Celaka, damn it! – Bob Teoh

One Malay word has set the country on a collision course. The word, celaka, was uttered by a DAP lawmaker in the Penang State Assembly which immediately attracted an extremely hostile reaction from some members of the Umno Youth in Penang who stormed the assembly while it was in session, looking to flay the assemblyman in question. So what's in a word?

To me, a Penang Peranakan or Straits-born, the word is often uttered in our community seemingly without offence to anybody and none is usually intended. “Celaka!” is a word that comes effortlessly out of the mouth in the midst of a conversation much like an exclamation. It's bazaar Malay to Penang Hokkiens, and even other Penangnites, a word like many others which have entered into our vocabulary.

It's become a Baba Hokkien word that one can be comfortable with. But it's so exclusive to us that the word cannot be understood at all if spoken in China, Taiwan or Hongkong or anywhere where there are Hokkiens. So too are many Malay loan words that we have ingrafted into our lingo. Household words like sabun (soap), senduk (ladle), tuala (towel), suka (like) and, of course, the word that defies translation – lah. Oh, we are so Malaysian, the original Bangsa Malaysia. That I am proud of.

So what does celaka mean to me? I have often heard this word uttered within family circles even in the presence of polite company when something unpleasant happened, something akin to bad luck, something accursed or plainly dammed like in “damn it”. Or simply as sial, another Malay word transliterated into colloquial Hokkein as swoey to mean more or less the same thing. It also depends on the manner it is said. For instance, when this word is shouted at someone, then the anger and hatred is unmistakable and it becomes immediately offensive and unforgiveable.

Malay loan words such as celaka are often used with imprecision but the hearer understands the context. However, when this word was uttered by the DAP assemblyman for Seri Delima, R.S.N. Rayer, while the state assembly was in session, it became immediately explosive when he applied it to describe the opposition bench in Penang as “Umno celaka!”

All hell broke loose immediately. A small group claiming to be from Penang's Umno Youth stormed the Penang legislative assembly while it was in session looking to flay Rayer. He declined to apologise claiming “celaka” is a common word and should be taken in jest. Rayer claimed he had wanted say "damn it" but he could not use the expression in English in the assembly.

This is surely a cop out. As a lawyer and lawmaker, Rayer should have known better that the language in lawmaking is precise and not to be taken as a joke. His language is unparliamentary and he should withdraw it altogether and at the same time tender an apology to the assembly.

The Umno mob cannot take the law into its own hands. Barging into the assembly by breaking through its heavy gates when it is in session is unheard of and has never happened in the country until now. How can they be allowed to get away with this high crime for disrupting a legally constituted and duly elected assembly of the people? Politics have come to a dangerous stage when even the peoples' elected representatives cannot be protected inside the legislative chambers.

Parties to the dispute and disgrace must understand that each and every session of any state assembly or parliament is called into session in the presence of the King or Sultan or Governor as in the case of Penang. That is why the royal or state mace is brought in the chambers before any sitting can begin. Behaviour during the proceedings is expected to be at parliamentary best. Use of such words like celaka is unparliamentary and cannot be mitigated under any circumstances. Storming the assembly in session is far worst as it falls under sedition or even treason. Some in Umno have tried to explain away the severity of this mob action but this is unacceptable.

Umno Youth must know this is an insult to King and country. An apology is in order.

While my wife and I were living in Kalimantan where the trunk road through our little village is so bad we keep hearing our colleagues using the word “kecelakaan” only to realise later they meant “kemalangan” to mean accidents as we know it in Malaysia. Same word but different context.

While still on this word, the phrase “celaka besar” means calamity. The Oxford dictionary defines this to mean “grievous disaster.”

It has been said no beast is so wild that man cannot tame. Yet no one can tame the human tongue. The tongue is likened to a fire. Consider how large a forest a small fire ignites.

The unimaginable has occurred both inside and outside the Penang State Assembly. The warring parties need to do the right thing to save all of us from a calamity waiting to happen. All it takes is one word. Sorry. But it takes great courage and remorse to do this. – mysinchew.com,

* Bob Teoh is Sin Chew Daily senior columnist and former secretary-general of the Jakarta-based Confederation of ASEAN Journalists. He has written a book – 'Allah', More Than Just a Word (2010).