The Kelings, Mamaks, Indian Muslims, Kimma And So On.

Lets get through the keling first.  There has been some ruckus about this word keling. 

Here are some pictures :

Above :  Jalan Masjid Kapitan Kling in Penang. How ? Back to Pitt Street?

Below : Penang Travel tips, visit Jalan Kapitan Keling.

Folks say in Labuan (Sabah) there is a Kampung Sungai Keling. Here is the Klinik Desa, Kampong Sungai Keling.  

Do see the map here.  There is a Tanjong Keling in Melaka. In 1974 I lived there for almost a year,   at Spring Gardens near Sungai Lereh.  Used to go for really nice walks by the long sandy beach right behind the house. The spot is still there. 

Then there is this  Datuk Prof Zainal Kling who said that Malaya was never colonised. Oh well . . .  Such thoughts find currency within the ketuanan cocoon. The mutual admiration society of  "Lets just ignore what we dont like. It will go away".  But, a kling nonetheless. 

It all depends on your economic status. If the Indians become recognised as generally wealthy and successful then people may clamour to be Indian. Or keling. Or mamak. As the case may be.  This will likely happen in the future.  Those keling names above got stuck not because they were not successful.

Todays topic is the Indian Muslims. Or mamak people.  My people. In the old days, some mamak people felt insulted when the word mamak was used. It was considered derogatory.  Not anymore.  Firstly there are a huge number of 'kedai mamak' - meaning Indian Muslim restaurants.  "Kedai mamak" has become a brand name.  There is also some premium for the "mamak" brand - whether restaurant or no.

Once upon a time I met a rude mamak girl who accused me of "not having much choice" when I was supporting "Dato Seri Dr Mahathir Mohamed" - this was in early 2000s.   That was a political statement.  But the statement was incorrect.

Politically the mamak (or keturunan mamak) is perhaps the most versatile citizen in Malaysia. 

There were mamaks like Rashid Maidin in the Communist Party Of Malaya. 

Mamaks like my grandfather founded the first chapter of the Indian Congress in Malaya - which later evolved into the MIC.  Yup its true. 

Mamaks have overrun UMNO.

One mamak was the president for 22 years.

There are many original mamaks in PKR.  

And keturunan mamak like "an-ver" head the PKR party. 

There are mamaks in PAS including senior ones as well. 

Lets call them delusional mamaks. 

There are few mamaks in the DAP and Gerakan. 

There used to be mamaks in the MIC.

I am now a member of the Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia or PPBM.  Pribumi bro.  Jangan main. 

There are also committed and highly capable mamaks holding top positions in the GLCs, in gomen, in the Police, Civil Service etc.  These folks are a source of pride to all mamaks.

There are also the less desirable mamaks holding top positions in the GLCs, in gomen, in the Police, Civil Service etc.  These folks are a disgrace and an embarrasment to all mamaks.

One mamak writes a very popular socio-political-religious-economic affairs blog that has over 42 MILLION hits. OutSyed the something . . Certainly one of Top FIVE or Top 10 blogs in the realm.  

So the mamaks are everywhere. A very versatile people.

Generally the mamak people (my gang) or the Indian Muslims have for a long time voted for the BN.  

There was some swing when "an-ver" was kicked out in 1998 but generally the mamak community has voted for the BN gomen.

KIMMA, now an increasingly criticised Indian Muslim organisation,  claims to represent the Indian Muslims.   This claim is exaggerated. Kimma of course supports the BN gomen.

Will the mamak community support the BN again?  There appears to be a huge mood swing among the Indian Muslim community against the BN gomen (and by extension against KIMMA as well).  

Some Indian Muslims have decided to organise themselves into a Gagasan and they are openly showing their support for the Pakatan Harapan. Here be a poster I received :

Ok lah. So so lah. All the best.

Feedback on the ground is that the Indian Muslim voters have swung away from the gomen.  This time the community is going to rally behind Tun Dr Mahathir.  That Jawa fellow's stupid Kutty remarks have triggered the Mamak Tsunami.

There are about 500,000 or more Indian Muslims in the country. There has never been an accurate census.  Not many in a nation of 32 million people. But in some seats they can cast a swing vote.  In Teluk Intan alone there were over 1000 Indian Muslim voters (when DAP's  Sofya lost to that Gerakan fellow).

Its too late to give them more dedak.  My mamak friends have long stories to tell about what happened to the dedak the moron handed out to that anna.  

They say tiap bulan dapat RM15,000 "allowance".  

Guess which 'jabatan' bayar? 

My view is this, mamak ke, melayu ke, china ke, india ke - kalau hang tak mandi, bau ketiak juga.  

So please friends - take good care of your personal hygiene. And that is the message for today.

To the mamak community and to all my mamak friends out there, please vote for Pakatan Harapan. 

Undilah Pakatan Harapan.

Please be on the right side.