Half Chinese

 

My mom and I

I remember when I was studying in California State University Stanislaus, in Turlock, CA USA back in 1987 before I moved to University of the Pacific, Stockton, an American approached me asking me if I were from China. When I told her that I was from Malaysia, she was surprised. She said I looked more of a Chinese. She asked me again if my ancestors had come from China. I told her no since I thought I was a pure Malay. I never thought at that moment that  I might have a Chinese blood since my dad was born in Indonesia, raised in Singapore, studied and worked in Malaysia whereas my mom was born and raised in Singapore. Both my maternal and paternal grandparents were from Indonesia way back before the independence of Malaysia.

My siblings and I knew that we have Chinese blood when my mom revealed her true story in 2015 that she was adopted by my grandparents. She didn't know who her real parents and siblings were till now. It was very hard to believe it at first since my dad or grandparents or even my auntie ( my father's sister) had never talked about it before. However, since they claimed the story was true and we recalled incidences when my maternal grand father used to refuse to let us (my sisters and I) kiss his hands after prayers (he might not want to take another ablution to recite the Quran). Definitely, we know that nothing would change even the truth was revealed. We accepted our fate. Definitely we trust Allah for He is The All Knowing.