YOURSAY ‘Hew speaks like somebody who has just got off a boat from China.’
DAP rep donning Malay costume sparks debate
Ferdtan: ‘Superman’ Hew Kuan Yau’s view is certainly not super at all. He mused, ‘Am I too conservative?’
I am very much older than him but what he is stating is not only conservative but outright silly in this day and age.
What Kampung Tunku assemblyperson Lau Weng San did was exemplary of what racial harmony is all about; though it is only in dressing. Many Malaysians should laud it instead of criticising it.
In the past, school children were encouraged to dress in other races’ traditional costumes on certain day to join in the celebration of their festive season.
I remember many decades ago, I had to take my daughter to hunt for an Indian costume. Not only were we happy with the delight shown by the amused Indian shopkeepers, you can see their pride that other races want to try to wear their traditional wear.
Of course, needless to say, we were treated very well by the shops. If that was not goodwill, then there is nothing to say to these bigots. I'm not surprised that such practice of wearing one another’s traditional wear in schools for festive celebrations had been stopped.
I remember many decades ago when Mohd Khir Johari, who was education minister before the era of Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s premiership, and his first wife Che Tom wore Chinese costumes (the type donned by opera actors and actresses).
Khir, known those days to have a great sense of humour, and his wife had taken the shot together while holidaying in Hong Kong and he used that picture to send Chinese New Year greetings to his Chinese friends.
Immediately, his Umno adversaries in the party spread rumours that he had gone ‘Chinese’. That really hurt his reputation in a party like Umno.
That was decades ago; it had traction then. But now? In this century? Sadly, we still have people like Hew Kuan Yau who think this way.
Proarte: Kudos to Lau. Hew should be ashamed as he is portraying himself as an 'ugly Chinaman'. Hew represents the chauvinist element in the DAP - and fortunately, they are a dying breed.
Hew's view that DAP lost Teluk Intan because of its Malay-centric campaign strategy is wrong. DAP lost Teluk Intan because the Chinese felt aggrieved that Pakatan Rakyat had allowed PAS to betray the 'Common Manifesto', where the Islamic state and hudud clearly did not feature.
DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang had promised the electorate that the 'Common Manifesto' could not be altered unless there was unanimous agreement from all three component party leaders to any policy change.
PAS and Umno were thumbing their noses at DAP in the Teluk Intan by-election by openly having 'collaborative talks'for the introduction of hudud. Only the most obtuse in the DAP would think there would be no repercussions from the Chinese community for this act of treachery.
How can Pakatan be fit for Putrajaya if its manifesto is not worth the paper it is printed on?
RKR: DAP should not behave exactly like how Perkasa and Isma describe it to be - a Chinese-based party trying to woo the Malays.
Lau donning a Malay dress should not be seen as trying to woo Malay support. He is just trying to be himself - a Malaysian. I have always looked at DAP as a party for all races, not just the Chinese Malaysians. Or am I wrong?
J Ng: Frankly, it shouldn't be an issue for any Malaysian to wear the costume of any race. It will only be an issue if this is forced by law as this will alienate certain sections by promoting a particular culture as being more superior.
Lau's action should be emulated by all political leaders when we celebrate major festivals. Wearing a particular costume of another race will not make us less of our own race.
Gerard Lourdesamy: Hew is the kind of racist Chinese that gives all Chinese a bad name, especially among the Malays and the Malay press.
Does wearing a Malay or Indian dress or costume make one less of a Malaysian? Or do we next practice segregation in order to preserve our culture and identity?
What is so wrong with inter-racial marriages if they can contribute to greater unity and cultural acceptance? How many Chinese still preserve their ancient customs and traditions in this day and age?
Hew speaks like somebody who just got off a boat from China. The Chinese and Indians have been living here for hundreds of years with the Malays, so what is wrong in wearing a Malay costume or speaking the Malay language fluently while appreciating our cultural diversity?
It is time that all races stop looking at one another through racial lenses and with suspicion.
Martin Gilbert: Hew, at this point in time, you could qualify for the stupidest DAP member around. Your pettiness is inconceivable but it does reveal a dark side to your politics.
Do you hate the Malays so much that a Chinese dressing as one is considered to have turned his back on his race? Superman or Super Racist?
Al Red: I am not sure why Hew created an issue out of this non-issue - what he did would have delighted Perkasa and Isma.
Lau was not trying to deceive anyone by wearing the Malay costume. He was only making an effort to establish a close rapport with the Malay community - something that should be strongly encouraged in a multiracial country like Malaysia.
Msian1st: Hew is probably the reason why Umno said DAP is Chinese chauvinist.
Storm in the teacup over Malay costume
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