In a blink of eye, tomorrow it is the 53th National Day of our country. '1Malaysia Transforming the Nation' will be the theme for the celebration this year. When this concept was first introduced by Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak, it created a big question mark on the people's head.
The slogan of this concept is "People First, Performance Now". Does it mean that Malaysia would like to achieve national unity and community development at the same time? It is not impossible but it has been 53 years of independence and yet we still have not fully achieved the national unity. What is the point of having magnificent skyscrapers and modern infrastructure built in our country if the people do not have the same mindset?
Until today I was still disturbed by the news - the principal who disallowed non-Malay students to have their meals in school during the fasting month, and sarcastically promoting Air Asia's air ticket so that the students could go back to their home countries. I do not think this is necessary because MALAYSIA is our home country! There was actually a fan page in Facebook to support the act of this principal. I got really upset by this when I saw all the races were fighting in the page. Don't you think fighting over racial issues is tiring? =/
Below is a very good article written by the great granddaughter of Tunku Abdul Rahman, Sharyn Lisa Shufiyan. A very well expressed opinion of how all Malaysians should be treated.
Sharyn Lisa Shufiyan, 24, Conservationist
Both my parents are Malay. My mum's heritage includes Chinese, Thai and Arab, while my dad is Minangkabau. Due to my skin colour, I am often mistaken for a Chinese.
I'm happy that I don't have the typical Malay look but I do get annoyed when people call me Ah Moi or ask me straight up "Are you Chinese or Malay?"
Like, why does it matter? Before I used to answer "Malay" but now I'm trying to consciously answer Malaysian instead.
There's this incident from primary school that I remember till today. Someone told me that I will be called last during Judgement Day because I don't have a Muslim name. Of course, I was scared then but now that I'm older, I realise that a name is just a name. It doesn't define you as a good or bad person and there is definitely no such thing as a Muslim name. You can be named Rashid or Ali and still be a Christian.
I've heard of the 1Malaysia concept, but I think we don't need to be told to be united. We've come such a long way that it should already be embedded in our hearts and minds that we are united. Unfortunately, you can still see racial discrimination and polarisation. There is still this ethno-centric view that the Malays are the dominant group and their rights must be protected, and non Malays are forever the outsiders.
For the concept to succeed, I think the government should stop with the race politics. It's tiring, really. We grew up with application forms asking us to tick our race. We should stop painting a negative image of the other races, stop thinking about 'us' and 'them' and focus on 'we', 'our' and 'Malaysians'.
No one should be made uncomfortable in their own home. A dear Chinese friend of mine said to me once, "I don't feel patriotic because I am not made to feel like Malaysia is my home, and I don't feel an affinity to China because I have never lived there.
I know some baby Nyonya friends who can trace their lineage back hundreds of years. I'm a fourth generation Malaysian. If I am Bumiputra, why can't they be, too? Clearly I have issues with the term.
I think the main reason why we still can't achieve total unity is because of this 'Malay rights' concept. I'd rather 'Malay rights' be replaced by human rights. So unless we get rid of this Bumiputra status, or reform our views and policies on rights, we will never achieve unity.
For my merdeka wish, I'd like for Malaysians to have more voice, to be respected and heard. I wish that the government would uphold the true essence of parliamentary democracy. I wish for the people to no longer fear and discriminate against each other, to see that we are one and the same.
I wish that Malaysia would truly live up to the tourism spin of Malaysia truly Asia. Malaysians to lead - whatever their ethnic background. Only ONE NATIONALITY MALAYSIAN. No Malays, No Chinese, No Indians - ONLY MALAYSIANS. Choose whatever religion one is comfortable with.
MERDEKA
MERDEKA
MERDEKA
That is the end of her article. Tunku Abdul Rahman has the reason to be proud of her.
Anyway, Happy 53th National Day and enjoy your holiday peeps! =D
The slogan of this concept is "People First, Performance Now". Does it mean that Malaysia would like to achieve national unity and community development at the same time? It is not impossible but it has been 53 years of independence and yet we still have not fully achieved the national unity. What is the point of having magnificent skyscrapers and modern infrastructure built in our country if the people do not have the same mindset?
Until today I was still disturbed by the news - the principal who disallowed non-Malay students to have their meals in school during the fasting month, and sarcastically promoting Air Asia's air ticket so that the students could go back to their home countries. I do not think this is necessary because MALAYSIA is our home country! There was actually a fan page in Facebook to support the act of this principal. I got really upset by this when I saw all the races were fighting in the page. Don't you think fighting over racial issues is tiring? =/
Below is a very good article written by the great granddaughter of Tunku Abdul Rahman, Sharyn Lisa Shufiyan. A very well expressed opinion of how all Malaysians should be treated.
Sharyn Lisa Shufiyan, 24, Conservationist
Both my parents are Malay. My mum's heritage includes Chinese, Thai and Arab, while my dad is Minangkabau. Due to my skin colour, I am often mistaken for a Chinese.
I'm happy that I don't have the typical Malay look but I do get annoyed when people call me Ah Moi or ask me straight up "Are you Chinese or Malay?"
Like, why does it matter? Before I used to answer "Malay" but now I'm trying to consciously answer Malaysian instead.
There's this incident from primary school that I remember till today. Someone told me that I will be called last during Judgement Day because I don't have a Muslim name. Of course, I was scared then but now that I'm older, I realise that a name is just a name. It doesn't define you as a good or bad person and there is definitely no such thing as a Muslim name. You can be named Rashid or Ali and still be a Christian.
I've heard of the 1Malaysia concept, but I think we don't need to be told to be united. We've come such a long way that it should already be embedded in our hearts and minds that we are united. Unfortunately, you can still see racial discrimination and polarisation. There is still this ethno-centric view that the Malays are the dominant group and their rights must be protected, and non Malays are forever the outsiders.
For the concept to succeed, I think the government should stop with the race politics. It's tiring, really. We grew up with application forms asking us to tick our race. We should stop painting a negative image of the other races, stop thinking about 'us' and 'them' and focus on 'we', 'our' and 'Malaysians'.
No one should be made uncomfortable in their own home. A dear Chinese friend of mine said to me once, "I don't feel patriotic because I am not made to feel like Malaysia is my home, and I don't feel an affinity to China because I have never lived there.
I know some baby Nyonya friends who can trace their lineage back hundreds of years. I'm a fourth generation Malaysian. If I am Bumiputra, why can't they be, too? Clearly I have issues with the term.
I think the main reason why we still can't achieve total unity is because of this 'Malay rights' concept. I'd rather 'Malay rights' be replaced by human rights. So unless we get rid of this Bumiputra status, or reform our views and policies on rights, we will never achieve unity.
For my merdeka wish, I'd like for Malaysians to have more voice, to be respected and heard. I wish that the government would uphold the true essence of parliamentary democracy. I wish for the people to no longer fear and discriminate against each other, to see that we are one and the same.
I wish that Malaysia would truly live up to the tourism spin of Malaysia truly Asia. Malaysians to lead - whatever their ethnic background. Only ONE NATIONALITY MALAYSIAN. No Malays, No Chinese, No Indians - ONLY MALAYSIANS. Choose whatever religion one is comfortable with.
MERDEKA
MERDEKA
MERDEKA
That is the end of her article. Tunku Abdul Rahman has the reason to be proud of her.
Anyway, Happy 53th National Day and enjoy your holiday peeps! =D
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