What’s in a name?
My name is Jennifer Tai, and I am a Malaysian Chinese. Malaysia is a moderate Muslim country, which means its official religion is Islam.
However, I am not a Muslim. I grew up in a small town named Ipoh, and I attended a Methodist Church for a number of years. There are no laws against being a Christian, or a Buddhist, or a Hindu, or anything else you want to be - unless you’re a native Malay, in which case you’re automatically Muslim. So, there’s relative freedom of religion in my country.
Malaysia claims to be a secular state, and for the everyday Malaysian living in the more urban areas, the country and its laws do feel secular, which means non-Muslims do not walk around in headscarves and are not subject to Sya’ria laws.
The reason why I’m blogging about this is to share with my American friends that there is NOTHING to fear about Islam. ABSOLUTELY ZERO. I am a non-Muslim who grew up, lived among Muslims all my life and I am still alive. I was not converted. I’ve never been oppressed. I ate pork and consumed alcohol and partied like it was 1999 (I did). I may not agree with a lot of the things the administration of the day has implemented, but that has nothing to with Islam, just dirty politics.
NPR reported today that 10 per cent of Americans think Barack Obama is a really a Muslim even though he isn’t, just because of his middle name, Hussein. To this 10 per cent, here’s what I have to say: There must be billions of Chinese in America and around the world who have English or American first names, whether or not they’re Christians. You don’t see people questioning my right to the name “Jennifer” when I’m not 1. English or 2. a Christian.
I remember, in college, having met two Chinese Christian brothers whose parents named them Shamsuddin and Jeffri (that’s how the Malay version of Jeffrey is spelt). These are typically Muslim names but Sham and Jeff were not Muslims. It was just the way the parents embraced being Malaysians.
So, in summary:
IT’S JUST A NAME FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!
Technorati Tags: Barack Obama, Malaysia, Islam
Posted in Imperfect World
April 20th, 2008 at 5:04 am
There is nothing to fear, unless you are born a Malay because that means you will have zero freedom to choose your religion.
Is that moderate?
Sadly, those are the laws. Which is why I say “relative” freedom of religion. At least they don’t impose headscarves and Sya’ria on non-Muslims? I’d say that fits within “moderate”.
My point is it’s ridiculous to fear Islam and Muslims when you’re a non-Muslim, and it is certainly rubbish to fear a president with a Muslim middle name when he’s a Christian.
April 20th, 2008 at 6:56 am
Is it that native Malasians (or is it more proper to say “native Malay”? Hail to the Grammar Goddess.) must be Muslim, or is it just that Islam is the default? I mean, in the US we default to Protestantism.
Being “Malay” is an ethnicity and Malays must be Muslims from birth, so says the law of the land. 60% of the country are native Malays so yes, we default to Islam.
Being “Malaysian” means you’re a citizen of Malaysia. I am native Malaysian because I was born in Malaysia but I’m ethnically Chinese. I am not a Muslim and do not have to be.
April 20th, 2008 at 8:20 am
I’m blog-hopping here and I hope it’s ok for me to post a comment.
To Mer, I’m a native Malaysian, but I’m not Muslim. There are different races of natives in Malaysia and being Muslim is only compulsory to Malays.
Of course it’s ok. I love blog bunnies!
April 22nd, 2008 at 12:16 am
I totally agree, why fear those with Muslim first name, middle name or last name when they’re not even Muslim. And most of all why fear Islam, it’s not the religion that is at fault anyway. What’s wrong are those people who exploit and distort the religion for their own good…oh btw…I must be one of those blog bunnies huh :p
Yea I guess people fear what they don’t know. They really should be talking to non-Muslims who’ve lived all their lives with Muslims.