I recently queried through the facebook about Malaysian’s perception if we The Malaysians are racist. More than 40 frank comments were generated. This is my summary and thank you note.
Thanks for the feedback.
Your answers have helped me frame ideas for a larger survey i would like to undertake early next year. Let's find out the perceptions and why ... and hope the answers can help prepare a remedy.
Eileen, as for your inquiry of my tots on the subject, I think Malaysians are generally racial which is natural because Malaysia has chosen 'an integration approach' rather than ' assimilation' as practiced by Thailand and Indonesia. So we Malaysians still have our ethnic identity intact .
Our forefathers i guess were optimists and see the wisdom of multiculturalism. If we went the Indonesian way, history would be different - for good or for worst. I do not see any problem for anyone to be racial. Our familiarity and liking towards things that are familiar to us is only natural. For example, we Penangites love the laksa, but my relatives in Medan tot I was crazy to love such a 'sour and smelly bowl of shit' (haha! that was a cousin's summary of Penangites favorite dish!!!)....
But because we kept our ethnic identity intact, it is easier to turn racist. But I see Malaysians turning to racism as a reaction to perceive or real feelings of discrimination or being left out of development. It does not originate from the inside, but triggered from the outside.
For example, there seems to be a correlation to the height of racism over the years with the economic environment. When the economy is bad, it goes up, but when it’s good it goes down.
Even Indonesia which where ethnic Chinese are assimilated and would proudly answer " Saya orang Indonesia" as oppose to " I am Chinese ", were bashed, raped and persecuted during the height of the 97/98 economic crisis. The perception of wealth being usurped by a particular community triggered the animal in many to the point that even children were not spared.
Perhaps, after a deeper research I can give u all a better overview and perhaps some action ideas we can all take to make good this country and make a difference.
peace, many colors one race, anas
2 comments:
Hey Anas,
Oh I haven't been to this blog for ages.
Funny how just a week ago, my friend Gaby from South America and me were talking about racism as well.
Racism is not unique to Malaysians and in fact, not even to our own species. Racism is generally born out of fear of someone different. And that is something rather positive. There's nothing wrong with that and it's just natural. But racism fueled with hatred. Now that is just unexceptable. Ok so now how does this happen? Well, brace yourselves readers, this begins at home. Yes at home. Everything your children hear you use words like keling (sorry) or melayu bodoh (sorry) or greedy chinaman (sorry)... you are already planning this seed of hatred into your impressionable children no matter how unintended they were. So parents, please please be careful.
Remember, hatred for another race begins at home. Peace!
Suatu ingatan lalu.
Kali pertama rapid KL memperkenalkan sistem berpusat pada1 April 2006. Terpaksa tunggu 45 minit untuk bas kat lrt titiwangsa. Bila bas sampai dan semua naik dan duduk dengan kepenatan. Tiba2 bas buat pusingan jauh untuk menuju ke destinasi yang sepatutnya. Semua dalam bas, ade melayu, cina dan India kami berperang dengan pemandu bas. Tiba2semua org dalam bas mengkritik sistem rapid yang diperkenalkan pada masa itu. Akhirnya pemandu bas beralah dengan mengambil 'short cut'untuk ke destinasi yang ditujui.
Kesimpulannya;
Kita sebagai 1Malaysia bila:
1. Kita kritik bila suatu sistem perlaksanaan itu tidak betul.(Yang jelas dimata kita)
2. Kita boleh geram dan mengalirkan air mata bila tengok tak kira anak siapa diculik, mati, dirogol atau dibunuh.
3. Kita boleh bersorak bila pasukan malaysia bertanding dan menang.
4.Kita boleh berhibur dan menari bila ada konsert.
dan,
Bukan semua orang Melayu itu hidup senang. Bukan semua dapat saluran bantuan kerajaan.Ada yang berjaya dengan titik peluh sendiri.
Bukan semua orang cina banyak duit. Diaorang pun ade hutang bank. Ramai aje yang naik bas.
Siapa kata orang India tak berjaya.Diaoarng berjaya dalam sesetengah industri yang org lain tak ceburi.
Bagi saya, Racist wujud sebab sosio politik kita. Bukan semua orang hidup senang. Yang penting kita tak kira siapa diri kita. Menghormati orang lain dan menghargai orang disekeliling kita. Itu yang terbaik.
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