Why are there Malays like me and Malays who support ‘red shirts’ – Karim Hamid

Malaysia has a history of favouring the Malays for decades. One of the "privileges" is favouritism in education.

I was one of the results of that.

But this favouritism is a double-edged sword. Yes, I was lucky that way, but please remember, it was not easy for me, either. I had to take "Pendidikan Islam" (Islamic Religious Studies) for my school exam.

Imagine if you're mandated, to take Bible study, Tripitaka study or Bhagavad Ghita study. Would you fare well?

Imagine your are tested on what was written for your religion (not those secluded nor the own understanding of your family/relatives?).

Put yourself in my shoes. I was tested on memorisation of Quranic verses. They are in Arabic.

I was tested on prayers; the physical execution of it. And believe you me, if you're not pious as I was back then, executing it was like trying to do a ballet when all you know is your wedding chicken dance. Except failure in dancing, would only mean you're a bad dancer and bad in bed.

For me, it means a right to judge my faith and/or my parents' failure to uphold a pious household.

Imagine, literally, your failure in a school test, would also mean, to your education system that your parents, could go to hell. It was not easy for me, because I struggled as young man, to understand Islam and being able to excel on tests of it, was really, praiseworthy.

With my hard work, I went to the United States, only to learn what I've achieved could also be achieved without ethic favouritism. My privilege was not without nonsense, though.

During interview by our government, I was asked on how would a Muslim slaughter a cow.

Do you know that? At 17 years old, I am expected to know, how to butcher an animal.

Let me ask you this: can you tell me what's the difference between a chuck and a silver side at 17?

I could achieve greatness without the judgement. Yes, I know, many of you cry discrimination left and right, upside down ,and inside out. I am with you.

But can't you see? I am a victim, too? I am a victim, of a government imposing faith as a law? The irony is, I am only 50% Muslim, by genealogy (my father was 50% Muslim-Indian + 50% Muslim-Malay and my mother is 100% Baba Nyonya-Taoist).

I was refused to be a Baba Nyonya-Taoist, because of our Malaysian law, even though I have all the human rights in the world to be one. Please tell me, would you be happy to be denied of what blood and bones made you?

But with all our pain, our suffering, comes these useless bunch of people. Those people, helpless by law, even though law is swayed to favour them.

People with all the "hak Melayu" in the world, who skipped school, chose to do drugs, chose to be lazy, and chose to be left uneducated. These people are handicapped, mentally and physically. I know that, and you know that. Change our government and the law, and they'll end up under the bridge, eating tadpoles. They are stupid.

But can I ask you a favour? A very small one?

These losers, are the product of our unfair government. They are failures, even with favouritism. With our government in web of all whatever-is-wrong-in-the-world and whatever-is-evil-in-the-world, these people are like worms on fire. They would wiggle and they would squirm. They do not represent me.

So please, when these idiots provoke you with racial sentiments, do not use the word "Malay" or "Melayu". I am labelled as one, without a choice, without an option.

When you chose to use it, you're choosing to hurt people like me; people with no choice.

Our problem, my problem, and YOUR PROBLEM, is with the government. Please leave it that way.

Please do not hurt, people like me, who are hurt, too much. I love you, but I am human. I can only be abused so much.

* This is a posting on the writer's Facebook.