When I was growing up in the 70s, my best friends were Khairul Annuar and Ng Kok Leong - and there was not much of 'racism' then. We used to have cakes and curries being taken over to our Muslim and Buddhist neighbours - and they sending over food as well. I remember spending hours and hours in my neighbours homes - and was treated as one of the family - not as an Indian - a Christian. We saw people then as human beings...
Today, even when I call my Muslim friends over - there is some hesistancy about even dropping by - let alone having a drink using a glass. Now, many Muslim visitors insist one being served canned drinks or packet drinks. I see also that students in my town now seems to be only hanging around with persons from the same ethnic same religious background..
Is ethnicity and religion today become more a cause of division amongst Malaysia - Maybe it has. What with UMNO's Hishamudin's Kris yielding - and even Najib's racist/religious extreme behavior in 1987 - I am sure that Malaysians are maybe becoming more and more conscious about the differences.
Is it only BN that is promoting this ethnicism and division - not really, PKR also does that. I know that it was a PKR policy that where there is a big Malay majority, they will not field a non-Malay candidate in that constituency, and that I consider to be racist. Why should in matter how many Indians, Chinese, Ibans and/or Malays there are in a particular constituency - are they all not Malaysians, and should we not be worriend just about the best candidate for this Malaysian constituency. Race, religion,etc should never be a consideration...How many good people are side-lined because of their ethnicity or their religion?
I look for the day when people will stop saying we need to get a Malay chairperson/President - and just say we must get the best person to be the chairperson/President?
Your comments and sharing would be good..
Today, even when I call my Muslim friends over - there is some hesistancy about even dropping by - let alone having a drink using a glass. Now, many Muslim visitors insist one being served canned drinks or packet drinks. I see also that students in my town now seems to be only hanging around with persons from the same ethnic same religious background..
Is ethnicity and religion today become more a cause of division amongst Malaysia - Maybe it has. What with UMNO's Hishamudin's Kris yielding - and even Najib's racist/religious extreme behavior in 1987 - I am sure that Malaysians are maybe becoming more and more conscious about the differences.
Is it only BN that is promoting this ethnicism and division - not really, PKR also does that. I know that it was a PKR policy that where there is a big Malay majority, they will not field a non-Malay candidate in that constituency, and that I consider to be racist. Why should in matter how many Indians, Chinese, Ibans and/or Malays there are in a particular constituency - are they all not Malaysians, and should we not be worriend just about the best candidate for this Malaysian constituency. Race, religion,etc should never be a consideration...How many good people are side-lined because of their ethnicity or their religion?
I look for the day when people will stop saying we need to get a Malay chairperson/President - and just say we must get the best person to be the chairperson/President?
Your comments and sharing would be good..
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ReplyDeleteFrom my point of view, I think the only way to solve this "racist" issues is to start from education and networking(making friends with people from different backgrounds).
ReplyDeleteIt will take decades even if we start doing this now........
when I say we, I mean everyone doing it together.
Race Politic in Malaysia is very obvious even with the PKR or PAS. The reason being that the present malay community or the younger generation has forgotten the spirit of merdeka.
ReplyDeleteand the history. Futhermore the present polical parties be it UMNO,PKR or even PAS are very much racially motivated idealogy. The mindset of the Malay is very much stereo typed to to the famous slogan "bumiputra" which if not irradicated the racial politic will continue to operate.
It's the mindset of Malaysians whether old or young that they have been conditioned by the system. Maybe there should be a racial unity day like in Singapore. Just a thought. Anyway, I think politicians are to be blamed for fanning racial sentiments. They are the worst kind and only make a mockery out of 1Malaysia.
ReplyDeleteMalaysia is fast becoming sickening nation...
ReplyDeleteour new generation polarized by BN government with a lot of racial systems and policies...
we were seperated since our primary school, how on we gonna meet others ethic friends?
ReplyDelete