What I think of Malays: A Chinese Boy’s Opinion
Malay people are the most relax, easy-going and family oriented people.
That is a Chinese’s opinion after spending a major part of my school life with them. Some of you might have negative views of them such as terrorism and shit however the ones that I have spent time with, are the nicest and fiercely protective people.
My story
I was a student at ITE College East. That was where I made the bulk of my Malay friends. Ending up there, we knew we were not the kind to study hard then get a 9–5 high paying office job. We would just do what we like and enjoy life. Most of us did not pay much attention to our studies. What made it more so was, we had only 2 modules per semester. Nobody had trouble getting the passing grade without having to do much work. So we spent a lot of time together, hanging around void decks or anywhere really. You can imagine the boredom you would have felt, having spent so much time with the same people, that there was nothing else to do or no reason to connect anymore. However, those were the days I truly cherished. I never felt bored or lonely spending all that time hanging around doing nothing with them.
So having spent so much time with them, I naturally picked up Bahasa Melayu from them. My proficiency is enough for people to pass me off as a Malay boy. It was funny to see how some Makciks react when they hear me speak. Often, they would ask if I am Malaysian though I am not. Some of them were really surprised to see that at this day and age, there would be a Chinese person speaking Malay. Crossing the borders often to save money on motor servicing and repairs as well as lepak sessions — It has been a very helpful language.
What I’ve learnt
These people that I’ve spent my time with during my teens truly opened my eyes. They do not care for extravagance, wealth or status. They live life as life is. They are not expected of much by others and they, too, do not expect much for themselves. If money runs out, they work. If they have enough money, they go and have a good time. Rinse and repeat. It might not be the most luxurious life however they enjoy and live life to the fullest. They take good care of the people closest to them and form strong bonds that have them stuck together like super glue.
I have to admit, it is really hard to enter their social circle or space. From what I’ve observed, there are subtle ways that we act differently due to our different race, language and religion. However, to truly appreciate a culture, it will take a lot of work to traverse that barrier. Having crossed the barrier and being a “member” once, I truly appreciate having spent 2 years at ITE.
Story contributed by ZhuYouWei
