Balik kampung?

Emeritus Professor Tan Sri Dato' Dzulkifli Abdul Razak
My View - The Sun Daily
January 23, 2019

THESE two words are of utmost importance to Malaysians because “kampung” has a very special meaning for every citizen of this beloved nation. At the very least we will “balik kampung” once a year during festivities. This will happen again next week during Chinese New Year. The rush home is not limited just to Chinese Malaysians. That is how much “balik kampung” is as an invaluable Malaysian experience.

So it was music to our ears to hear that a kampung was recently revived – Kampung Kerinchi – after being elbowed out by the so-called “Bangsar South”. The latter name was mooted by the then developer for the sole purpose of “wealth creation” in the name of urban renewal by designing a “new” location as a hip place to stay (read buy and own) while relegating Kampung Kerinchi and Abdullah Hukum to the dustbin of history. This column recounted the issue in its May 25, 2016 edition recalling more than a century of history from the very first settlement that gave rise to the “kampung”.

Unlike “Bangsar South”, Kampung Kerinchi is laden with real stories of human endurance and sacrifice not unlike what we read today involving human cross-border mobility and integration.

In other words, it is not as empty and hollow as the new name which may even be “misplaced” geographically-speaking.

Some may want to argue the word “kampung” was the main reason for the change in name. It was claimed to be unappealing to urbanites who are the targeted clients for the property.

Kampung Kerinchi is not sexy to depict modern living. Rather it is deemed backward for the rich and famous who may even consider it to be derogatory. Meaning it is not global or international enough to command “respect” because it doesn’t sound European unless it is anglicised. Even Bangsar Selatan will not do, what else Kampung Kerinchi! Like all else, it is the economic imperatives that win the day – Malaysian-style where our national heritage and identity are held at the mercy of the highest bidder.

This is in stark contrast to other places in other countries. Take Dusseldorf in Germany for instance. A famous city and business centre it serves as the second most populous federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia and also acts as its capital.

It is the seventh largest city in Germany well known for its fashion and trade fairs. More interestingly, “dorf” means “kampung” in the German language. Still the locals do not seem to mind nor do they have any intention to obliterate it because they have pride in their local traditions and appreciate its deeper legacy being sensitive to its cultural values beyond the logic of economics.

Unfortunately, this cannot be said in our case where all sorts of culturally “irrelevant” names are being heaped over the local context. Names like “Montana” and “Beverly” to name a few have appeared jarringly in recent times as residential areas. They not only sound foreign but also colonial. What a shame.

If that is not good enough a reason to restrain such usage, consider this. Guess where the English (my emphasis) word “compound” originates from. Yes – from the dreaded “kampung” embracing the broader meaning of being spacious, balanced, sustainable and harmonious – which is what “kampung” used to stand for before it was vulgarised and disintegrated.

It is not surprising therefore that the word “compound” still retains the meaning. We cannot be more international and global than this making the “return” of Kampung Kerinchi as well justified and timely to serve many lessons to be relearned (after unlearning some of the marketing nonsense) in making Malaysia Baru what it should be.

Moving forward other (mis) designations such as KL East for example must also be revisited to bring history back alive for the sake of the coming generation and the preservation of our national heritage and identity. It is a timely “balik kampong” as it were.

The overall implications of this seemingly simple move are over-whelming given the alarming prediction that more “kampungs” all over the country will be desecrated in the name of (unsustainable) development.

This is much more real than just the disappearance or renaming of places of residence as discussed above.

Simply put, it is beyond reinstating names like Kampung Kerinchi – more important is restoring the values that the “kampung” advocates and embraces.

This can save in future hundreds of “kampungs” due to the mindset shift marked by the restoration of Kampung Kerinchi. Metaphorically this is a truly “balik kampung” phenomena to be preserved for all times.