Malaysia has been a home to many people from
different parts of the world for centuries. Through the intercourse of
these various cultures and religions, our predecessors had started the
process of globalisation, even before the word was invented. The ability
of Malaysians to live together in relative peace and social harmony is
by no means an accident. Our forefathers came to this land to seek a better
life and they knew that in order to realize their dreams, they would have
to eventually work with people of other origins. It is because of this diversity in culture,
religion and way of life, that they managed to build Malaysia into a moderately
progressive country, with equally moderate religious and moral values.
The interaction between the races might not be brilliantly dynamic, but
it is truly unique. We live separate lives within our own community, yet
we remain more or less, civil and respectful to each other. Common sense
and pragmatism have guided us through the occasional inter-racial skirmishes
and the nation's social fabric has remained relatively intact. However, just like every rose has its thorns,
our nation has its own group of opportunists whose ideas may topple this
balance. These are the people who constantly highlight our differences
and create false boundaries of segregation amongst various races and religions.
They hide behind the shadow of communal politics, generating crisis to
gain influence and control over their people. Perhaps the concept of a united and singular
Bangsa Malaysia may not be as elusive as we thought after all. People
of various races and religions have been living together in this country
for years. We must bravely accept the fact that there will always be differences
between the various ethnic groups in Malaysia. However, we must not harp
on this issue like the politicians do everyday. Each community has a similar
set of values, which transcend race, religion and culture, and these are
the shared values that we need to work upon. Contrary to our leaders, I strongly believe
that there is no need to reinvent our national identity because we have
already had it for years. Through daily contact, each community has absorbed
one another's culture. The real Bangsa Malaysia are the ones who can practice
their own culture freely and yet at the same time, able to participate
in each other's festivities to a certain extent. The concept of a homogenous Bangsa Malaysia as purported by our leaders has thus been rendered obsolete. I hope that the articles in this web site will unveil the reality that has been shrouded from us all this while. Self-realization can only be achieved by assessing our own strengths, as well as our weaknesses. We have to be self-critical and take heed of our own faults and mistakes before we can truly make Malaysia work. Whether we like it or not, Malaysia is on
the verge of entering a borderless world, riding on the latest wave of
globalisation. This tide of change will ultimately dissolve our identity
into one single global entity. We can either enter this unified world
without ever realizing our own unique identity, or we can march in satisfied
and appreciative of what we already have. Every Malaysian has a candle in their heart that comes in different colours, shapes and sizes. Yet these candles emit the same flame that will light the path for the whole nation. If each of us lights his or her candle, Malaysia will be a much brighter and colourful place to live in. View latest article: Malaysia's
Election 2004 [Home] [Articles] [About Pelita]
|
||
---|---|---|