The Malay Dilemma

Di mana boleh cari ramai Melayu
Pastinya di Kelantan dan Trengganu
Dan juga di pasar malam dan pasar minggu
Di Akademi Fantasia dan Pesta Lagu
Di Jom Heboh orang Melayu berpusu-pusu
Di Sungai Buloh dan sebelum ini di Pudu
Dan di jalan, lumba haram tak buka lampu

Dan di selekoh duit rasuah depa sapu
Di pusat serenti akibat ketagih dadah dan candu
Di malam kemerdekaan dan malam tahun baru

Terkinja-kinja best giler menari macam hantu
Apa hobi orang Melayu
Terkenal dengan budaya malas dan lesu
Berlepak buang masa tak jemu-jemu
Atau baca majalah Mastika cerita hantu
Tengok telenovela dari Filipina dan Peru
Sambil makan junk food kacang dan muruku
Mana tak gendut berpenyakit selalu
Kalau nak berlagak melayu nombor satu
Asal bergaya sanggup makan nasi dan toyu
Boleh tak jumpa mereka di kedai buku

Atau di perpustakaan dan majlis ilmu
Atau ambil kelas kemahiran di hujung minggu
Ada tapi kurang sangat ke situ
Kenapa Melayu jadi begitu
Nak salahkan sapa ibubapa atau guru
Pemimpin negara atau raja dulu-dulu

Ayat lazim di mulut ialah malas selalu
Nak harap kerajaan saja bantu
Terutama sekali kontraktor kelas satu
Tak habis-habis gaduh nak jatuh sapa dulu
Dan suka sangat dengan budaya mengampu

Sampai bila kita nak tunggu
Bangsa Melayu jadi bangsa termaju
Boleh, dengan beberapa syarat tertentu
Pertama dengan banyak menguasai ilmu
Kata nabi ikutlah al Quran dan sunnah ku
AlQuran yang diturunkan 1400 tahun dulu
tapi apakah yang kita tahu,
cuma baca nak halau hantu

Wasallam

Forwarded email from Poncho.
I want to know who's the real author of the above.

***
Do you know that Shakira, the Hips Don't Lie singer had her dance talent through genetic memory? I read a book whereby her dad told how she danced at the age of 3 on a restaurant table to a Spanish song as if something went into her because she couldn't have seen the steps before and no one had even taught her.

They said that super expressive behaviour among the Indians is something genetic. It shows through their Bharatha Natyam dance and hundreds of sexual Karma Sutra positions which even involves movement of eye lids, eye balls, toes and flexing of the stomach muscles as outlets to relieve their emotions for constantly being in the darkest depression thousands of years ago.

They said that the instincts to keep making money among the Chinese is something genetic too even if they may have not find the time to use it in this lifetime. No matter where they go, it is a standard modus operandi which keeps their togetherness in all the Chinatowns in the world.

There are so many types of Malays, our heritage dance steps which is so LEMAH gemalai and repetitive does reflect the way we express ourselves then. Are the Malays in Brunei, Indonesia, Thailand, Myanmar the same and suffer/inherit the same type of genetic memory?

If the only two races in the world that 'melatah' (the repetitive problem again) are the Malays and the Eskimos, does it mean we are related is some ways? How is it that it is in our genetic memory when we are so far away?

Ikhlas Seni Kian Pupus.

"You punya cartoon tu membina akal, you tau tak? And sekarang ni tak jumpa lagi pengganti -- second liner.... pfftttt!!"

"Iye ke? I just want to draw."

That's Ujang for you. Till today dia tak kaya-kaya.

"I won't charge designing fee. You just tell me your budget, I will work around it. If I can't use French Silk, I will use Japanese Silk but you will get the same effect, don't worry. Let me show you the difference, I don't cheat my customers."

"What else do you want? I can give you many phone numbers, why don't I call one now for you -- you nak yang contemporary punya ke yang macam mana?"

That's Calvin Thoo for you. Till today you don't see him driving flashy cars, being sticky with appointments. He doesn't even start conversations with customers by asking, "So you kerja kat mana?" in order to know if he could slaughter your neck. In fact he would sit down for hours for a chat exchanging more views and learning your personality and if you are lucky, you will even get to hear the underskirts of our local celebs.

Kalau pergi dekat designer yang lagi satu kat Putrajaya tu, he will ask, "You anak Tan Sri mana? Kita banyak dateline." Kalau pergi yang dekat Cheras tu, "You pilih kain yang kita ada ni la." And they showed me some cheapo looking fabrics in gordy colours only immitation Mak Datin in blonde would wear and then have the cheek to charge me a bomb.

"Okay boleh, ini semua portfolio gambar-gambar kita. You boleh masuk kita punya studio baru, White Room kat dalam tu. Jom! I will take your picture for free, you tengok effect dia macamana. Tempat ni in Malaysia tak da lagi tau. Now you dah jadi kita punya customer, you boleh datang bila-bila aje, kita akan snap your photos for free dalam studio ni."

That's Adi Nang and Saiful Nang for you. They are super busy and already earning in Pound Sterling yet they reply your email and answer the phone with so much courtesy. They conduct many free photography courses for the youth and have so much fun.

Isn't it nice too to be able to meet businessmen who makes money from you but at the same time become good friends?