I remember my sister telling me a joke about a time when she was studying in the UK. When she said she was from Malaysia, they pulled out a map of China and asked her to show them where it was on the map!
Living abroad was fun, I lived and worked and studied in Australia and Singapore but the place I love to be the most is right here in Malaysia. Here's a place where I'm not a second class citizen, a tourist, a permanent resident or a visitor, I'm a pure citizen with rights to decide which government I want in the general election through a vote. Isn't that a privilege?
Two days ago I went to a roadside stall to buy some food for dinner and when I started to talk to the food seller, she asked me if I was Chinese or Malay because of the way I talked (with a heavy northern state malay accent). She said she couldn't even tell the difference. I didn't really give her my answer but smiled. This is some of the things I enjoy about living here.
However, I'm very sad to read in the news that, of late, some irresponsible people who have been given the responsibility to educate young minds in this country have been stirring up racial tones by making a statement at a school assembly that Malaysian citizens of Chinese origins are merely passengers (or penumpang in the Malay language) in this country and should all go back to China. This particular person has caused a stir in the harmonious racial relationships amongst the Malays, Chinese and Indians who make up the majority of races in Malaysia.
A multi racial country is not about tolerating each other. It goes beyond that. It's more about living in harmony with each other. If we talk about a united country and then we say we merely tolerate each other, it means that we are simply toeing the line that separates us and the smallest ripple may cause the fragile domino to collapse.
Thus, when we talk about being multi-racial, are we living in harmony or are we being tolerant of each other? To me, being tolerant is akin to accepting one another with a condition attached to it. It isn't fair to think so, is it?
I'm a fifth or sixty generation Malaysian. My ancestors have been here over 200 years and have never ever step foot into China before, not even for a holiday, and I don't think my dad or grandfather has ever been to China either. So, if one day you were to come up to me and say, "Hey, you're a penumpang in Malaysia, get you arse back to China!" I wouldn't even know which province to end up in there!
Lets not let the actions and bad judgement of one person make us question our allegiances towards each other. Our forefathers had fought hand in hand to ensure the freedom of this country from her colonial rulers 53 years ago. Malays, Indians, Chinese and other races that make up this beautiful country, we are all brothers! United we are one, divide we shall fall.
After 53 years of living in an independent and sovereign country, do we feel threatened by the existence of each other? Do we feel threatened economically? Politically? Religiously? or Physically? To my Malay, Indian, Sikh, Eurasian and Indigenous (Iban, Kadazan etc) brothers and sisters, I am a Chinese by origin, but if you strip away my skin color, you will see that I am just a Malaysian. A Malaysian just like you are. I have the right to call this country my home just like you. I have the right to freedom to live my life and take care of my family in this land just like you do.
I eat at places you eat, shop and play at places you shop and play and celebrate whatever religious festivals you celebrate as you are my brothers and sisters. I do not feel like I am better than you or you are better than me, because when it all comes down to it, we are all equal and the same.
We suffer hard times together when the economy is bad and enjoy the good times when the economy is good. Let us never talk about country of origin or skin color ever again, cos when u take out that blue color card that is kept in your wallet, you will see that you and me, we have the same identical piece of plastic and it says, Warganegara. Let us all understand this term and value it.
Sebagai warganegara Malaysia, musuh bukan lah di antara kita kerana kita adalah saudara. Mengapa kita perlu bergaduh sesama sendiri lalu memberi peluang kepada orang asing untuk merealisasikan agenda mereka untuk memecah belahkan kita bila kalau kita bersatu padu, kita boleh menjadi lebih kuat dan berjaya dari apa yang kita boleh mencapai hari ini.
Wahai warganegara Malaysia, warna kulit hanyalah diluaran sahaja. Marilah kita mengetepikan hal yang remeh ini dan tumpukan perhatian kita terhadap cita-cita yang lebih besar daripada isu kekauman dan ketidak samaan diantara kita, kerana jikalau kita sama sama mengupas kulit kita, kita akan ketahui bahawa, dibawah warna kulit ini, kita semua adalah sama sahaja, warna darah adalah merah dan bukan warna lain. Yes, the color of blood is red and it flows in the same color tone in each and every one of us.
Let us be together as one, live in harmony with each other and love each other as if we are brothers and sisters in one big family. The enemy is not among us, why do we need to fight and allow outsiders a chance to realize their evil agenda upon us? It is when we are not united that we are vulnerable to attacks.
I Love Malaysia, Saya Cintakan Malaysia, Wo Ai Malaysia. I may not be a soldier but I love my country, I am willing to lay down my life for my country and I will fight to the end to defend my country when threatened.
Like the radio station DJ said, "1Malaysia is not a dream, it is what we were and can be again." but, nothing grand is achieved without much struggle and sacrifice. Merely trying is not enough, we try and try harder till we achieve the goal set by our Prime Minister. 1-Malaysia, rakyat didahulukan, pencapaian diutamakan.
HAPPY 53rd MERDEKA and MALAYSIA DAY!
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