Baby Shima, whose real name is Nor Ashima Ramli, once again grabbed netizens’ attention when she questioned the true definition of the Malay race through a post on her Threads account.
The 32-year-old singer openly asked whether those of Javanese descent are considered Malay.
“Arab and Pakistani blood clearly aren’t Malay. But if you’re Javanese, are you considered Malay too?” Shima asked.
Although her tone seemed casual or perhaps intended to spark discussion, the question indirectly tied into the controversy surrounding Ameera Khan, who previously stirred debate by claiming she wasn’t Malay due to her Arab and Pakistani heritage, despite being born and raised in Malaysia.
Baby Shima’s action sparked various reactions among netizens. Many stepped forward to explain the concept of Malay identity in Malaysia.
“The definition of Malay: one, speaks the Malay language.
Two, practices Islam.
Three, follows Malay customs and traditions. Regardless of sub-ethnicity, that’s already considered Malay,” clarified one social media user.
The issue of ‘who is Malay’ has heated up again since the controversy surrounding Ameera Khan, who now prefers to be identified as Malay to avoid confusion about her ancestry. – BOOM!
