Race: Human Race

Are we getting to be less Chinese by the generation? In a sense, it is true. But what is exactly defined as being of Chinese descent?

Interestingly, I read recently in the MI article, YB Hannah Yeoh, whose husband is of Indian descent, is challenging the matter of defining a race in the birth certificate of their new born child, in court. I think it is about time these things are being set right. It is not right to ask parents to define a race of their child in mixed parentage cases like this. It's like, do you love your mum or your dad more, choose one and then define his/her race as your race. It's so unfair, to make a choice, especially on behalf of your child. I definitely support this couple's challenge in court to allow them to define their child race as "Anak Malaysia". Let's make it right once and for all! Better still, abort race all together, and don't make it any legal need to define someone's race.

But before you get any idea that I am ungrateful to my ancestors or that I am 'nut who forgot it's cover/skin' (kacang lupakan kulit), I am not saying you should forget about your parentage altogether. I am saying just that there is no need to define it in any legal/formal document. Because, in some situation, you are neither this race or that.

So back to my question, how do you define someone as of chinese descent? Someone who speaks chinese, act chinese and has chinese ancestors? To me, aside from my name, my look and food preferences, I think I am not distinctively chinese anymore. My values and my outlook in life is not typically chinese, I cannot read and write chinese, I am not familiar with chinese history or the many cultures, etc.. But if there is anything I think I would want generations after me to retain as chinese descendents, it would definitely be the food. Followed by the non-religous chinese festivals and then by the language (including the different dialects).

For example like the recent Duan Wu Jia, it's the 1st time I tried making 'chung' or dumplings with my mother-in-law. I think this is something wonderful of the chinese culture to be passed down to the next generation. I definitely will try to do that again and teach my kids at the same time. Next on my lists are to learn to make other types of food like yong tau foo, chu kiok cho, making rice wine, etc..Let's hope to hear about that soon.

Back again to Hannah Yeoh's dilemma. Some may argue that you should choose the race of your father and define that as yours because this world is still male dominated. But that is hardly right, in case you don't know, Beyonce sings: Who run the world? Girls!. So I will look forward to a good solution to her case in court but I won't put my hopes up too high. This is Malaysia afterall. But in the meantime, I want to believe in you, Beyonce...