Malaysian Chinese

I have a very strong feeling on "I am Malaysian" and " I am proud to be a Malaysian" after my first vacation to Sydney last year. I depart from Brisbane International Airport to Sydney International Airport on May 2007. On that time, there first launched an International Airport's restriction which all liquid forms in hand luggage must not larger than one litre and have to be carried in a re-sealable transparent plastic bag. This bag have to be inspected separately at the airport screening point. I brings my own water container from home just in case I want to refill it when I arrive my destination. Well, there is no exceptions for carrying drinks on board so I pour away the water before checking in.

Before entering the boarding room, a little incidents happened at the final screening point. The security staff want to throw away the water container from my hand luggage. I stop him for claiming that it was an empty water container. Without saying any word, he putted it down and leave it to me. I was pleased that he understand me (as you know...'Aussie'...do not try to argue with Aussie if you are not good in English or well study in Law).

However, the story have not end. When I claiming my things and try to squeeze it back to the original space in the luggage, two security staffs approached me. A madam asked 'Are you Chinese? ' Without any scruple, I answer quickly 'YES' Then the other security staff take away my hand luggage and this madam urged me to follow them to the security area. At the moment, I was so blur and do not know what is going wrong with me. I not even know who are they until I followed them to the security area and I look at them , a middle age woman and a younger age man in Airport security staff's uniform.

The madam pass over a card to me and asked me to choose a language which I familiar with to read it out. I looked at the card, the contents are written in 3 languages. First is English , then Mandarin and the text at the bottom looks like Arabic which I totaly do not understand. I believe the message are same, no matter in which language so I just read the first paragraph which is in English. Oh NO! I was being suspected that carrying dangerous goods ... I stopped reading the whole paragraph and jump to the last sentence where I have to declare to them I understand what are written on it. The madam use a scanner reader to scan around my body from head to the feet while her partner check my hand luggage and flip over my passport. After awhile, he said to the madam, 'She is carrying Malaysia passport' . Suddenly , I noticed that I said something wrongly earlier, I was so panic and try to clarify that I was innocent for telling them 'Yes, I am Malaysian!' Two of them looked at me then return the luggage and my boarding documents. When letting me out of the security area, the madam greet me to have Nice journey. GOSH! What's a thrilling begining of this trip.

From that day onwards, I had learnt a good lesson in my life. Based on the Malaysia's formal education, we introduce ourself by mentioning our race 'Malay' , 'Chinese' , 'India' , 'Bumiputera' and etc. This kind of classification is just understandable within the citizen in Malaysia. In fatcs, we all are Malaysian! If you are telling a foreigner you are 'Chinese' that means you are from the country Republic of China! But not me !　I am born in Malaysia ! I grow up in Malaysia ! My nationality stated on passport is Malaysia!　I am Malaysian! 　

Recently, there is a hit topic surrounded an uncle where he refer Malaysian Chinese as 'Pendatang' and 'Penumpang'. Whats a shame that he pull himself back to 14th centuries and talk about the grandfather-father-son story while everyone around the world are moving forward. It was a bad moment to have foreigner suspect on you when you are innocent but they won't hurt you before you are proven guilty. However, it was painful that you are not acknowledged by the member in your own country. Some of the people just like to play around on racist issues without concerning on the feeling of others. Are they educated? Do they watch their language as they are a politician or a well known person in a country. Eventhough a 4 years old kid is given education for learning how to speak politely. Why not an adult watch their language? Whats a shame to have such nonsense in my country!