Hybrid Chinese, that’s me …
Upon stumbling a few articles and news on skilled migrant workers in the local media and all were discouraging the government in taking in migrant workers into the country, thus suppressing domestic talent. It started me thinking, where is my home? Technically (and proudly so), I’m a Malaysian. But my Chinese roots started me thinking where I can call home, as a Chinese.
Our education has instilled in us that Malaysia is a society of multi-race, what we call masyarakat majmuk. We’ve seen many countries where a racial dispute breaks the peace and domestic economy underachieved. Many Malaysians appreciate how we can live with each other from the city to the smallest kampung. Just recently, a Malay man’s daughter was to wed in a Chinese ceremony as he was respecting his minority friends, who were Chinese. However, we all know the famous event on May 13, 1969 left a scar that Malaysians will be reminded of. This strengthens the appreciation of what we’re living in now. There are still minority (or maybe even majority) of Chinese feels that we’re treated unfairly. Any of these thoughts or questioning the privilege of bumiputras is deemed an ethnic incitement but it never dither it from crossing our minds, home and business loans, education, subsidies and the list goes on.
Now why are we not given equal treatment? We’re not the “original” i.e. foreign, migrants, tidak tulen (not pure) and I liked to call myself a Hybrid Chinese. I started looking if a term exist for a Hybrid Chinese, and it’s actually called Overseas Chinese (“OC”). Anyone who is not from Mainland China, are OC. Some even debated if you’re not from the Han Chinese ethnic group, you’re not Chinese. During the mass Chinese Diaspora in the 19th century, my great grandfather came to Malaya from the Choon Kow in the district of Huai Ann of the Fujian province. So, he was Chinese and after three generations, I’m not.
With the figures above, apart from Republic of China (and Taiwan), Singapore has the majority of population being Chinese. Can these countries be called home to Chinese (because it makes up the majority)?
No, I’m not Chinese, Overseas Chinese, but a Hybrid Chinese called Peranakan or Baba / Nyonya or Malaysian Chinese and feels really good to own a sense of belonging. (at least it says so in wikipedia). The village once served as a home of origin to my great grandfather and grandfather is not where I’m from as I’m a Malaysian Chinese.
I’ve not lost sense of my roots but re-discovering myself and for my future generations where they will call Malaysia home.
Upon stumbling a few articles and news on skilled migrant workers in the local media and all were discouraging the government in taking in migrant workers into the country, thus suppressing domestic talent. It started me thinking, where is my home? Technically (and proudly so), I’m a Malaysian. But my Chinese roots started me thinking where I can call home, as a Chinese.
Our education has instilled in us that Malaysia is a society of multi-race, what we call masyarakat majmuk. We’ve seen many countries where a racial dispute breaks the peace and domestic economy underachieved. Many Malaysians appreciate how we can live with each other from the city to the smallest kampung. Just recently, a Malay man’s daughter was to wed in a Chinese ceremony as he was respecting his minority friends, who were Chinese. However, we all know the famous event on May 13, 1969 left a scar that Malaysians will be reminded of. This strengthens the appreciation of what we’re living in now. There are still minority (or maybe even majority) of Chinese feels that we’re treated unfairly. Any of these thoughts or questioning the privilege of bumiputras is deemed an ethnic incitement but it never dither it from crossing our minds, home and business loans, education, subsidies and the list goes on.
Now why are we not given equal treatment? We’re not the “original” i.e. foreign, migrants, tidak tulen (not pure) and I liked to call myself a Hybrid Chinese. I started looking if a term exist for a Hybrid Chinese, and it’s actually called Overseas Chinese (“OC”). Anyone who is not from Mainland China, are OC. Some even debated if you’re not from the Han Chinese ethnic group, you’re not Chinese. During the mass Chinese Diaspora in the 19th century, my great grandfather came to Malaya from the Choon Kow in the district of Huai Ann of the Fujian province. So, he was Chinese and after three generations, I’m not.
With the figures above, apart from Republic of China (and Taiwan), Singapore has the majority of population being Chinese. Can these countries be called home to Chinese (because it makes up the majority)?
No, I’m not Chinese, Overseas Chinese, but a Hybrid Chinese called Peranakan or Baba / Nyonya or Malaysian Chinese and feels really good to own a sense of belonging. (at least it says so in wikipedia). The village once served as a home of origin to my great grandfather and grandfather is not where I’m from as I’m a Malaysian Chinese.
I’ve not lost sense of my roots but re-discovering myself and for my future generations where they will call Malaysia home.
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