Si Kelenga

It started off as any other mundane day at school. Mr. Ng the Mathematics teacher walked past Ahmad as he walked into the staff-room. There was a rumor going around in the staff-room about Mr. Lee getting a divorce. Puan (Madam) Devi was passing out her famous Indian desserts while discussing the matter with Miss Quah who was just nodding and hoping Puan Devi would just leave her to marking her student’s essays. Ahmad overheard the entire conversation as he put down the stack of homework from his class and collected another from Mr. Wan’s history stack.

It was only the first month of Form 1 and already their homework was piling up. Ahmad, Bala, Chong and Darren all managed to get good grades and ended up in a good secondary school. It was an all-boys school which took some getting used to but then again, all good schools on the island were single-sex schools. Ahmad and Darren were both in 1 Biru (Blue) while Bala was in 1 Hijau (Green) and Chong was in 1 Jingga (Orange).  The segregation of the students was based on their results for the UPSR.  The first 3 classes, Biru, Hijau and Jingga were classes for the all A students and Kuning (Yellow), Merah (Red) and Ungu (Purple) were the others.

Ahmad and Darren walked over to met up with the other two boys as they went to the canteen to eat their brunch (recess is at 10:45am).

“What can you expect of that Indian? All Indians are like that, lazy!” Darren overheard a boy who was pointing at Bala. “Ya la! All Indians are drunkards and are lazy pigs” said another boy. Bala looked really bothered that day as he made his way to the rest.

“Oi Bala! Why la so sad? Rough day?” Chong gave Bala a pat on the back.

“No la. Yery lousy day la.” sighed Bala. “I actually really forgot that the group assignment had to be passed up today. I spent the whole weekend doing my part and I don’t know how I just forgot it today. But, no one believes me. They just think I’m lazy and did not do it. Now my classmates are calling me ‘Si Kelenga’ and don’t know what else la” Bala said frustratingly almost in tears.

“Aya! Just screw them la! They all ‘boh thak chek’ wan!” Chong tried assuring Bala.

The four of them went to the edge of the canteen and ate. Darren’s mom packed sausages and sandwiches for them all to share. Chong got up to buy 4 roti chanai as well. Growing boys has big appetites. As Chong made his way to the table, a group of boys approached him.

“Eh, Chong, why you mix with that Kelenga and Huan Na? You forgot you are a Chinese ah?” one boy said as the rest chorused in laughter.

Chong ignored them and went back to the table. He thought for a while if he should continue mixing with the group. Darren’s eyes caught Chong’s from opposite the table.

“Hey are you all right?” Darren asked, concerned. Ahmad and Bala who sat next to Daren opposite the table turned to look at Chong.

“I don’t understand how you do it Darren. How can we all be a Malaysian race? There are Chinese, Indians and Malays and that’s a fact! How can you sit there and think we are all the same?” Chong demanded Darren.

His frustrated eyes looked at Ahmad then Bala, “Are we all one race or multi-raced? Must I still be called a Chinese if I’m Malaysian? I don’t understand how this works. I don’t want other Chinese to think I’m betraying my race but I don’t want to lose you as friends. What can I do? I’m sorry, I don’t know what to do. You are my best friends and I need you to know this is how I feel.”

Bala then got up and walked away. Ahmad turned from Chong to Bala then ran after Bala.

“You try, I guess. You try to be one and all at the same time. You follow your parent’s traditions but you live as a Malaysian. It’s hard. But, think about it, if you use race to divide yourself, then what would people like me be? Left out. We’re all people at the end of the day, friends, race or not. The only person that can make that change is you. You need to start thinking yourself as a Malaysian and not a Chinese.” Darren got up as Bala and Ahmad came back to the table.

“I’m sorry guys.” Chong apologized.

“It’s ok. We know how you feel. Sometimes we feel that way too but, let them think what they want. We are friends and they all have to accept it.” Ahmad said as Bala stretched out his hand and pat Chong on his back.

“You know, we all should be like Darren, ‘others’", laughed Bala.

The bell rang.

The boys cleared up and made their way back to their classes. But in every one of their minds, they were thinking about what happened. They were thinking about race.

Somewhere in the back of their minds, they put up a wall that divided one from the other.

Peer pressure to conform to a particular race?

The beginnings of a social divide.

~*~*~*~

Glossary

1. Si Kelenga - Bloody Indian

2. La - Commonly spelled 'LAH' Used to affirm a statement (similar to "of course"). Frequently used at the end of sentences and usually ends with an exclamation mark (!). It is derived from and has the same meaning as the Chinese expression "啦".

3.Boh Thak Chek - Hokkien for literally 'none study' or non-educated

4.Roti chanai - parata

5.Huan Na -  Hokkien for Malay