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Anti-racism, anti-drugs Malaysian skinheads fight stereotypes

The Malaysian group of skinheads who take an anti-racism and anti-drugs position have long been holding their activities under the radar to avoid police harassment because of the negative connotations associated with their subculture.

Members of the Malaysian chapter of the Skinheads Against Racial Prejudice, or SHARP, have had their events raided and their members hauled to police stations and subjected to drug tests

"Our gatherings are noisy at times but we don't take drugs so the tests always come back negative," said SHARP memberBob Panjang.

Their intimidating appearance – tattooed arms, shaven heads and leather wear - skinheads are often associated with all things negative - gangsterism, racism, hooliganism and more.

But a recent music festival in Kuala Lumpur has shown the group in quite a different light.

The Malaysian chapter had recently organised two days of live music performances in Kuala Lumpur, which saw some 200 participants from Japan, Indonesia and other countries gather for the first time in the country.

With more than 1,000 members nationwide, SHARP insists they are against racism and have nothing to do with gangsterism, despite what their appearance might suggest.

"We are even anti-drugs and anti-violence. These are some of our core principles, though many out there think otherwise," said Bob.

SHARP is not to be confused with another local group of skinheads with similar appearance, Bob told The Malaysian Insider.

Instead, SHARP has distanced itself from this group, which promotes neo-Nazi beliefs.

In Malaysia, this group holds a supremacist view of the Malay race and champions "Malay pride", similar to the British version of the group which promotes "white pride".

"But our (SHARP's) belief and motto is 'unity, respect and brotherhood'. Our networking is worldwide.

"When the original skinheads group broke up, one took on a racist stance and became known as the Nazi group. SHARP was formed later as a response to them," said the 30-year-old.

The skinhead subculture, whose origins can be traced back to working class youths in England in the 1960s, became popular in Malaysia in the early 90s when the interest in Oi music (punk rock) that was associated with the culture, began to grow.

"The music influenced many. People first listened to it because it sounded great and then began to look closely at the messages that were being shared through the music.

"It was of anti-racism and of oppression, so that became the skinhead culture here. We then adopted the dressing and the attitudes and the ideology of skinheads," he added.

Interestingly, Bob, who became a skinhead in 2001, met the woman of his dreams in the scene seven years ago. They got married a couple of years ago.

"She was very active in the skinhead scene before getting married. We went on gigs and even recorded a few songs together and now we are expecting our first child soon," he added.

In Muslim-majority Malaysia, the group is often portrayed as rebels without religion, but Bob, who is Malay, sought to dispel this view.

"Just because we are skinheads, it doesn't mean we are bad Muslims or we have wavered off the path. Yes, skinheads are linked with having tattoos but many of us, including me, choose not to do it. We adopt the culture based on our religious values," he said.

SHARP, he added, is made up of the working class and also includes professionals like architects and engineers.

"This is yet another part of our culture. That we are part of the working class," said Bob, who works as a purchasing officer in a Dutch company.

He lamented that SHARP events and gigs have been raided and members detained on suspicion of taking drugs.

Due to the negative connotations associated with the group, SHARP has remained cautious in allowing publicity for itself, noting that the media were partly responsible for this.

"If someone is arrested for theft and he is found to be a skinhead, the media play it up and blame it on the culture. When the fact is, criminals are not exclusive to skinheads. It can be anyone," Bob said. – January 22, 2015.