The Majority Malaysian race in Malaysia are Malaysians.
Accordingly there are 28.96 million of us. Many minority groups also reside in Malaysia. They are mainly those who came here to secure a job – sending money home to their families. While they are here to make money, at the same time they contribute to our growth and well being. The largest amongst them are those from Indonesia, Bangladesh, Pakistan etc and the smallest groups would be the Caucasians.
This 28.96 million majority race in Malaysia can be subdivided into many sub-races that represent like a rainbow, colours of people with the brown shade representing the largest spectrum. This rainbow of people consists of the Malays, Chinese, Indians, natives of Sarawak and Sabah, Eurasians, etc. This rainbow was formed in 1957 and later enhance in 1963.
Many Malaysians, including scores of respected leaders from both sides of the political divides are still trapped in the past, stuck to pre 1957 psyche. They still carry a colonial mentality and make the mistake of seeing one of the sub-races as the main race and some of the others as the minorities. This translates into public and party policies and also the base for opposition.
So instead of working to assist the weak and needy among the majority Malaysian race, that is the poor among the 28.96 million, they place more emphasis towards a particular sub-race. Those who oppose too, work within the same myopic framework.
Thinking Malaysians like you and I need to help these leaders see things with more clarity. We need to give them a gentle reminder that we are first and foremost a Malaysian :)
why don't you call the movers and shakers in the Barisan Nasional and give them this piece of advise instead of preaching to the choir...
ReplyDeletesome suggestions here to achieve national unity
ReplyDeletehttp://planetofthemonyets.blogspot.com/2011/02/10-simple-things-to-do-to-achieve.html
Agreed, we should identifying ourselves Malaysian first instead of ethnicity.But however easier said than done, in this country,politicians will use whatever tactics to get votes, even harping on race.You know, nobody can beat human being's ingenuity.
ReplyDeletegood idea but i have come across a survey which say 'i am muslim first, second malay, third malaysian'.I am not sure they understand the questionaire bcos the first one involved faith,ethnicity and nationality respectively.Anyway, i am wondering why they think like that in the first place.
ReplyDeleteI wonder why the pakistanis, hispanic, korean etc i met in US are proud to declare they are American.They were proud to show me their 'Green card'too.However,people here prefer to be identified by race.
ReplyDeleteThe 1957 "psyche" exist thru the reaffirmation of the ethnicaly based component parties of the Barisan Nasional like - UMNO, MCA, MIC, & in the case of Pakat an, PAS & others. Although multiracial in its makeup, the Barisan Nasional coalition camouflages this essential issue. The ethnic divide within the parties itself becomes more pronounced when mixed with religious affliations, which has no place in a contemporary secular political arena. Political parties should practise an inclusive ethnic membership as opposed to exclusive ethnic membership. As long as this underlying situation exist, the 1957 "psche" will continue to exist. Regards M
ReplyDeletedream to bring national unity up to acceptable standard is lifelong effort i think... each of us according to our respective race tend to put aside of everything that we consider is not part of our pure culture...a chinese is yet to accept his malay friend praying in the room that both are sharing and the Malay also still talk propesterousl thing when their indian or chinese friend doing their ritual, well even it is never done openly, yet it still present in heart,and this has been long occuring and we actually try to hide our feeling that in an open surrounding that we live together, we still feel uncomfortable to each other.
ReplyDelete