WHAT’S in a name?
Plenty if you ask some people – heritage and national identity for starters.
Hence, recent open letter by former New Straits Times (NST) sports editor Johnson Fernandez proposing a name change to Keretapi Tanah Melayu Bhd (KTMB) has sparked a furious reaction from certain quarters.
The veteran journalist contended: “Yet, the names we use – whether keretapi or Keretapi Tanah Melayu – tether us to a past that no longer mirrors the present. This disconnect is not just a matter of semantics but a call for immediate action.
“For the Transport Ministry and KTMB’s board, this is not a mere linguistic issue. Language is a potent force that moulds perception that, in turn, sculpts policy, public engagement and innovation.
“Names like Malayan Railways could honour our historical continuity while Malaysian Railways would better embody inclusivity and national aspiration.”
This suggestion has sparked a furious reaction, especially from those with rightist leanings as seen from the outburst on online news site MYNEWSHUB (@mynewshub) on X.
Cadangan Tukar Nama KTMB Adalah Mengarut – Tahniah KTMB Kerana Bertindak Pantas dan Tegas!
Cadangan oleh bekas editor sukan New Straits Times, Datuk Johnson Fernandez, untuk menukar nama Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB) merupakan satu idea cetek, tidak berasas dan mungkin… pic.twitter.com/MxgKjcrbTB
— MYNEWSHUB (@mynewshub) April 22, 2025
In a lengthy tirade, the NST scribe’s suggestion was rubbished as disrespectful nonsense that took no account of KTMB’s place in the nation’s history.
Applauding KTMB’s board for refusing to entertain the suggestion, the news site went on to accuse Johnson of a narrow interpretation of the name and having a disconnect with reality.
Needless to say, the right-wing element was out in full force with one calling the former editor to change his name as it had Western/Caucasian inklings.
The racial polemics was always going to surface with one netizen berating Johnson – to the extent of proposing a revocation of his citizenship – for making such suggestion while dragging up all the recent issues that have blighted race relations in the country.
One netizen highlighted that the cost of such a name change “could be hundreds of thousands or maybe millions of ringgit”. Was it necessary, he enquired?
Another commenter made a common-sense suggestion that it would be better to focus on improving services and equipment.
However, one netizen saw the funny side of the episode by pointing out that Malay citizens did not get a free ride. He postulated that it was just a name with no privileges.
Just like the polemics surrounding the usage of Chinese language in sign boards, the issues of identity come to the fore stoking racial sensitivities.
Is it just a question of semantics?
On the one hand, some quarters see this as yet another attempt to dilute Malay identity in the country.
On the other, it is a valid suggestion that an outmoded name that no longer reflect the state of the nation be dropped from the vernacular. – April 24, 2025
