Myth: Malays are LazyHistorically and culturally, Malays have always had a good life. Unlike their counter parts from China and India who had to toil the soil and endure extreme climatic forces just to ensure their survival, Malays never had to endure these hardships much. Everything that you throw into the fertile soils of the Malay Peninsular, will sprout into a healthy plant within a few months. Unlike the Chinese in China, growing food was never much of a problem nor was it a matter of toiling. Leisure and quality time with the family became a very much entrenched way of life within the Malay community.
Unfortunately these civilizations came on a collision course when the Chinese started migrating into the Malay lands. When the Chinese came, they brought along their hard-working and industrious ways that has been so much a part of their life for thousands of years.
Naturally the Malays soon found themselves behind, unable to break out from the norms that their forefathers have lived over the centuries. To make things worse, the British continued to shower the indigenous Malays with various concessions, further lullabying them into an existence of complacency.
This is popularly regarded as the reason for the notion of “The Lazy Malay”.
But let it be known that ever since Singapore separated from Malaysia, our Malays here have been growing up in a separate ecosystem than their Bumiputra counterparts. Having lived and breathed just like the other citizens of the land and void of special privileges, the younger generations of Malays here have developed their own variant of a Malay DNA.
Malays here have given rise to its fair share of President Scholars, PSC Scholars and other prestigious graduates. In fact, Malays in Singapore have held the record for being the most academically improved when compared to other races at various educational levels including the polytechnics and universities. Our youngsters are hungry for success and chasing the Singapore Dream, just like the other youths of Singapore.
On the economic front, we have also produced our fair share of millionaires. Salleh Marican , the owner of listed company Second Chance Holdings and Datuk Zain the owner of Prestige Marine Services are just two figures in the Malays society who have made headlines recently and done the country proud. Several other millionaires could be mentioned but it would take too much space in a short article such as this.
Laziness is an attribute that exists in every race and creed. It is unfair to label Malays as still being lazy just because you keep seeing the same group of Malays hanging out at the void deck. I am sure someone somewhere can point you the way to a group of youth from other races who are wasting time in a similar manner.
Towards Racial HarmonyTotal racial harmony may be something of an utopian dream. Granted, the author acknowledges the fact that there is no nation in the world where even the slightest wisps of racial prejudices are not present. But it is my wish that the dispelling of these popular myths, which have been such popular ingredients in online Malay-bashing, would somehow take us a step or two towards greater tolerance amongst the races here.
Ridzman's blog :
http://www.ridzwan.com/2006/10/myths-about-singapore-malays.html