AT a recent conference, someone asked me whether Malaysia will ever rid itself of race-based politics. I found myself perplexed. As much as I would have liked to convincingly say “yes”, I found myself hesitating and fumbling for an honest answer.

For more than sixty years, our country has been ruled on racial lines and if I recall my history lessons in school well, the racial cards were laid out clearly on the table even when we were fighting for independence.

In hindsight, many today will say it was an error on the part of our forefathers, but that too can be debated and perhaps never agreed over even when the cows come home.

As much as many Malaysians, myself included, would like to see a quick end to race-based politics in the new Malaysia, it does not take a rocket scientist to know that it is not as easy as it seems. The recent by-election in Cameron Highlands is a sure indication that race-based politicking is very much alive and many people still buy into such ideas. In fact, according to Bersih 2.0 chairman Thomas Fann, the use of race and religion to campaign for votes was certainly offensive and alarming.

So how do we then solve a problem like race-based politics? There are many who say that the way to end race-based politics is to do away with political parties established along racial lines. Is this even possible at this time?

We must admit that many Malaysians still define themselves ethnically, linguistically, culturally, and even gastronomically. These are the elements that bring diversity into Malaysia and there are those who see this as a value.

I still hear people identifying themselves as Malaysian of Indian/Chinese origin and I am not making any judgment here. Giving everyone the benefit of doubt, this is perhaps due to the linguistic, cultural, and gastronomic heritage that most of us carry with us wherever we go, especially when we are within Malaysia. The irony of it all is that the moment we go abroad, the very same people naturally drop their cultural heritage and just identify themselves as Malaysian.

If we are going to rid ourselves of race-based politics, there is nothing that politicians can do to make this happen because the moment they bring this matter up, it becomes yet another issue. Perhaps it is best that politicians stay away from race-based issues because the moment they say or do something, it has a way of unfolding itself into a fiery issue. As we have seen, politicians on either side of the divide will exploit racial vulnerabilities given the slightest opportunity.

The way I see it, if we are to rid ourselves of any form of race-based politics in this new Malaysia, it has to be done by the rakyat. We should start by defining ourselves as Malaysian, not ethnically, and not because we are ashamed of our forefathers. Au contraire, we should be proud of the achievements of our forefathers, who risked everything and came here in search of a better life – and a better life we have indeed! But if we keep dividing ourselves, we will remain divided and politicians will keep this rhetoric because it is to their benefit.

We must start identifying ourselves as Malaysians, period, and not hyphenated Malaysians. Whether in casual conversations or in official forms, let’s begin by making clear that we are the same, in and outside Malaysia. We are Malaysians.

I know there are many who have taken this path, but there are many yet who still are afraid because of what others may think, losing their perks, and there are officials who prevent this from happening. It may be uncomfortable at first for some, but if more and more begin to think alike, then it would become something natural.

It is about time we Malaysians take it into our hands to rewrite the racial narrative towards a Malaysian race – what will define it will be the diversity that we share, which should be our strength rather than our Achilles heel. – February 11, 2019.

* Dr Clarence Devadass is a Catholic priest and director of the Catholic Research Centre in Kuala Lumpur. Moral education is an issue close to his heart. He focuses on paving resourceful ways to promote virtues for living in a multireligious society, for a significant life together.

* This is the opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insight. Article may be edited for brevity and clarity.