Forced to wear Tudungs?

The correct term is 'Indian', not 'Keling' you %@$#%

I've never heard of Jerai MP Datuk Badruddin Amiruldin before in my entire life.

Until yesterday.

It was reported in the papers that this Datuk used the word 'keling' to describe indians. Can you believe it? This coming from not only a 'Datuk' but a politician! Even my 5 year old niece knows that it is not polite to refer to indians that way!

It started like this. This Badruddin fellow said that he was uncomfortable with the fact that some newscasters on TV wore an ear stud. When another MP quipped in that it is customary for the first born male of an indian family to wear such an ear stud, Badruddin replied by saying

"I am talking about muslims. I am not talking about kelings"

I don't know about you, but I'm not even an indian and I'm really disappointed (yes, and pissed) that an elected official is stupid, arrogant and ignorant enough to use such language in parliament. Thank goodness we have our ever faithful Lim Kit Siang to stand up to this Badruddin clown and demand an for apology. Hmmm, I wonder where is our good ol S.V. when we need him?


What Malaysia Stands For

That is not all folks! This Jerai MP ding-a-ling then went on to say that he wants to make it compulsory for ALL graduates of the International Islamic University (IIU) to wear a tudung. Yup, you heard me right. ALL graduates! Chinese, Indian, Chindians, Mat Sallehs, Banglas..whatever. He said that it was not a 'religious' matter but that we should respect each other's culture.

Excuseee me??? Malaysia is a land of many races and culture you dingbat! Our acceptance of each other's culture is expressed by our tolerance, not by our insistence that everyone conform to our personal rules and regulations (and in this case, dress-code).


On a more serious note

Having said that, it's time to get a little serious. I don't know about you but it truly saddens me that there are so-called 'Malaysians' amongst us who still harbour such backward views and beliefs. To me, Malaysia is a land of racial harmony. A place where you can mingle freely amongst the other races without having to be ashamed of who and what you are. It infuriates me that there are people out there who want to destroy what we've come to know and love about Malaysia. People who come under the guise of 'nationalism' and 'patriotism' but in fact are actually narrow-minded, selfish hawks who seek to turn Malaysia into another Afganhistan.

With regards to the tudung issue. I truly believe that it should be of a person's own free will that she (or even *shudder*..'he') put on a tudung. I have nothing against the garment, what I am against however is the coercion of people. How can we possibly achieve vision 2020 if the politicians amongst us still insist on strong-arming people into following their beliefs?

During the parliamentary session, Lim Kit Siang produced and read a letter written to him by a graduate of the IIU who was forced to wear a tudung during her convocation. This is just plain sad. What should have been one of the most joyful days of her student life was instead turned into one of shame. Not because of the tudung mind you, but because the very rights, the freedom of choice given to us by our constitution was shattered.

When our nation's founding fathers got together to sign the constitution, I am sure that this was not what they had in mind. I wonder what they would think if they could hear Badruddin now.

I bet it's enough to make them turn in their grave.