CLICK HERE FOR THOUSANDS OF FREE BLOGGER TEMPLATES »

Sunday, March 08, 2009

Bush Jackets (Buoh Ren Yi Reiin)



In Miri you can get a fairly decent bush jacket made at about 600 ringgit (depending on the materials). This tailor told me that he has been making suits for more than 40 years and I think you can trust him to do a good job.

These two suits have been cut and sown by hand and they are neat and good looking. Most YBs were dark coloured suits. These two could be for fairer skinned customers.


The bush jacket or safari suit continues to be a mark of a Malaysian politician since the 1970's. So much so that the Sibu people would call such a suit Buoh Ren Yi Reiin (Minister's suit) So business for men's tailor in Sibu was brisk. Most community leaders had one or two suits made at quite a cost. This suit or jacket could take the place of a three piece suit and a necktie. Therefore when one did not like to wear neckties a bush jacket would be a very sensible substitute.



Umno youths in bush jackets.


A fashionable Parisian wearing bush jacket on a warm Summer's day.



A man wearing a bush jacket in the 1970's.


Brian Dixon who brought bush jacket into Parliament and made it inot an icon.




British Air Force uniform - the original bush jacket.


Abdullah Bedawi - blue bush jacket.

Very comfortable longsleeved bush jacket. YTL family ( a press release photo)



YBs in Sarawak when travelling usually wear bush jackets. A suit would be too impractical.

Have you ever received an invitation card that says " Lounge suit or bush jacket"
I would think the party is for gentlemen only. In such a card ladies are often disregarded. So what should the ladies wear? Batik or smart casual. I suppose. May be I will turn up in a niffy bush jacket made for ladies....There are indeed bush jackets for ladies....

10 memories:

Just a Little Kindness said...

Hi this is a great history lesson about Bush Jackets. Most YBs look good in them and I think many potential YBs are also in favour of wearing theese bush jackets.

Daniel Yiek said...

I have referred your blog and Rubberseeds to Borneo Post. They have a column called "From the blogging world" that features posts from local bloggers.

I think your posts should be featured one day.

Bengbeng said...

If Borneo Post features yr blog, it will b wonderful. Yours is just the right kind of blog to feature. Lots of history n interesting stuff.

I Am Sarawakiana said...

Dear Jalk
Thanks for visiting. Hope that you are also a YB in the making.

I Am Sarawakiana said...

Dear Daniel
Thanks for visiting. I have been following your blog religiously. Won't miss it for a day even.
May be BP is only looking at Sibu-Sarikei bloggers. I might be considered a Miri Blogger.
But thanks any way for the refer.

Have you found out more about Selalang?

I Am Sarawakiana said...

Dear BB
Thanks for visiting and the compliments.
As most folks who are retired I would like to say...Nothing to do so just write, write.

I have a soft spot for origins or historical background of things.

Daniel Yiek said...

Borneo Post is considering to expand their Central Corridor page to statewide.

You blog more on Sibu but is based in Miri. I blog on Sarikei but is based in S'pore...so it does not matter. My blog post on ABC has been published already in BP last Mon. My family is pretty proud of it. :)

Tip: If BP asks for your permission for any post, suggest you email high resolution pics separately or else BP will download low res pics from the blog post.

Sorry, have not found anything on Selalang. I went to a longhouse there many years ago.

peacemaker88 said...

You make me smile a lot by featuring this topic. My grandfather when visiting us wore his bush jeket. No doubt very cheap one lah. He said that when the politicians had parties in Miri they all liked to take photos wearing jeket. (Iban spelling) Nowadays they all wear long slif batik shirts. If PBB member they get to wear party uniform.

I Am Sarawakiana said...

Dear Justin
I remember reading some articles a long time ago about the politics of dressing. In India for example educated Indians could wear western clothes. In Burma on the other hand the nationalistic Burmans liked to wear their national clothes. And wearing western clothes would show their western inclination.
See the movie "A Passage to India" and you can see this thesis very clearly. But I suppose in the 21st century the issue may no longer be so strong.
So many westerners now like to wear Indian clothes for example.

I Am Sarawakiana said...

Justin
Yes I think the bush jacket is the dominantly worn by BN followers. But this is just an observation.

 

web statistics