Racial, religious divides will only set us back - Malaysiakini
- From: pluto <pluto@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 24 Jan 2006 17:56:34 +0800
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Racial, religious divides will only set us back - Malaysiakini
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Racial, religious divides will only set us back
JD Lovrenciear Jan 24, 06 3:15pm
The on-going issues relating to the Malaysian constitution are not the sole
result of one citizen's death. Sadly, after almost 50 years of
self-governance, we are still muddling with matters that we could have
overcome. Where then is the root of the problem?
Talk to the man in the street and one would be baffled why the ordinary
citizen's sense of goodwill and Malaysian mindset is not reflected in the
rhetoric of politicians and those who claim to be the guardians of our
constitutional rights.
Everyday we read of clarion calls by various politicians reminding the
populace of the need to show greater tolerance between the races. We hear
of politicians even daring an apocalyptical reminder that we must be
mindful of the sensitivity surrounding religion and race.
But talk to any makcik, amma, or tai sum at the marketplace and they will,
without batting an eyelid, frown at what all the fuss is about. The harmony
and acceptance of one other despite our origins was never an issue with us,
the ordinary folk who form the bulk of the population.
Yet, here today we are rallying to the fore the differences between us.
Politicians largely seem to be echoing the dichotomy between the races and
their religious beliefs when they should be riding on the unique bond that
exists at the ground level.
The mantra of 'divide and rule' is not going to work in this age of
technology, communication and globalisation. This, unfortunately is not
acceptable to many an elected leader in politics. Cynics and skeptics will
also be quick to barge in with the line 'This is not Utopia'.
Perhaps it is time to take the bull by the horns. To begin with here are
some bold ideas that politicians and leaders with conviction should revisit
and reflect with a clear conscience and without self-interest:
* The need for a paradigm shift in the way we think, engineer and steer our
political party frameworks.
* The need to stop harping on and conjuring the perception that race and
religion are 'sensitive' issues and need to be 'tackled' differently.
* The need to recognise that more and more of our younger population are
coming back home with the ability to see each other as persons who are
Malaysians irrespective of their ethnicity or religious beliefs.
* The need to recognise that this nation can only survive the battle of the
21st century with all of us building on our strengths as Malaysians and not
by marginalising each other along racial perceptions.
The need to go back to history to re-discover how we earned our
independence. Our united nation then - despite the British dividing and
ruling - was our anchor as we withstood the Japanese invasion and the
communist insurgency.
Hopefully, as Malaysians with foresight, insight and conviction rally
behind our present prime minister, God willing, we will come out of this
muddled way thinking and political seizures to emerge as a model nation to
the world for harmony.
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