magis

i am not ashamed to admit that i'm a sucker for malay movies, novels and songs (yes, i am very jiwang like that, i think the best emo songs are malay songs)

i have friends and know of people who loves to make fun at malay movies and novels at every chance they get and i don't blame them sometimes. its sad to know that there's no moderate slope when it comes to grading the quality of the malay art scene. basically, the good ones are awesome but few, and the bad ones are tons rolling around the space slightly below that piece of toilet paper you use to wipe your ass toilet seat with.

nevertheless, i never give up hope and think that there are so many talented malay writer, singer, actor etc that are just not given enough chance to show the world what they've really got. the ones who do manage to have some kind of presence is sadly not appreciated enough, till they too somehow fade and vanish into the polluted KL air.

that is why, i have decided that for the next 5 months, apart from reading the Quran (so my baby WILL NOT turn out as stubborn and bitter as me :( ) i've also decided to read tons of malay novels from great malay novelists that i know such as Ahadiat Akashah (so my baby will learn from a very young age, the beauty of our malay language).

I know, i know.. but please don't judge a book by its cover.. in this case, both metaphorically & literally

i remember growing up listening to my mak read her poems and short stories. i remember how she always made sure my BM karangan was always a kick-ass piece. i remember her reciting the syair when bored. i remember her buying me my first ever malay novel.

i remember falling in love with the language.

i remember once when i was in melbourne, while helping a friend puke her guts out in the toilet of a dodgy pub, she was cursing and screaming "pantat babi la. mabuk douhhh" and i shouted back "memang la u mabuk, perangai macam haram. tak ke menyusahkan i skrang? busuk douh!"


these australian girls, after fixing their push-ups and g-strings, turned at us and said:

"omg, where are you guys  from? you sound so cute! its like the sweetest language ever!"

 at that moment, i remember how it made me feel so proud of my language. that even the most foul and disgusting of words (the kinds your mothers and grandmothers would tenyeh cili over your mouth for) can sound so sweet and beautiful to a stranger's ears.

i think that's magic.

and it's this very magic, that i want my baby to be able to have
and learn
and be proud of.