issue closed. Next time, another pendatang name-calling. Same process is being repeated. Vicious circle. In the end, nothing changes. Lives go on.
For the Malay, no matter how many times you label the Chinese/Indian as pendatang, they remain as rightful citizen of Malaysia. They are not going back to China or India. They are born here, school here, work here, do business here and die here. Whenever something upsets the Malay, they shout ‘pendatang’ or ‘balik Cina/Tongsan/India. Chinese/Indian will demand apology but the Malays are not conceding. Issue forgotten. Next time, another name-calling is made the process will be repeated over and over again.
Conclusion:-
1. To the Chinese and Indian, no need to be offended by the label. You are indeed pendatang. Just mind your own business.
2. To the Malay, no matter what is the label ascribed to the Chinese and Indian they will remain as citizen and stay in Malaysia. They are not going back to China or India. Also please mind your own business.
re: “no matter how many times you label the Chinese/Indian as pendatang, they remain as rightful citizen of Malaysia”
With a stroke of the pen, Burma’s 1982 Citizenship Act disenfranchised hundreds of thousands of Rohingya.
Are you suggesting the Chinese in Malaysia will end up like Rohingya?
Chinese vs Rohingya
Lots of difference:-
1. Chinese constitute 25% of the Malaysia population. Rohingya is less than 2%.
2. Chinese commands a majority share in the local economy.
3. Chinese were recognised as rightful citizenship with voting rights and human rights since Merdeka.
4. Malaysia is an export nation and rely on foreign inbound investments. International reputation is very important. Especially now the largest trading partner is China.
5. Malaysia is a democratic nation with rule of law. Myanmar is ruled by junta when the 1982 Citizenship Act was enacted.
What say you?
I’m giving you an example where citizenship rights of a group that has lived several generations in a particular country can be taken away en masse.
The Rohingya example is one by law.
The expulsion of Sudetan Germans from Czechoslovakia (1944-1950) is one through force and coercion.
Drinho,
“…Malaysia is a democratic ….”.
So at least there are good things under UMNO ruled.
Of course there are good things under UMNO. UMNO/BN is not entirely bad. Due credit must be given.
However, looking at the present situation like GST, depreciation of RM, 1MDB, Barang Naik (toll, public transport fares etc) we wish Umno can do better.
re: “the present situation like GST, depreciation of RM, 1MDB, Barang Naik (toll, public transport fares etc)”
(1) Will Pakatan Harapan abolish the GST if it takes over Putrajaya?
(2) Can PH make our ringgit appreciate in value?
(3) How will PH make the harga barang turun when prices in the states they rule have gone up? Like water tariff in Penang (done) and in Selangor (going to do soon).
Penangites have to pay more for parking – extended hours (night charges, fees even on weekend) compared to during the previous BN administration. Selangorians have to pay to dapat borang kerajaan when previously the forms could be obtained free of charge.
Penangites have to pay new taxes never heard before like cukai katil.
‘Business licence fees in Selangor raised from six to 120 per cent’ – see Bernama story (Nov 6)
Pakatan Rakyat in its Buku Jingga promised it would do better than the BN.
But now PR has been dissolved and the Common Policy Framework proven to be just a lot of hot air when DAP quietly and sneakily agreed to allow (not object) PAS to separately pursue hudud.
And then DAP and their Dapsters deny, deny, deny until confronted with the signed agreement, complete with LGE’s signature, and with a video clip available to boot proving that DAP “agree to disagree” but close one eye if PAS insisted on hudud as long as the pact held together so that the YBs can enjoy their current taste of power and have a future shot at Putrajaya.
Only sheeple would swallow the DAP yarn.
quote,”Only sheeple would swallow the DAP yarn.”unquote.
better replace “sheeple” with “zombies”.
Yes.. you are pendatang… because you need a Chinese ambassador to tell you that you kampong is still in China.
its wrong to lump all Chinese into the pendatang group.How ever some Chinese do act like they are pendatang with their excessive negative views of the country to the extent that they cannot help to show their glee when bad things happen in the country like the depreciation of the Ringgit for example.In the extreme example of their pendatang mentality,they showed great pride of China when the Chinese ambassador seemed to warn Malaysia after the Red Shirt rally.For us that are loyal to our country the treachery shown by some Chinese Malaysian in that episode was very disappointing to say the least though we did not support the Red Shirt nonsense.
dear helen
i do believe that most of malays acknowledge the fact that the current generation of malaysian chinese and indians today by right are legitimately malaysia citizens. the malays are just merely want to remind,in not soo nice way some of chinese and indians who seem to either forget or pretend not to know about the history of the formation of federated malay states, and later on malaysia including the contents of her supreme law, the federal constitution. maybe the reference point of most of chinese and indians’ version of malaysian history is from 1957 onwards, i don’t sure about that. to make things simple for both of us, i will lists some of the points based on my knowledge about the history of this country. it’s up to you and the readers to accept it or not, as we are entitled, to certain degree of freedom of speech.
1) malaya, and later on federation of malay states and malaysia does not recognize the jus soli principle. jus soli principle in fact is one of the reasons why the malays heavily opposed the malayan union idea as proposed by british military administration. the rest is history.
2) prior to the independence, the british did not bypass the malay rulers in granting citizenship status to millions of chinese and indian immigrants brought over from the respective mainlands. in fact malay ruler themselves granted the citizenship status as one of prerequisites for malaya in order to be granted full independence by british in 1957.
3) the current generation of chinese and indians today, by law are legitimate citizens of malaysia based on the fact that they are the legitimate descendents of the immigrants whom were granted citizenship status prior to the independence. the jus soli (citizenship rights by birth) in this case is not relevant and applicable in the court; thousands of stateless ex malaysian chinese whom fall under boc fiasco have failed to regain their citizenship status back, and the argument that they were born in this country weren’t blindly accepted as a basis for them to regain their citizenship status back.
4) the citizenship status given to the immigrants prior to the independence are not for free; the tradeoff for that is the special rights for malays and later on indigenous tribes of both sabah and sarawak for a certain period of time, until after the bloody 13th may incident, where the stipulated “period of time” term was taken out from the original article 153 of the federal constitution.
Zul85,
One thing about the British is that though they are cunning and manipulative, they are “legalistic’ and they understand the limit they can stretch.
The British did not grant citizenships to non Malays for one simple reason. They, being colonial power, simply did not have authority to grant the citizenships. The decision to grant or not to grant lies with the Raja raja Melayu.
The independence instruments was sign between the Queen and 9 Malay Rulers not to mention the 4 Undangs of Negri Sembilan given the peculiarity of administrative system in that state. The non Malays were not in bargaining table simple because they were immigrants and therefore no position to demand anything.
There is no denying that even with immigration status, non Malays interest was taken care off. The Raja Raja Melayu were willing to grant citizenships in scale unmatched in world history. SADLY, UMNO is too stupid to even want to remind Malaysians and the world( and in particular DAP species) of the generosity of Raja Raja with tacit acceptance of the party in power, UMNO.
Not enough with citizenships, UMNO has no problem in accepting a Chinese as Governor of Melaka. Bear in mind that was an era where apartheid was accepted as norm in south Africa. Not to mention segregation was the order of the day in deep south America.
Dear helen,
I do believe that most of the malays, in fact understand the citizenship status of both chinese and indians in this country. The malays are merely, and not in such a nice way want to remind some of the chinese and indians whom seem to have gone too far in questioning rights and privileges entitled to the malays and other bumiputeras on the basis that they too are born and raised in malaysia plus the usual nasi lemak rethoric. Well either they felt asleep during malaysian history lessons during their times at the high school (I’m not talking about the uec version of malaysian history), or as usual they have the tendency to selectively pick up only historical facts that suit their on way of belief or ideology, just like they did to the federal constitution.to make things simple, i’m going to list several points about the malaysian citizenship based on my limited knowledge of malaysian history, and it’s up to the readers on whether they are going to accept or throw the points as i listed below into the dustbin. It’s the freedom of speech after all heheh
1) malaya, and later on federation of malay states and malaysia does not recognize the citizenship status by birth (jus soli). Jus soli, in fact is one of the reasons the malays were so pissed off with the british and her idea of malayan union. To the point of the malays are willing to throw away the malay rulers if the rulers agreeed to the formation of the malay union. The rest is history.
2) prior to the federation of malaya independence in 1957, millions of chinese and indians immigrants, whom were brought over by british for economic reasons (and not naturally migrated to this country except those baba nyonyas and chettis) were granted citizenship status by malay rulers (not by the british herself) as one of prerequisites in order for the British to sign the independence agreement. Take note that british on that time did recognize the sovereignty and power of malay rulers, including the matters related to the citizenship status of the respective monarch states.
3) the malaysian chinese and indians today, by constitution and legal are without the doubt the legitimate citizens of malaysia due to the fact that they are the descendent of immigrants granted citizenship status prior to the independence. There’s no question about that.
4) there are attempts by the ex malaysian chinese in uk, whom had renounced their citizenship status indirectly by torn up their passport in order to apply for boc status, to reclaim their citizenship status back on the basis that they were born in this country ( jus soli). Their attempts until now have been legally unsuccessful, and they have to restart over from the beginning like other foreigners to be considered as malaysian citizen back.
5) the citizenship status for chinese and indian immigrants comes with a price, and the price is certain articles in the federal constitution that are related to the status of malays and other bumiputeras. I do remember one legal case where the judge stated that the position of malays and other bumiputeras is a permanent tradeoff to the citizenship status bestowed to the chinese and indians prior to the independence. Well if the chinese and indians don’t agree about this then i suggest to them to change it legally, ie by obtaining 2/3 majority in the parliment plus successfully convince the council of rulers and also ypda to allow the mps to amend the federal constitution.
To Niki,
Well, you are not pendatang per se, assuming that you were born in Malaysia. However, you are a undoubtedly a descendant of pendatangs and that is a fact that nobody can take away from you. Unfortunately, facts are the most stubborn element in the universe no matter how many times Najib says that non-Malays are not pendatangs.
Similarly, Malays are not pendatangs simply because this region is the Malay archipelago and Malay civilisations grew here including in the Malay peninsular. Evidently, we don’t run to the Indonesian ambassador when something goes pear-shape.
Having said that, I never even once utter the word “pendatang” to my non-Malays friends especially those who know what being a truly Malaysian really is. Cik Helen, do you notice that the number of Indians who speak BM fluently and are willing to speak BM are high compared to, well you know. When visiting some friends during Diwali recently, this simple fact and the care some of my hosts took when it comes to halal curry etc., made me miss the good old times. You know, the pre-hannah-yeoh-puaka-tony-mulut-celabai good old times when Malaysians really respect each other. Oh well, shit happens.