The competition is set, the built up for it was massive, and in fact, the competition started off in a craze that people actually started getting an additional sim card and a phone just to push their luck to win the snow ball money that was rolling. This was the competition set by THR Raaga lately. How is it played? Well, just send your name and IC number to this specific number and you might get a call from THR Raaga. What you have to do when you receive the call? The moment you pick up the call, just say “THR Raaga, Semme Hot-te, Semme Heat-te” and you have a chance to run away with a minimal amount of RM200 if not mistaken. If none wins today, tomorrow the stake rises up by another 200 and it keeps going all the way… But wait……
We need to have someone to mess it up right? You know, no matter how good of a teacher you are, how interesting you class might be, how dedicated and talented you are, there will be one or two dumbass students that are going to give you a headache. These students just don’t like the others to enjoy the class and will start disturbing others. Dear teachers/lecturers/educator, I feel you. I was once there myself. It kills to see the joy of the class interrupted by 1 or 2. Well coming back to the main issue, if you notice at late, this particular competition by THR Raaga has been called off due to a complaint filed by an organization. Yes my dear friends, officially this competition is off the hook. Now you may ask which organization is so devilish in nature to do something like that. Lets’ all cheer for this organization and for their act against this competition. The organization that filed this complaint was none other than, Malaysian Hindu Sangam (MHS).
Some extracts from the complaint filed goes as below:-
First and foremost two of the words (Hot & Heat) are not tamil words but English. This itself sounds unrespectable as THR is a Tamil Broadcast.
Please note that the whole complaint letter to THR Raaga was in English and not Tamil. All right all right, you can’t be filing a complaint in Tamil; it has to be in English. That’s the International Language. Lets’ leave that aside. Hey but wait!! We, the Malaysian Indians are now so proud to have someone defend our Tamil Language. MHS is the defender of Tamil Language in Malaysia. You know what? We might just have another political party in the making. After all, you only need 4 Indians to form a political party. We recently had 2 remember, Makkal Sakthi and Human Rights Party. Well you know what, I bet I can speak and write better Tamil then most members in MHS. If I ever catch any members of this organization talking using English words when conversing in Tamil, you are in for a Tamil Language Lecture my friends. Just for the record, Hindu scriptures was written in Sanskrit and not Tamil. Tamil language came very much later. So if an organization has the word ‘Hindu’ in it, you then defend the Sanskrit not Tamil. Eat that!
….. the usage of English words as a prime introduction for a Tamil broadcast sounds unethical.
Unethical is derived from the word ethic. Ethics are basically known as moral philosophy. Moral philosophies are concepts about good and bad, right and wrong, justice and virtue etc. Who are you to educate the Malaysian Indians about what is ethical and unethical. The subject itself is very objective. Are you trying to conclude that the Malaysian Indians do not have the capabilities to think for them-selves? Are you saying we don’t have the ability to point out what is right and wrong? Get real MAN!!! We freaking contributed largely to the 2008 general elections. It’s a universal truth, proven statistics. One more thing, just to inform my fellow readers, who do you think worked closely to bring in the scandalous Nithyanadan to Malaysia??? Talk about ethics!! I rest my case.
On the other hand, “Seme” – the other words in the phrase which means “extremely….” Is expressed illusively by most of the Raaga DJs which is also culturally refutable!!
Culturally refutable? Hindu is a religion. Indian is a Nationality but has now been revolutionized to be a race by its own but only in our Boleh Land, Malaysia. How did that happen? I have no idea. We say Indian Culture and not Hindu Culture. We say Hindu rituals and not Indian rituals. MHS is Hindu and not Indian. You could be a Hindu and at the same time be a Pakistani. You could be Indian and at the same time be a Christian or a Muslim. Those people in India who are from the Muslim faith are called Indians because their nationality is Indian. Are you getting where I am getting? All right, another example. Our ruling federal government has the perception that all from the Islam faith are Malays. All Malays are Bumiputras (son of soil). WRONG!!! Firstly the Bumiputras are the Orang Asli and I know many friends who are form the Christian faith and yet an actual Bumiputra. What I’m trying to say is that one is totally different from the other. Our Malaysian perception about Indians is wrong. So, defend the Hindu religion and leave the cultural part of it to some other organization. Don’t get confuse with your own objectives. Read your organization’s mission statement and objectives if you actually have one.
Secondly, the particular words are now popular among school students but al l for the negative reasons. Primary students use them to tease each other whereas secondary school students use them cynically to attract attention from other school mates. This is regrettable as it causes much tension among teachers and student.
The words that the extract of the complaint above is referring to are “Semme Hot-te” & “Semme Heat-te”. You did not do your homework did you? These words have been popular way down the road. I was in primary school about 20 years ago and in secondary school 14 years ago. My friends and I have been using these words ever since. I can now proudly say all my friends are holding professional jobs such as doctors, lawyers, engineers, educators, consultants etc etc. These petty 4 words would not ruin students’ life and would not give a negative impact. What will give negative impacts are the building conditions of Tamil Schools. What will ruin a student’s life is the environment of the place they live. For starters, go to Kampung Taili, Kampung Santa Singh, and Spooner Road in Ipoh and get a better picture of Malaysian Indians living environment. Look at schools like Sangeetha Sabaa in Ipoh to see the conditions of a school built for Malaysian Indian young lings. These are more serious matters that need attentions. Did you know that Spooner Road does not even have roads? The whole settlement has got muddy sand roads. Go there and do something instead of filing a complaint on petty issue.
Hindu is more of a way of life. If there is an organization out there that caters for Hindus, then do what the religion teaches to do. Entertainment is largely connected with stories of Gods and Goddesses in Hinduism. Not to the extent of tuning to radio or watching ASTRO of course, but in a different approach. There are stories that relate to Lord Muruga and Avvaiyaar that is actually entertaining. Lord Muruga is one witty sarcastic God. Not that I know him in person or what, just form the holy stories. In one of the stories, he would go down to earth as a normal human boy. Note that Avvaiyar is human. She is a well learned old lady to be exact. Just to irritate Avvayar and get entertained, Lord Muruga will start to ask difficult questions to the old lady till she is unable to answer. Lord Muruga in the form of the boy will then look down toward Avvayar and start mocking her ability as a learned person. He asks, “You have deep understanding and such a learned person but yet you are unable to answer questions from a small boy like me??’ and will eventually laugh. He then changes to become Lord Muruga in his God attire. Avvayar then asks, “Why would you do such a thing to an old lady dear God?” and this is what he answered. “Just to look at your face when you realize you are not as learned as me”. Lord Muruga does this a lot in his life just for the sake of entertainment. I could go on and on but will save it for another episode. When Gods are given this freedom, can’t we also enjoy them?? So don’t come to me and talk about religion and say you are a defender of religion. I will give you such a long lecture that you will forget your religion. Best done when I’m under the influence of alcohol ;)
The one and only popular Tamil Broadcasting Radio in Malaysia which is doing extremely well have to go through this and now having to scrap their theme. I understand that a Radio Station has to cater for all regardless of age, sex, race, religion and whatever else. THR Raaga caters for the youngsters for sure. No doubts about that, but if you don’t like the way they run things, don’t like the DJs in THR Raaga, switch to Minnal FM. Don’t ruin the fans’ interest. You don’t like Pakatan Rakyat, vote for Barisan Nasional. You don’t like the movies broadcasted in HBO, switch to Star Movies. You don’t like me, don’t read my note. Why do you have to make life miserable for others? Help those who need help, don’t destruct what is already built for the good. It’s after all entertainment guys. Are we not entitled for entertainments in Malaysia? Gosh!!!
Well, as a conclusion, I would like to apologize to MHS for this if they are not to be blamed as my sources for this article could be wrong although I doubt it. This is my 2 cents opinion and it does not give any impact to others for sure as we are very well educated and can differentiate what is ethical and unethical. We don’t need external sources to take actions as we can do the empirical theory for ourselves. Kindly be informed. Thank you.
- Frustrated Raaga Listener who gets caught up in jams in the mornings and evenings -
