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Monday, August 15, 2005

I just ended a long chat, or rather, a "debate" with some malay guys. It's really infuriating how stubborn they can be. But then again, it was a good chat, and what is good to speak about with them. For one thing, special privileges is a touchy topic with them. And it all started when I looked at a bulletin my brother posted on Friendster.

1) Chatted with them on a blog's tag board. Some racist guy set up this blog http://thesecondholocaust.blogspot.com. And they were so suspicious. Hey, trying to be a nice guy and get shot at for trying to help them understand.

2) Two of those guys wanted to chat in MSN Messenger, so I chatted, I was too interested to go sleep. Now I'm tired, but I can't sleep. At 7am my dad's fetching me to school. So I chat, I try to explain it that the guy who set up that blog, whose name is supposedly Huai Shi, was probably angry at the special privileges Malays got. So it became a debate. It was like a couple more Malays joined in. Whoa... Supporters? Well, even as the only Chinese there, I didn't feel threatened. I felt I brought up a lot of valid points, supporting said possibility, because the guy I was arguing with kept saying I wanted the abolishment of the special privileges, which wasn't my main point. My main point was to show that if it was that this Huai Shi was indeed dissatisfied with the special privileges, then certain steps could be taken so that no one could have reasons to bitch about it in future.

My Points:
- That Government should abolish the special privileges, no matter how little, and really establish a system which can be said to be fair, equal and meritocritical. Only then will the bitching stop.

- That no they should not be rude and interrupt, as when I was talking they kept interrupting me. I can't believe that they can be so rude. They kept insulting people's private parts mothers in the tagboard conversation. How can people think them credible if they're so vulgar in a serious conversation?

- That since Lee Kuan Yew isn't the Prime Minister anymore, shouldn't things change and a new system establish to really promote true racial harmony? Let the past be past. We can't keep looking back in the past and say "Hey, don't you think the 1960s were good?" and expect to be able to progress smoothly?

-That don't they (the Malays) want to be able to hold their heads up high and be proud of their success without any special aid from the government? That they can succeed with the same status as other races in Singapore?

And to think that even a NUS student thinks this way, it's not progressive, but retrogressive (I don't know if there's such a word), and even now in Malaysia there's talk about taking away the privileges of the Malays (Bumiputras) there.

Throughout the "debate", I wasn't attacking the system, but more or less to prove my point that should such changes take place, that no one could bitch about anything regarding race. But the guy kept harping on the fact that promises made in the past should remain that way, and made it seem that I was attacking the system of privileges. That Lee Hsien Long should honour his father's promise to the Malays and that everything remains as per normal. I don't know why they're so stubborn. Maybe because the guy's a NUS Law student, as he himself said. I don't know if that's so, because his use of the english language was lousy, and he didn't know how to infer, instead saying things as though they were. I don't understand how someone can be a lawyer and yet not see the meaning of the words I typed. Come on, if you can make it to junior college and then university, you got to at least have a good command of english. Unless, of course, you're lying.

Anyway, his partner who was arguing with him quit the chat. Then it was left with him and I with two "spectators". I don't know why he was so stubborn. As such, I think Malays have too much pride for their own good. But this said, we Chinese too have too much pride, and I was too prideful to stop the "debate", wanting to prove my point, than go and sleep. Damn, do I regret that now. I'm so tired. Now I have to go to school all sleepy. Sigh... Like I always say, "Pride Goeth Before the Fall."

If you want to read the transcript for the "debate", message me.

Kenny died at 5:36 am