Oh interesting, and unsurprising: https://twitter.com/amerhadiazmi/status/1640649497939423233?t=_k5u2yiErwGHXuf_GwwQmg&s=19 - '(...) One of the touchy subject there is the “Thaification” of the Malays. This is a soft reaction against it.'

--
So in Malaysian politics these days, there's this narrative that the Malay cultural redline is the 3R: do not infringe on Race+Royalty+Religion. If it feels odd because nusantara identity doesn't work tht way it's because the formulation only came into being when the northern peninsula kingdoms were petitioning the British to please fold them into their administrative sphere, rather than being swallowed up by Thai imperial expansionism, which involved cultural genocide/assimilation. Pattani is one of the kingdoms that lost out in that dice roll. The cultural rep for the Kelantanese to be economic migrants started from this period too. Anyway, things to remember as we all enjoy another performance of "The King and I". 😬😌🫣🙃

#Malaysia #Nusantara #TootSEA #SoutheastAsia #colonialism #notJustForEuropeans