I refer to the brouhaha that has gripped malaysiakini readers in relation to the recent TV3 advertisement depicting a dark-skinned person in an unfair manner - particularly the dismissal by some as 'a storm in a teacup'.
While I fully agree that one should be able to laugh at oneself, this may not be a fair criteria to utilise against race- or colour-based prejudicial conduct or stereotyping.
It is society's inherent inability to discard race-based agendas that gives rise to people's anger over advertisements that portray them in a manner that is unacceptable. Dark-skinned people are always being ridiculed against, in ways that transcends the racial divide as many Malays are also dark.
In Malaysia though, people automatically associate dark skin with Indians, hence the concern and the general displeasure at that TV3 advert. Why did not the advert use a dark-skinned Malay or Chinese or say a beautiful Caucasian to make the point that the mother only wishes for pure Chinese? That will make the point and we can all laugh then.
I generally am of the opinion that this sort of advertisement only shows the mentality and integrity of those coming out with the idea, and those who approve it to be aired. But if other people are offended, then one cannot say it does not matter. For example, if my girlfriend and I were to indulge in 'public sexual intercourse', society will definitely be up in arms although by right no one should be as it does not really affect anyone else.
Just look away if you are offended. But society and life does not work that way.
go on to say that the Perodua adverts that caused uneasiness among the Chinese community was also a non-starter. I must at this point stress that many of this festive adverts belittle or stereotype Indians and Chinese. You don't see many belittling the Malays, so there is also the general perception among non-Malays that while Malay sensitivities are always cared for, the sensitivities of other races are discarded as not important or merely brushed aside as 'storm in a teacup'. It is extremely easy to say just laugh at yourself when you are not the recipient of race-based discrimination from the time you are born.
If I were to run adverts that stereotype Malays, would that be accepted in good faith? To illustrate my point, I give an example:
A car company's Deepavali advertisement over the years insinuated that Indians are wife beaters and grass cutters, but later clear the air by showing that the wife was actually beaten in a chess game and that the cutting the grass was done at the person's own bungalow house. This company's Chinese New Year adverts also insinuated Chinese to be money grabbers and apple polishers.
To use the same sort of metaphors if I were to run a Hari Raya season advert based on these story lines:
Scene 1: Opening line, background voice says that Harun is up to his eyeballs in corrupt practices, later the scene evolves to show that Harun is the director-general of the Anti- Corruption Agency and currently working on some case.
Scene 2: Opening line, background voice says that Majid spends most of his time in the teh tarik shop, later the scene evolves to show that Majid is actually the owner of a highly successful chain of restaurants in the Klang Valley.
Scene 3: Opening line, background voice says that Dain is always dishing out contracts to all and sundry, later the scene evolves to show that Dain is actually the loan portfolio director at a local bank who approves contracts that has come to his attention for financing or cash-flow management.
My question is will people like Razak and Willkiam accept this advert and the furore which will most certainly generated by this advert as a 'storm in a teacup', or will they consider it to be race bashing.