August 30, 2008

Malaysia turns 51.

Happy Independence Day Malaysia!

On my drive home from badminton with a friend today; he threw a joke at me about how I'm
"...not Malaysian enough"
I retaliated immediately! I'm Malaysian; I'm a pure bred Malaysian! ... I didn't understand exactly what he meant; was it so because I had left the country for a long time?..was it my accent?
... I had no clue.... but it did jog my mind a little more about what makes a "Malaysian".
....Those born in this country?
Those who's ancestry lines began on Malaysian soil? ...
What race is a Malaysian?....Chinese? Malay? Indian? Iban? Kadazan? Punjabi?.

Our unique mix of races; religions and cultures achieving independence together as a nation truly is a feat not easily achieved. Safe to say; we are one of the rare; if not the ONLY ones in the world with 3 races forming an alliance with communal parties to create the independent country we have today.
We are all Malaysian; so says our passports, but what about our hearts? our minds? What makes a Malaysian? *grin*
I made a list of the things I feel you must love to be Malaysian at heart. (in no order or importance)
1. Durians
2. Badminton (playing or watching)
3. Teh Ais
4. Maggi
5. Milo
6. Mixing words from different languages in your vocabulary
7. Roti Canai
8. Ramli Burger
9. Cincau
10. Sambal
11. Steadler pens and pencils
12. Buying new cellphones ...and making a fuss about getting a good 'number' combination.
13. Having 'auspicious' car plate numbers
14. People watching at the mamak
15. Watching soccer on a big projector screen at the hawker stalls.
16. Shopping for dinner at a pasar malam
17. Balik Kampung during the long holiday weekends! (to return home to the village.*giggle*)
18. Karaoke!
19. Bubur Ayam McD
20.Har mee. (prawn mee)
21. Ice Kacang22. Pisang Goreng
23. Satay24. Wan ton mee
... any more you would like to add to the list fellow Malaysians? I can't stop to wonder why more than 70% of my list involved some sort of Food! haha Yes; in my books, to be Malaysian; you must LOVE good food!

Realize how many new 'cultures' we have derived from living together in harmony? Notice how our language seem to mold itself into truly unique Malaysian terminology.
Us Chinese-Malaysians have evolved into a new breed of Chinese with our significantly different dialect and vocabulary. I'm sure the Indians have long left their ways in India behind to move one to assimilating themselves to our country's colourful cultures too.

I'm not sure if you've noticed; but we still are the only ones in the world who eat 'Asian' meals (especially rice) with a large plate; a fork and a spoon. We have the spoon on the right; fork on the left. Both are used to tear meats apart and the fork is used as a shovel to push rice into the spoon on the right; before it is conveniently fed into our mouths.
Ahh.... So much easier than trying to have a pair of chopsticks in a bowl full of rice!
I'm glad my parents were both Malaysian. * proud grin*

22 comments:

Dayana said...

NASI LEMAK!

theadams said...

-Nasi lemak
-char kway teow
-Rain rain rain and more rain!
(pardon me i live in the mid of dessert currently,last time i saw 2 minutes drizzling was last January :( )

Ow3N~w3iHoN said...

aiyoyooo suyin suyin! u are certainly not malaysian enough leh! XD malaysians dont call kicking a ball soccer lah! it's FOOTBALL! hahah! and u forgot we're patriotic, but only shows come Merdeka! haha! Happy tanggal tiga puluh satu!!!

SIG said...

Singaporeans too are similar and we do eat rice on a plate as well. ;)

Hany said...

it's amazing how similar indonesians and malaysians are! hahahaha i really miss durian after being in the US for almost 10 yrs!!!!! ^_^

Anonymous said...

Happy Independence Day SuYin!

Such a great post. I would love to add what I observe to be an annoying act that can only (i think) be found in Malaysia. The motor-bikers rushing ahead to the front row in front of all vehicles, trapped at the red-light, in a massive jam. Another classic. Vehicles rushing behind emergency vehicles during traffic rush just to avoid bumper-to-bumper traffic. Sigh, that is also a Malaysian's trademark. HAHAHA...

http://wescribble.blogspot.com

Anonymous said...

Singaporean, Malaysian, Indonesian, Indian, we all eat rice with fork and spoon too =)

Anonymous said...

asam laksa
curry laksa
"mamak sessions"
certainly agree with u on bahasa rojak *grins*

ooh can't wait to be back in kl!!!

Anonymous said...

Wanton meee in msia is the bomb!!! How are you girl? I ahvent been here for a long time now, hehehee.

Anonymous said...

You totally nailed the point for mixing different languages in A SINGLE sentence...
And not to mention, we'll throw an accent whenever we talks to a westerner... :D

Miss all of the food that u mentioned hey..

Even how good a chef i am out overseas, i couldnt make the exact same taste as we get in our own country..Malaysia...

Malaysia Boleh!!

Keem said...

hello there,

stumbled upon your blog as i was searching for pictures and recipe of kuih salad (not sure if you have this in your archives but was pointed here anyway).

just went to malaysia fest here in sydney, very very very tersungguh dissapointed, no kuihs at all. just lots of roti canai and nasi lemak and satay.

as if that was all there is to malaysian food.

anyhow, love your blog, will leech recipes of you soon!

Anonymous said...

oh... I miss Malaysia..
Hot and humid weather
all kinds of good food
all kinds of celebration from different races... and HOLIDAYs!
well, it's a coincidence that US has monday off for Labor day.. At least i won't feel so left out and unfair XD
GOOD POST!!

sin ee

NAI Chun Lei said...

...and I turn 29! Happy birthday to myself :)

I did 15/16 out of the list most of the time... except changing cellphone :)

Tastes of Home said...

I love your pictures! I too miss Malaysia, can't wait to get back during the next CNY!
There's too much I miss about Malaysia!

Anonymous said...

Roti canai and sambal = YUMM^^! We had a Malaysian festival back here in good old Syd at the park near Darling Harbour with heaps of tasty food and a stage with some awesome singing and dancing. Will post it up soon so come check it out sometime ^^ hee hee

Anonymous said...

Nasi lemak!
Asam pedas!! weee yumyum!
proud to be Malaysian! :)
MERDEKA!
yummy food everywhere!

-nurul!

Anonymous said...

strangely enough, i thought a lot of southeast asians ate rice on a plate and with fork and spoon! i grew up in the philippines but of chinese descent... and a lot of the things you mentioned are true of us as well. :)

Snooky doodle said...

great photo

Su-Yin -Décorateur said...

haha okay okay guys... i missed nasi lemak; and forgot to mention the fork and spoon culture for singaporeans and indonesians too.. haha excuse my carelessness of observation; you are all right. hehe

Tracy P. said...

Thanks for giving me a "taste" of Malaysia I've forgotten. Ahh! The wonderful childhood memories...

Tracy Putnam
(Been away too long)
Reading, PA

Ali said...

aww... I'm not malaysian but I grew up in Indonesia and Brunei, visiting Malaysia a lot, so this list means a lot to me! so true lah! hahaha.

Anonymous said...

I love the list. I live in Australia and the list makes me miss K.L. so much! I might add:

Rojak
mangosteens, rambutans
Banana Leaf!!

Chinese New Year, Hari Raya, Deepavali, Moon cake festival, etc.


(and of course Nasi Lemak)