POSITION PAPER 2

“Of course religion is important. But I am a Malay first before I become a Muslim.”
What do people believe about their origin? Some people might think that it is not important at all of who they are and what are they suppose to live life after they were born. However, this issue of race become first before religion made me think that it is important to explore and investigate who am I at first. Being a Malay or a Muslim? And after a few thought, I believe that I am a Malay first. But, what is Malay actually? In my point of view, I look at Malay as a race that long existed in Malaysia. It is inheritance. And to be true, it is the luckiest thing I’ve ever had in my life as Malay become the majority ethnic in Malaysia. And I’m also proud that being a Malay, I become the most courteous ethnic in my country and rich with higher great attitudes toward other people. But why was that happened? This is because people tend to believe that being a Malay, automatically the individual have to submit themselves to Islam and be a Muslim. This can be proved by a fact that had found in Article 160 of the Constitution which claimed that all ethnic Malays are Muslim (100%). As defined by the constitution of Malaysia, Malays must be Muslim, regardless of their ethnic heritage; otherwise, legally, they are not Malay. Unfortunately, is it true? I totally disagree because in nowadays era, being a Malay does not mean you become a Muslim. Malay is an inherit thing that we cannot choose or decide. You cannot choose to be a Malay or Chinese, Indian, European or even African and American. You cannot even request for it. Yes, in nowadays development of science and technology, you can be whoever you want to be. But you cannot stop the origin blood that channel in your body. If you are born as a Malay, father, mother and your great great grandfather are Malay, whatever you wear, eat, accent, language and even colour of your hair, you still a Malay. Because it is originated. However, being a Muslim or not to be a Muslim is an optional. One can choose either want to be a Muslim, Christian or Buddhist based on their faith and believe in their life, no matter you are Malay, Chinese or Indian. There are a lot of Chinese and indian that converted into Islam and be a Muslim. An idea of every Malay is Muslim is totally wrong. Iman is something that cannot be inherited. The nearest example is the case of Lina Joy, where she was born to a Malay Muslim couple, became a Christian when she was 26. Nauzubillah.. On the other hand, I might say that Being a Muslim is the first thing in life. This is because, if we look at the development of infant in mother’s womb in Islamic point of view, we are agreed to be a good Muslim. However, after birth, the things going to be different. You were shaped differently from what you had agreed to our Creator. This resulted by the stimulant of environment that the individual tends to live. So, parents become the most major factor in order to shape whether you become a Muslim or Christian. And others also claimed that Malay tend to live and behave in order to Islam because the origin of Malay is being a Muslim. So, Malays practices islam in their culture.