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By Mihar Dias (C) Copyright February 2023
Shahidan, MP for Arau called for 'pembangkang' in Parliament to be termed as 'oposisi' citing that his counterparts in Indonesia use that terminology in their own august assembly; Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat Republik Indonesia, DPR-RI).
Debating on a vote of thanks to the King Shahidan said 'pembangkang' seems to give a negative connotation to the role of the opposition in Parliament. (NST)
My response is what then would you expect from the opposition? If they agreed to everything they might as well join the government. I am sure the so-called "unity government" would welcome them with open arms!
Shahidan told Dewan Rakyat that "Recently, I met several senior leaders in Indonesia....They asked why Malaysia did not use 'oposisi', as 'pembangkang' gives a negative connotation, as if (opposition members) are rebels.
"Therefore, I ask for the term 'pembangkang' to be changed to 'oposisi'. As we have been using 'pembangkang' for so long, hence they always oppose which is not fit for this noble House.
"Let's bring a change in Parliament so that we, the government and opposition, can be seen as siblings and not only know how to shout at each other. Hence, I propose that we use 'oposisi'," he said. (NST)
YB, let's call a spade a spade, not a shovel. In Bahasa Malaysia, opposition means pembangkang and not pemberontak. Rebels are pemberontak. That I hope clears the difference between the two.
I have reservations about the word oposisi. Oppo is a brand. A sissy is "a soft, timid, or oversensitive person, or a boy or man viewed as being overly interested in things traditionally associated with women."
Oposisi reminds me of the term 'oops! Sissy!' that nasty kids teased bookworms and nerds who were not manly enough to do the hard work.
Or those afraid to stand up to bullies in schools.
Sometimes, I like to think of our opposition as sissy ever since independence. They were not a potent force in Parliament then. They were mere tokens like in some neighbouring countries who have them to show that they practice democracy of some sort.
But now, when we have a large number in the Opposition they are no longer a sissy bunch. They are a force to be reckoned with that the government bench cannot ignore.
I cannot bear to call them sissy like we did once when there were very few menbers in the opposition.
Another reason I am against the word oposisi is the adulteration or better yet bastardisation of Malay language. Every English word that ends with "tion" we just use "si" to Malayanise it.
For instance, we use komunikasi as a translation for communication but we hardly use "communicate" in Malay. We 'berhubung'.
We take something totally out of context and transpose it or plonk it on the unsuspecting public without any basis whatsoever.
Communication is a noun meaning the imparting or exchanging of information by speaking, writing, or using some other medium.
We "berhubung through bercakap or menulis". We never use kami "bercomunicate".
Secondly, communication means sending or receiving information, such as phone lines or computers as in "satellite communications".
New reports often refer satelite communication in BM as perhububgan satelit not as perkomunikasian satelit.
When you take an already conjugated word in English and turns it into Bahasa it becomes a tongue twister.
Similar with oposisi.
How would you conjugate that in BM? "Para oposisi" instead of para pembangkang. It sounds just awkward.
Or a Speaker might stumble one day and blurted out and asked "what about the sissy side on my left?".
Or in another instance you may want to report that "the opposition opposed" would you say in BM, para oposisi "mengopose"?
Or would you go back to membangkang as the word for opposition in original Malay?
Our linguists may want to oppose or bangkang Shahidan on this issue.
Just because the Indonesian use that term we ought to follow suit.
Let's keep some Malay terms in its original form less we continue to adulterate the language even further.
God forbid when we start using anduk for tuala or towel just because Indonesia uses it.
I do not think our women folks would find it pleasant to use anduk wanita for sanitary pads.
Neither would our para pembangkang want to be known as sissy for being on the oposissy bench and living up to their old reputation of years past of never doing much because they were too nerdy or not manly enough to stand up to the government of the day.
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