of mortars and the bombs

The bombshell had been dropped yesterday: now they allow mortars.

Such a big fuss was created, there was even an announcement in Bernama radio.

Why of course, maybe you won’t have a clue what mortar is because you graduated from that Uni. (i know you know laa. haha)

Because when you graduate from that Uni, there are no mortars on your head to be thrown about silly after the convocation ceremony. If you’re from that Uni, you have to either wear a tudung if you’re a female or don the songkok if you’re a male. While tudung is a religious requirement, songkok is a Malay standard headgear.

And if you happen to be ‘culturally or religiously’ forbidden to wear both of them, you can’t and you don’t attend your graduation ceremony. I’m reminded to two wonderful friends of mine who had missed receiving the scroll at the ceremony because the family isn’t too comfortable with them donning the songkok. (Note: they're non-malay) So much they wanted too, and they came for the rehearsals just for the fun of it, but because they respect their family’s wishes, they have to skip their once in a lifetime celebration of joy.

I am sure I wasn’t the only one who felt sore about this whole incident, because in the country, we don’t live alone, and certain degree of respect to cultures must be observed. If they’re uncomfortable wearing songkok, why should we force them to?

But something must have knocked that Uni into good sense: this year, they're replacing the ribbon on the tudung and songkok with mortars.

Not a big deal actually, even if you don't attend the ceremony, you're still a graduate. So what's the big deal la. Haha actually some of the life long professor look stupid in their 'harry porter' styled mortars and gowns, but really, if you're up there already, you should know, clothes don't make a man.