MASSOC Essay Writing Competition - 'What does being a Malaysian mean to you?' Third Prize

By Fiona YJS, from University College London

INTRODUCTION Having spent the last two years in London away from home, reading this essay title brings nostalgic memories to me. As I reminiscence the good old times being a Convent girl running around in the 35 degrees Celcius weather, here are four tips on how to spot a Malaysian amongst the 8.5 million people in London.

BEING A MALAYSIAN MEANS BEING PART OF A BIG FAMILY A British friend once asked me, “what is the difference between being a Malaysian, and being a Chinese or Indian or Malay?” I was held back for a moment right there. As a Malaysian, we have taken for granted that it is possible to both be a Chinese and a Malaysian that we cannot comprehend how these two may be mutually exclusive. Being a Malaysian means you are able to keep your cultural identity, but have a sense of belonging as part of the Malaysian family as well. And this bond that we have is extremely strong. In London itself, it is often very nice when you hear a Malaysian accent from someone you do not know, because for a moment there it makes you feel like home.

I am lucky to be able to study A Levels in Kolej Yayasan UEM, a boarding school in Lembah Beringin. In this small community of 400 students which mirrors the Malaysian demography, I am fortunate to experience the integration amongst different people not just in terms of varieties in race and gender, but differences in character, attitude and personal outlook as well. We respect each other’s opinions, acknowledging that we agree to disagree in some issues, and live in harmony throughout our time there. We celebrate Hari Raya, Diwali, Christmas and Chinese New Year, as well as other celebrations. And of course being a Malaysian means having one of the most public holidays in the world, compared to the UK for example where we have only eight bank holidays a year.

BEING A MALAYSIAN MEANS KEEPING UP TO DATE WITH THE COUNTRY Having spent two years in London, one would have thought I have been so out of touch with my country. On the contrary, I have been more in tuned to the news about Malaysia, thanks mostly to my UKEC, ICMS and KPUM friends on my Facebook timeline, who constantly share the latest news concerning Malaysia. Back in Malaysia, when the Star Newspaper and Berita Harian are widely available to me, I am always too lazy to pick the newspapers up to read. This is because if something serious has happened, my most loyal news reporter would inform me at once (my mum). Now that I also have to cook and clean for myself, I guess it’s time I read the news myself too.

There are also a lot of opportunities to be in touch with employers from home. I had the privilege of being a part of GenCorporate and organising the Graduan Corporate Luncheon two

years in a row where selected Malaysian students have the opportunity to network with Malaysian leading corporates and key figures. To the extent of my knowledge, Malaysia is probably one of the few countries who organises career events in a foreign country where their students are studying with the intention of ensuring students secure a job before they graduate.

BEING A MALAYSIAN MEANS BEING A FOOD CRITIC Malaysians may or may not be a pickyeater (myself for example, is willing to eat anything that won’t kill me as long as it’s cheap and tastes a little better than plastic), but we definitely know our food. If you need a good recommendation on any types of cuisines, look for a Malaysian and we will point you to the right direction. From roti canai (Roti King at Euston), Hainanese chicken rice (Rasa Sayang in Chinatown) and rendang chicken (Melur on Edgware Road), we sure know where to find the best in town.

Even non-Malaysian dishes sometimes get harsh reviews from us. “This sushi needs more seaweed, that’s how Sushi King does it, and it’s five times less the price!” “Why are there no chilli sauce with our dim sums , what is this weird chilli oil thing?” “Yoghurt and muesli for breakfast? It’s unhealthy to eat such a cold dish in the morning. We used to eat Mee Goreng Mamak . It’s hot and spicy, and a good wake up meal!” “Pancake and syrup? How about roti canai and dhal curry?”

BEING A MALAYSIAN MEANS BEING AN INTERPRETER My favourite stereotypical statement that I receive from non-Malaysians, especially in London is, “wow, your English is very good!” Well, thank you, I take that as a compliment. It seems that despite passing IELTS and making it into a UK university, people still expect that we have subpar command of the English language. And when I mention I know six languages, they are even more surprised. What they did not know is that these languages comprises of Malay, English, Mandarin, Hokkien, Cantonese and British Sign Language. So in all honestly, three of these languages are merely Chinese dialects, but I’ll have you know they are extremely difficult to keep separate. Also, before I get called out by my friends, I’ll admit, I can maybe only write 30 Chinese characters.

This is the beauty of being a Malaysian. We do not need formal education to master a language. I have never taken a proper Chinese class, but my need for survival has necessitated that I speak Hokkien (to haggle in Penang), Cantonese (to order food in Ipoh) and Mandarin (to keep up with Taiwanese dramas). And I am not the only beneficiary of this informal learning norm that we have. I had the opportunity to meet Datuk Johan Idris, the Managing Partner of KPMG Malaysia, and upon finding out that I came from Penang, he started speaking Hokkien with me. So when you meet a friend from Hong Kong, China, United States of America, Canada and Indonesia (and the list goes on), you have the opportunity to eavesdrop and translate for your friends who do not speak the language, which is definitely a good perk!

CONCLUSION

So there you go! Being a Malaysian is more than just having a nationality, it's a way of life and a form of identification with other Malaysians. I may love the excitement and various opportunities that London presents, but Malaysia will always be home where I learnt, grew, fell,and rise up again, to be who I am today.Just as a disclaimer, I am not paid to advertise any companies, organisations,restaurants or persons named in this essay. This essay contains solely my thoughts and itscontents should not be used for any other purposes besides for entrance in this competition.(Sorry I can’t resist, I’m a law student).