Comments on: Establishing Ketuanan Melayu with an Indonesian heritage?

By: rifky

rifky — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 13:24:46 +0000

love indonesia…

By: gombang

gombang — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 10:59:48 +0000

Adityawarman was half-Javanese, his mother was from Malayu. But I think his descent doesn’t really matter. He was Javanese-educated, so, yes, he might have brought the keris to Minangkabau region with him (along with other culture elements, such as Tantrayana Buddhism).

The use of keris by Malays actually can be traced to Malacca sultanate time (read Hang Tuah stories). Of course, the Javanese have used it even earlier. For example, Ken Arok famously employed it to found the Kingdom of Singhasari.

By: Jacobian

Jacobian — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 01:19:53 +0000

well just like they say, imitation is the best form of flattery.

By: Mutiara

Mutiara — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 22:45:11 +0000

I don’t know about Malay. But they say the first king of Minangkabau (the founder of Pagaruyung), Adityawarman, was Javanese. Hence the keris?

By: wahyu

wahyu — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 18:39:47 +0000

oh thank you for correcting me gombang..

By: gombang

gombang — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 18:16:20 +0000

No Malay marga in Minangkabau? I guess you must mean “suku Malayu”, like “suku Piliang”, “suku Caniago” and so on. I have to correct you then: there is one “suku Malayu” in Minangkabau. I can confirm it because I am from “suku Malayu” myself.

I am still uncertain the relationship between “suku Malayu” of Minangkabau and the Malays though. Some speculate we must have come from Malayu Kingdom with Adityawarman.

For non-Minangkabaus, I should explain that “suku” for the Minangkabaus means “clan”, equivalent to “marga” for the Bataks.

By: wahyu

wahyu — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:47:58 +0000

FYI, malay kingdom’s defeat by srivijaya kingdom was around 600 AD meanwhile the founding of malacca was around 1400 AD.. there is no malay marga in minang the big marga in minang are bodi, chaniago, koto and piliang.. before the europeans came the peninsula was called svarnabhumi/golden peninsula, malay peninsula is a name given by the british.. and like my friend who born and live in bukittinggi said “minang is minang, malay is malay”..

By: ahmad

ahmad — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 07:53:18 +0000

Dear Pak Ong,
Please do not use your blog to promote a one sided emosional version without reflecting to a bigger picture of any posted issue, this includes highlighting political events which have their own agenda that everyone is free to interprete according to their own level of interest, maturity and educational background.

FYI, the Malays originated from Muara Jambi and was defeated by Sriwijaya hence the flight of a prince who then opened up Malaccca. Melayu is also the big Marga for other subclan families in Minangkabau. The name of Indonesia just cropped up in the early 21st Century previously just Dutch East Indies while Tanah Melayu (Peninsular) was there when the British starts colonization. Generally, the distinction is just between the Javanese and the Malays in this part of the world. The Sumaterans (even the Bataks), do alligned themselves as satu rumpun with Melayu.

It is the same in China, where regionally is was always segregated just between the North and the South. It is because only the Southern Coastal Chinese who have migrated to this part of SEA hence, the Hokkiens, Cantonese, Hakkas etc. Real unification was only cemented by the Communist.

To my Malaysian Chinese citizens, please be balance in promoting your views. Point by point, in reality, Malaysia is still a better place to live in.

I do not want to start any academic argument here as this is your blog and turf, but I do expect some maturity in making reference on picking-up issues and relating it to matters inclining to your taste.

We are lucky of being here today and abled making comparison with the land where we came from but at this age where information is readily available, please do not formulate and make simple conclusion unless a thorough study is made if not, ‘the more you talk, the more you expose on yourself’.

Kong Si Fatt Choi.

By: Buffalo Bill

Buffalo Bill — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 09:59:49 +0000

Hoisted on their own petard…oops keris

By: gombang

gombang — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 07:20:22 +0000

Keris is from Javanese people originally, but Malay and Minangkabau people (and perhaps other ethnic groups also) has worn it since a long time ago.

I guess it is like Mahabharata or Ramayana stories. They come from India, but they have become so integrated with Javanese culture.

About Hishamuddin … er, it is Malaysians problem. Carry on