What's in a Keris?

Seeing all the brouhaha sorrounding Hishamuddin's recent apology over the keris incident, I am tempted to write something of my own.

First of all, whether apology constitutes as an apology. This is what he said.

"I am sorry if it had affected the non-Malays,"

and...

He is also sorry "for not being able to defend a heritage symbol" of the Malays.

Ok, the first statemet. Apparently he is sorry IF what he did affected the non-Malays. If it affected the non-Malays? Why if? This made me feel that he is not sincere in he's apology at all. It seems like he think's that what he did is wrong ONLY if someone took offense in it.

Then the second statement really gets me going. You're sorry for failing to defend the Malay symbol? Ok, that begs the question; What is he sorry for? For hurting the non-Malays, or failing to protect the Malay symbol? Surely, you can't be sorry for both. For me, it gives the impression of someone saying " I'm sorry for what I did, althogh I don't think that what I did was wrong." Would you consider that a sincere apology from someone? Even if he did apologise, I could clearly sense that he is not sorry or regretted what he did at all. He only regretted of having himself caught in a bind.

And to talk about sincerity. Why did he wait for so long before finally apologising? It's been already 2 years since the incident. When the controversy first erupted, he didn't even bother to explain his action. Wouldn't it be better to apologies a few days after the incident, seeing the outbursts that it generated if he is TRULY sorry for what he did? What wait for so long?

Simple. Because at that time, UMNO is still in power. Hishamuddin, like many UMNOputeras, are arrogant because he wielded authority. He did not have to take responsiblility of what he did. But who could blame him? That has been UMNO's practice all this while.

Then, came the mother of all shockers, that is the previous GE. Things have changed, and the UMNO croonies don't feel as secured anymore. So did Hishamuddin. What he now does is to play damage control, to admit his wrong doings and to apologise. To play the nice humble Malay that means no harm. To be a big man of great principles.

All he's trying to do is save his own ass.

Some might argue that the non-Malays blew this whole thing out of proportion. The kissing of the keris is a very common practice, especially during Malay ceremonies, and it usually means no harm. And why should anyone be afarid of the keris? It's just a synbol. The non-Malays are the ones who are being insensitive here. They should not play with racial issues, especially if it involves cultures and religions.

First of all, let's get one thing clear. I am not afraid of the keris. I'm not intimidated by the keris kissing, and I respect that if it is done in the name of Malay culture. However, what Hishamuddin did was beyond culture and symbol. It is what he meant by kissing the keris that irked me and most Malaysians. If he kissed the keris as a part of a ceremony, noone would say a world. It just tradition. We would understand that. But his keris kissing antics meant a whole different thing, carried a whole different meaning. He didn't do it for the sake of ceremony or tradition, he did it in an attempt to scare and intimidate non-Malays who question 'Ketuanan Melayu'. Right before he kissed the keris, he warned the non-Malays not to awaken the sleeping tigers for when the tigers awake, there will be blood (this is not exactly what he said, word by word, but you get the meaning). Then, someone from the audience even shouted when will the keris taste blood.

So that what what Hishamuddin's keris kissing meant. Not tradition. His brand of keris kissing symbolised hatred, racism, bigotry and blatant disregard for other races.

And even if he not did mean to incite violence with the keris (or any other weapons), his intentions are clear. He is a racist uneducated bigot who has no place in a multi racial country. Worse of all, he is not unique in UMNO, and many of them hold various important positions in the country.

In short, I do not for once believe that Hishamuddin is sorry at all for what he did. He might be sorry that what he did cause so much damage to himself and UMNO, but beyond that, I believe he stands by his actions. What he's trying to do now is to control the damage that he inflicted. And it doesn;t take a rocket scientist to realise that the attempt is lame, hypocritical, fake and not a bit sincere.