The Malay Minds

A friend of mind wrote an article about the Malay minds which I think is a true account of the Malays. Credit to PM Dr. Hasani Dali for the insights! Let's read:



THE MALAY MINDS BY PM. DR. HASANI DALI


I only face this problem, whenever I interact with Malays.

...Often, what is OK for me to say to people from Western countries often turns out being unintentionally offensive if I say it to a Malay. What is OK for me to say to--let's say a British--are often taken as an offense by Malays.

With Malays, I often found myself having to thread carefully around a minefields when I interact, chat, etc. The Malay mind are that sensitive.

But I can be as open as I want to be with people from overseas, given that what I say is not intentionally, clearly being offensive like saying "hey, you suck!"

But, in certain condition, depending on the situation, even if I say "Hey, you suck!", to people from overseas like the British, they don't view it as a personal attack.

When being poke at, often their respond would be, they will poke you back, either they interject, or they'll up the insult. They reciprocate, instead of viewing it as an act to cause hurt.

Western people, are more open in that aspect.

Which is why I think-- often than not--a caucassian, or people from overseas in comparison to a Malay, are able to handle a debate in a scholarly fashion, without it derailing off the tangent and turn into purely personal attacks.

Malay love praises (in the case of how letters are written to Sultans which the praises alone spanned for half a letter's page), but doesn't respond well to blunt remark, or personal criticism, or being poke at, often it will be viewed as "hurt" not "playful".

This is not so much of a problem when I interact with people whose living overseas.

Malays are often those I found who can't really detect or recognize ironic jest, sarcasm, tongue-in-cheek jokes, jest, malapropisms, paradoxes in a written sentences. Even among educated ones.

I think some of the reason being the skills to dissect sentences, the level of interpretation, and comprehension, familiarity with cultures and other events.

Often I had to explain myself, or what I've written to Malays, but those with English tongue would get it right away.

Perhaps, this is what is holding Malays back in moving to move forward, because Malays, mostly, are unable to laugh at themselves.