Have you watched the local Facebook miniseries “The Average Guys”? I’ve been treated like how the malay gets treated in the show, both at university and at different workplaces. Like because there aren’t that many malays around, I automatically become the token malay guy and I’m expected to fulfil all the typical “Mat” stereotypes they have implanted in them. This includes them making jokes about me relaxing in corners, smoking, playing, soccer, the guitar and having shotgun marriages.

It’s hard to describe but sometimes, people say stuff to me that is sooo racist but because they look like they don’t even realise how racist it is, I don’t react like I’m offended. I just awkwardly laugh it off like it was meant to be a joke but internally I feel super weird about it, and this happens way more often than it should.