35 replies to this topic

[Gan]

My family just visited our relatives in Australia in Sydney. From what I heard, it's very clean but very expensive (comparably speaking, I'm looking at it from an American perspective).

I also talked to my Australian relative on the phone. (He basically grew up there). To be honest, I can only understand him maybe 80 or 90 % of the time. Same thing when I viewed a video my dad made of our other relatives and friends in Australia. Even though we're speaking English, Australians still sound different from my American ears.

[William O'Chee]

My family just visited our relatives in Australia in Sydney. From what I heard, it's very clean but very expensive (comparably speaking, I'm looking at it from an American perspective).

I also talked to my Australian relative on the phone. (He basically grew up there). To be honest, I can only understand him maybe 80 or 90 % of the time. Same thing when I viewed a video my dad made of our other relatives and friends in Australia. Even though we're speaking English, Australians still sound different from my American ears.

Well maybe the problem is that Americans don't speak English.

I lay the blame squarely at the feet of Nathaniel Webster and the monstrosities her perpetrated trying to put together an American dictionary. Quite frankly, if he was around today I'd put him in front of the ICCJ.

You are very welcome to come over and get civilised, however.

[Gan]

Well maybe the problem is that Americans don't speak English.

I lay the blame squarely at the feet of Nathaniel Webster and the monstrosities her perpetrated trying to put together an American dictionary. Quite frankly, if he was around today I'd put him in front of the ICCJ.

You are very welcome to come over and get civilised, however.

, I think there is some truth in that. From the top of my head, and I could be wrong, American English (in terms of how we pronunciate and enunciate our words) is heavily influenced by Dutch and to a certain extent German. We do have a ton of loan words (well, it's more like jargon, but I think you all might get my point) as well from Spanish, the local Native American languages, some African terms, and pretty much any place where our citizens originated from (pretty much the whole world).

Edited by Gan, 10 April 2011 - 03:02 AM.

[Gan]

Edited by Gan, 10 April 2011 - 03:01 AM.

[Gan]

Actually, William, I have a slightly silly question to ask.

Can you understand Singaporean English and Kiwi (New Zealander) English?

I've heard of how Singaporeans speak but not Kiwis (not in person). However, some of my friends and classmates have told me before that those two are pretty hard to understand. Well,

I think I should be more specific, because these friends and classmates are not from the States but from Asia, like Taiwan, where English isn't the mainstream spoken language.

[tigger]

LOL. Whatever you do, don't confuse an Aussie with an English. They don't like that. Otherwiese, Aussie Aussie Aussie! Oye Oye Oye!

[tangren]

.....

I'm supportive of affirmative action, but I opine (and I think many believe this also) that we not limit it to racial and ethnic standards. Even in the America, there are a lot of very, very poor White people, and affirmative action really puts them in a bad position. Nor does affirmative action really help minorities if it's based only on race, since the people who end up be benefitted from such an affirmative action program are middle class and well to do minorities (like middle class African Americans, instead of poor African Americans, ended up being benefitted.)

Affirmative action (the US version not Msian) was not meant to disadvantage poor whites since race as a factor was not meant to be considered alone but along with the socio-economic background. So the child of say Michael Jordan should not have an advantage over a poor or middleclass white person. Even MLK was careful to put some words to this effect. The recent Michigan case made things a little messier and imo went against the spirit of AA.

Now the Msian version of affirmative action does not really deserve the name (it may have deviated from its original implementation in Msia- I'm not sure) since it derives its justification from the ironic notion of 'Malay superiority' so the Msian AA looks and feels like a handicapping measure, the equivalent of attaching a ball and chain on a fast runner as opposed to helping the deserving poor.

I like your humor
Anyway, in Thailand, the PM , Thaksin Shinawatra , is of chinese descent, & his family is the wealthiest of the country , & there is no affirmative action , nor discrimanation against any group of people in Thailand.

Actually the Chinese were heavily discriminated in the early/mid 20th century having all sorts of harassing laws meant to suppress Chinese culture. The Chinese then adopted Thai names and culture and are now thoroughly Thai in their ethnic consciousness.

We mustn't forget the fact that a few crony Chinese businessmen in SEA countries and their native politician friends have given a false impression that most SEA Chinese are very wealthy which is simply not true. Unfortunately Msian politics being race based have exploited this fact by playing up the racial identity instead of looking at the real socioeconomic imbalances btwn and within the ethnic groups.

[Shiang]

I can't help but notice some islamophobia creeping into the discussion. you guys only mentioned Malaysia and Indonesia, and failed to mention that Filipinos and Burmese are equally as racist towards Chinese.

Some anti islam advocates love exploiting the Malaysia situation against Chinese- Don't let them- your problem isn't with Islam- its with Malays.

for example, I've heard Malaysia has this law that says Malay culture and langauge are superior and need to be protected, and Malay race blah blah blah, and that if you convert to Islam you are forced to become a Malay, and that the Malay race is exclusively associated with Islam.

you should know that no other muslim country does this- in Arab countries, if you convert to Islam, you aren't forced to become an Arab. In fact, being Arab has nothing to do with being a Muslim according to their laws, since there are arab christians.

I bet Malays would get a nasty suprise if they found out one of the biggest palestinian resistance leaders was George Habash, not only an Arab Christian, but also a communist who said "China is palestine's best friend".

[oldbreadstinks]

I can't help but notice some islamophobia creeping into the discussion. you guys only mentioned Malaysia and Indonesia, and failed to mention that Filipinos and Burmese are equally as racist towards Chinese.

Some anti islam advocates love exploiting the Malaysia situation against Chinese- Don't let them- your problem isn't with Islam- its with Malays.

for example, I've heard Malaysia has this law that says Malay culture and langauge are superior and need to be protected, and Malay race blah blah blah, and that if you convert to Islam you are forced to become a Malay, and that the Malay race is exclusively associated with Islam.

you should know that no other muslim country does this- in Arab countries, if you convert to Islam, you aren't forced to become an Arab. In fact, being Arab has nothing to do with being a Muslim according to their laws, since there are arab christians.

I bet Malays would get a nasty suprise if they found out one of the biggest palestinian resistance leaders was George Habash, not only an Arab Christian, but also a communist who said "China is palestine's best friend".

you don't become a malay if you convert....... rather I think its because the majority of the followers are malays. Its gives this perception.
Plus unlike its neighbouring countries (except indonesia) where people are allowed to change religions, where Islam is concerned in Malaysia, you cannot convert out which itself seems to be based on race based policies.
So if people were to dislike Islam here, its likely due to Malays and quite unlikely that they dislike Malays due to Islam.
Islam almost always pops up when "Malays" are brought up, rarely the other way round. Its harder to tell if an Indian's a muslim but you'd almost always assume a Malay or just about any brown skinned person as a muslim.



While I have no doubt racism exists in Philipines and Burma/Myanmar, they cannot be put on the same level as the govt does not explicitly go out of its way to change the laws to discriminate a different race.
Chinese filipinos usually will state clearly they want to go back to philipines when they retire, not so for Malaysian Chinese who are overseas.

[oldbreadstinks]

you should know that no other muslim country does this- in Arab countries, if you convert to Islam, you aren't forced to become an Arab. In fact, being Arab has nothing to do with being a Muslim according to their laws, since there are arab christians.

I bet Malays would get a nasty suprise if they found out one of the biggest palestinian resistance leaders was George Habash, not only an Arab Christian, but also a communist who said "China is palestine's best friend".

Malays? that depends on who you're referring to. The ones at the top are always courting China's goodwill. A few seemed to have married chinese wives, Tunku married chinese women twice.
"Islam" as a topic seems to only come up whenever the politicians needed something.

[Shiang]

you don't become a malay if you convert....... rather I think its because the majority of the followers are malays. Its gives this perception.
Plus unlike its neighbouring countries (except indonesia) where people are allowed to change religions, where Islam is concerned in Malaysia, you cannot convert out which itself seems to be based on race based policies.
So if people were to dislike Islam here, its likely due to Malays and quite unlikely that they dislike Malays due to Islam.
Islam almost always pops up when "Malays" are brought up, rarely the other way round. Its harder to tell if an Indian's a muslim but you'd almost always assume a Malay or just about any brown skinned person as a muslim.



While I have no doubt racism exists in Philipines and Burma/Myanmar, they cannot be put on the same level as the govt does not explicitly go out of its way to change the laws to discriminate a different race.
Chinese filipinos usually will state clearly they want to go back to philipines when they retire, not so for Malaysian Chinese who are overseas.

I've heard people converted to get around the bumiputera laws, and doesn't the law say something about protection and priveliges given to the malay race?

[oldbreadstinks]

I've heard people converted to get around the bumiputera laws, and doesn't the law say something about protection and priveliges given to the malay race?

I honestly doubt an indian muslim can get anything out of bumiputera laws. Or someone with a chinky face.
the discrimination isn't just about religion though they'll graciously accept the fact that you appreciate their religion.
I think one of the malaysian politicians did mention even if you're a native but as long as not a malay, you shouldn't be as important as malays when it comes to benefits.

And they do have natives other then malays, especially in sabah/sarawak.

But the irony is you actually have indonesians claiming benefits from the policy .

[Peace]

I thought Indonesia and Malaysia relationship is not good. So, how could Indonesian benefit from the policy ?

Thanks for your answer.

[Peace]

But the irony is you actually have indonesians claiming benefits from the policy .

I thought Indonesia and Malaysia relationship is not good. So, how could Indonesian benefit from the policy ?

Thanks for your answer.

[arjen robben]

I thought Indonesia and Malaysia relationship is not good. So, how could Indonesian benefit from the policy ?

Thanks for your answer.

Malay come from Sumatera and Malay regard Indonesia people as Bangsa Serumpun,is more easily for Indonesia to get PR than those non Muslim and if those Indonesia get PR ,they will become Malay, Khir Toyo was the example the guy is Jawa but since he join bn ,he become Malay.