I had a different piece in mind. As always. The minute you start planning something, chances are they will go bottoms up. Murphy's Law, Sod's Law, whatever you call it. If I was being melodramatic I'd call it the story of my life, but hey, I've had enough drama. The piece that was meant for this week will have to wait to be completed. Time. Scarce commodity. All that lark.

What I have been pestered to write about, though, is this whole ' Sepet/Gubra Pencemar Budaya Melayu' issue. Apparently, last Sunday, RTM aired a television programme called 'Fenomena Seni' which discussed the aforementioned topic. Three panelists, one moderator and enough brouhaha to score a 7.5 on the Malaysian Blogosphere Richter scale.

I say, 'apparently', because I didn't see that particular programme, and neither have I seen Gubra. And unlike some people (hint, hint), reading a review of a play, movie or a CD does not make one an expert; and in my most humble of opinions, that precludes from my commenting on it. So to answer the question, Idlan, do you think Gubra tarnishes the Malay culture? My answer would be, 'I don't know'.

But then, within that question itself, a question of my own was bred. One I don't quite have the answer to, as usual, but I suppose it warrants some discussion, if nothing else. We all need something to mull over while we navel gaze, no?

Anyway, said question was: What is Malay culture? How do we define what constitutes Malay culture, and how do we define 'tarnished'? It gets confusing, because at some conjecture in history, Malay culture became infused with Hinduism and subsequently Islamic culture, so really, what are we saying that it is being 'tarnished'?

Let's take a step back for a moment, and say that Islam has a culture of its own. Islam purports a way of life, and inherent within that is its own culture - as an ideal, one that transcends barriers of race and creed. I remember a scholar once telling me, if you want to talk about culture and Islam, you have to appreciate the fact that Islamic culture is also a culture on its own complete with its own legal and economic system.

A blight

So if we were to define Malay culture today, how would we describe it? There seems to be clear infusions of Islamic culture dogs and swine are taboo; but going against the religious grain, alcohol seems to be less of a concern. We joke, sometimes, about some of our Malay friends: ' Minum todi macam tak ingat, tapi babi tetap tak makan' . (Drinks like crazy, but would never touch pork).

Is that Malay culture, then? I am told one issue of contention in the Sepet/Gubra movies is that the lead actress went into a shop that sold pork. So maybe that's why Sepet/Gubra tarnishes Malay culture ... scene mabuk tak apa . Of course, I may have been misled by the context. I didn't see the forum, y'know?

From there, you'd start to wonder, how does one spell out Malay culture? What is it really? Is it the culture from our forefathers? From days yonder, pre-Parameswara? You know, with the silat, mak yong, dikir barat, gamelan and the like? If that's Malay culture, then what if our forefathers kept dogs, too?

If this is Malay culture, and then Islam came in later, did the infusion of Islamic culture then 'tarnish' Malay culture? I know there are many who see Islamisation of Malay norms as a blight what with some states moving to ban 'cultural shows'. I know many are against this.

So how now? I don't know. I just see it as a flaw to argue that something has been tarnished, when you can't define what the 'something' is properly. Just some food for thought, you know? Mental nourishment. But perhaps as a means of getting 'there', wherever 'there' is, I conjecture that there is a need for a separation.

Malay doesn't necessarily mean Islam, and Islam is not Malay. Overlaps, yes. Islam doesn't prohibit local culture so long as it doesn't go against Islamic teachings. Arranged marriages and honour killings? That's local culture. Not Islam. Even if the perpetrators are Muslims. We can totally be Muslims and yet not live the Islamic culture and way of life. Heck, take a look at us now, eh?

Don't push it

I think I wrote once, how I saw people branding me a feminist as a pesudo-insult or at least a misnomer, because I am not quite into the whole bra-burning scenario. There is now another term I find offensive when hurled at me: being called 'conservative'. Now, this is not because I am not conservative - because on some level I know I am - but because of the intent of the accusation. Calling me conservative as if it's a bad thing. Who made conservatism bad, I wonder ...

I don't see myself as much of a liberal, although I admit I have some far out ideas that lean towards that particular end of the spectrum. (I blame navel gazing again, for that). But there are a few things on which I am pretty conservative about. Like sex before marriage. I don't advocate it, I would not do it myself, but hey, if that rocks your boat, who am I to be judge and jury?

Why is it wrong to be conservative? On the same note, why is it wrong to be liberal, even? Why do both factions find each other offensive, and turn up their noses as if the other party smells bad? Most importantly, where does that leave me, the fence straddler with feet on both sides? Okay, perhaps not most importantly that was just my delusions of grandeur, but I hope you got the gist of that.

It only gets offensive when you push your ideals into each other's faces. Not as in good constructive debate, but push . Taking the tone of 'I am right and you are wrong'. Seeking to convert at every conjecture, not unlike your Amway dealer at an MLM presentation.

It is too late to want to start preaching a Tanah Melayu for Melayu stand. The world has moved on, it's a different era, and when my great granddad came on his boat from Indonesia a hundred years ago, and my great grandma from Guanzhong in China, that was the sparks of globalisation being lit up. It's a plural society. Better for all of us to adjust and learn to agree to disagree, is my most humble of opinions.

That, and, 'yay for world peace'.

IDLAN ZAKARIA woke up last Monday morning very upset; having just dreamt that the World Cup was indeed, all over and she missed it.

Glossary: gabra - to get panicky