Wednesday March 7, 2012
Subra: Agreement on maid stays
By JOSEPH SIPALAN and P. ARUNA
newsdesk@thestar.com.my
PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia will continue to pursue its current maid agreement with Indonesia until and unless the latter changes its policy, said Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam.
He said the Indonesian government had not given any indication of a supposed roadmap to stop sending maids to several countries, including Malaysia, by 2017.
“At the present moment, we will go by what has been discussed and signed, and what has been endorsed by our Prime Minister and Indonesia's President,” he said after chairing a National Labour Advisory Council meeting here yesterday.
Subramaniam was commenting on a report by a local daily yesterday, which claimed that Indonesia had laid down a roadmap to almost entirely stop sending maids abroad by 2017.
The minister noted that Malaysia would not be able to do much should its neighbours decide to change its policy on Indonesian migrant workers in the domestic sector.
“If Indonesia changes its policy, then we will just have to live with it,” he said.
Subramaniam pointed out that Malaysia still had other source countries for maids, such as the Philippines, Sri Lanka, India and Cambodia, as options.
However, he added that Malaysians may eventually have to accept the possibility that hiring a maid would become too expensive.
Meanwhile, maid agencies in Indonesia claim they would suffer losses if they supply domestic workers at the price agreed upon in the memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Malaysia.
The agencies said the delay in the entry of maids into Malaysia was due to the price agreed in the MoU, and not because of incomplete applications submitted by the Malaysian side as reported.
Malaysian National Association of Employment Agencies (Pikap) said their counterparts in Indonesia had informed them they were unable to send the maids for the agreed price.
“They told us the cost of recruiting and training maids was too high and it was unrealistic for them to supply the maids to us at the price agreed in the MoU,” said Pikap secretary Lim Mei Yun yesterday.
On another matter, she said Pikap had received almost 12,000 requests from Malaysians who wanted to hire Indonesian maids.
“We have registered these employers and placed them on a waiting list,” she said.
oNCE YOU CALLED YOURSELF INDON, YOU WILL ALWAYS BE INDON AND WILL ALWAYS BE KOELI OF THE WORLD, AND YOU STILL PROUD OF THAT BEING KOELI EVERYWHERE.OH YEAAHH? UNTIL WHEN? YOU CLAIM YOUR COUNTRY IS RICH, BUT WHAT HAPPENING TO YOUR GOVERNMENT? INDON TRUELY KOELI
13 March 2012
Why Term "indon" is Prefered
Why ‘Indon’ is not preferable
Nelly Martin, Madison, Wisconsin | Wed, 03/07/2012 11:05 AM
A | A | A |
It all started when I overheard some of my neighboring countrymen refer to an Indonesian as an “Indon”. I never expected that I would hear such word in this campus. To my understanding, there would not be any educated person using the word.
Surprisingly, some Indonesians refer to themselves as an “Indon” on their Facebook statuses. These statuses undoubtedly cause a great number of controversial comments. Many, if not all, criticized the use of “Indon”. Most comments suggested that the term is derogatory to Indonesians. I then did a Google search and found some newspaper articles on the issue.
Interestingly but unsurprisingly, Google linked to some other news about “Indon” that were written either by Indonesians or Malaysians.
The former indicate that they hate being referred to in such a way, while the latter seemed to use the word to mock or disparage a group of Indonesian workers working in Malaysia. The adjectives used around “Indon” ranged from sexy to stupid. Some of the statements were: “I hate Indon”, “Jangan berkawan dengan orang Indon” (don’t make friends with Indon), “Don’t let Indon workers back in” and “Indon please stop ganyang (crushing) Malaysia”.
The media reported that Indonesian Embassy in Kuala Lumpur had protested against the use of the word “Indon” in one Malaysian newspaper. The embassy objected to the word due to the negative and derogatory meaning it carries. They were dismayed that the Malaysian Olympic Assembly vice president WY Chin used the word “Indon” during an interview with Berita Harian, Malaysia.
The Indonesian government felt so disappointed that both Indonesian and Malaysian governments have agreed the word is not to be used, including in the mass media. It was decided that the term is humiliating and embarrassing.
Semantically speaking, Urban Dictionary defines the word as: “An offensive term used by Malaysians. It is even used by the government, signifying the biased opinions of the Malaysian government. Used in the same context as ‘nigger’, it is offensive only if used by Malaysians. For example, ‘I’m jealous of those rich Indons,’ said a Malay person.”
Historically speaking, the term “Indon” refers to some Indonesians working and living in Malaysia. Language is about usage and context. Originally, the word was used to disparage this group of people. It is then obvious that the term is not used to respect Indonesians.
Additionally, interpreting from the usage in Berita Harian and other related websites, the use of “Indon” now is also to devalue Indonesians, not only as uneducated, trouble-making workers in Malaysia. It may be safely assumed that it becomes profanity.
A number of Malaysians use “Indon” derogatorily to some Indonesians. Like some Americans that find “nigger” derogatory, “Indon”, for most Indonesians, resonates the same meaning.
In terms of function, profanity has two functions: To buttress solidarity, and to express anger, fear or frustration. Others have described it as a disrespectful nickname for a racial group.
It is then safe to conclude that “Indon” is also a racial slur. Like profanity, a slur is an identity that functions as a vehicle to promote an in-group harmony. However, the effect for the targeted group can be really offensive.
The effect of a verbal abuse is as offensive as the physical blows. Moreover, this term can be safely
referred to as hate speech.
It goes without saying that “Indon” is a profanity, slur and hate speech that can cause a variety
of unfavorable feelings for the recipient. Though it can also function to create a group member’s solidarity, the effects can result in psychological consequences that might be far more dangerous than some physical reactions.
So, my fellow friends, do you still refer yourself with this derogatory term or still call on others with this pejorative term?
The writer is a Fulbright Presidential Scholar and a PhD student at SLA program, UW-Madison, United States, as well as an alumna of department of linguistics, Ohio University.
WhATS WRONG BEING CALLED AS INDON, YOU STILL INDON ANYWAYY...THE DUMBEST OF THE WORLD. THE MOST CORRUPT. THATS INDON ALL ABOUT.
Nelly Martin, Madison, Wisconsin | Wed, 03/07/2012 11:05 AM
A | A | A |
It all started when I overheard some of my neighboring countrymen refer to an Indonesian as an “Indon”. I never expected that I would hear such word in this campus. To my understanding, there would not be any educated person using the word.
Surprisingly, some Indonesians refer to themselves as an “Indon” on their Facebook statuses. These statuses undoubtedly cause a great number of controversial comments. Many, if not all, criticized the use of “Indon”. Most comments suggested that the term is derogatory to Indonesians. I then did a Google search and found some newspaper articles on the issue.
Interestingly but unsurprisingly, Google linked to some other news about “Indon” that were written either by Indonesians or Malaysians.
The former indicate that they hate being referred to in such a way, while the latter seemed to use the word to mock or disparage a group of Indonesian workers working in Malaysia. The adjectives used around “Indon” ranged from sexy to stupid. Some of the statements were: “I hate Indon”, “Jangan berkawan dengan orang Indon” (don’t make friends with Indon), “Don’t let Indon workers back in” and “Indon please stop ganyang (crushing) Malaysia”.
The media reported that Indonesian Embassy in Kuala Lumpur had protested against the use of the word “Indon” in one Malaysian newspaper. The embassy objected to the word due to the negative and derogatory meaning it carries. They were dismayed that the Malaysian Olympic Assembly vice president WY Chin used the word “Indon” during an interview with Berita Harian, Malaysia.
The Indonesian government felt so disappointed that both Indonesian and Malaysian governments have agreed the word is not to be used, including in the mass media. It was decided that the term is humiliating and embarrassing.
Semantically speaking, Urban Dictionary defines the word as: “An offensive term used by Malaysians. It is even used by the government, signifying the biased opinions of the Malaysian government. Used in the same context as ‘nigger’, it is offensive only if used by Malaysians. For example, ‘I’m jealous of those rich Indons,’ said a Malay person.”
Historically speaking, the term “Indon” refers to some Indonesians working and living in Malaysia. Language is about usage and context. Originally, the word was used to disparage this group of people. It is then obvious that the term is not used to respect Indonesians.
Additionally, interpreting from the usage in Berita Harian and other related websites, the use of “Indon” now is also to devalue Indonesians, not only as uneducated, trouble-making workers in Malaysia. It may be safely assumed that it becomes profanity.
A number of Malaysians use “Indon” derogatorily to some Indonesians. Like some Americans that find “nigger” derogatory, “Indon”, for most Indonesians, resonates the same meaning.
In terms of function, profanity has two functions: To buttress solidarity, and to express anger, fear or frustration. Others have described it as a disrespectful nickname for a racial group.
It is then safe to conclude that “Indon” is also a racial slur. Like profanity, a slur is an identity that functions as a vehicle to promote an in-group harmony. However, the effect for the targeted group can be really offensive.
The effect of a verbal abuse is as offensive as the physical blows. Moreover, this term can be safely
referred to as hate speech.
It goes without saying that “Indon” is a profanity, slur and hate speech that can cause a variety
of unfavorable feelings for the recipient. Though it can also function to create a group member’s solidarity, the effects can result in psychological consequences that might be far more dangerous than some physical reactions.
So, my fellow friends, do you still refer yourself with this derogatory term or still call on others with this pejorative term?
The writer is a Fulbright Presidential Scholar and a PhD student at SLA program, UW-Madison, United States, as well as an alumna of department of linguistics, Ohio University.
WhATS WRONG BEING CALLED AS INDON, YOU STILL INDON ANYWAYY...THE DUMBEST OF THE WORLD. THE MOST CORRUPT. THATS INDON ALL ABOUT.
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