Excuse Me, Are You a Mad Doctor?

Over the past two weeks, anti-Malaysia sentiments in Indonesia, triggered by Malaysia's detention of three Indonesian fishery officers in contested waters near Bintan, heated up.  Faeces were hurled at the Malaysia Embassy in Jakarta, protests were held in various locations in Indonesia, and an Indonesian group even threatened to shave any Malaysians found in the streets of Jakarta. 

Against this backdrop, Jeremiah had, the other day, an interesting discussion with his lecturers on the differences between Bahasa Melayu and Bahasa Indonesia, with particular focus on Melayu terms that Indonesians consider hilarious.  Here are few:

• Hospital Korban Lelaki (literally means "hospital for casualties of males", i.e. maternity hospital)
• Laskar Angin-Angin (literally means "wind troops", i.e. air force)
• Tandas (in Melayu this means "toilet" but means "demolished" in Bahasa Indonesia.  One wonders what gets demolished there)
• Panggung Wayang (i.e. cinema, but literally means "stage for wayang plays")
• Hantu Lompak-Lompak (i.e. vampire, but literally means "jumping ghost")
• Laskar Tak Berguna (i.e. retired soldier, but literally means "useless troops")

Jeremiah's favourite?  Dokter gila wins hands down.  It means psychiatrist but literally translates to "mad doctor".