AUGUST 31 is the day that we celebrate our independence from the British. It is somewhat prudent to note that it is only Malaya that achieved independence then. So in reality, the country that we know as Malaysia is not 60 years old, it is only Peninsular Malaysia, or the old Malaya that is 60 years old.

As the people of this country, we are made of many colours, creeds, cultures and beliefs. While much has been said about the lack of unity, I beg to differ. I believe the fact that most of us make an effort to understand each other and to respect each other and to accept each other as equals, despite the many differences, is one of the things that I hold dear to my heart as being Malaysian.

Despite the many times that we see or hear politicians and attention seekers trying to point out the differences in our racial and religious makeup and to say that we need to protect the rights of certain races, I do not think this is the reality on ground level. Most of us are patriotic and despite our racial differences, we all consider ourselves Malaysian first. We would have to be for we were all born in this country. It is ludicrous for anyone to ask the Chinese to “Balik China” or “Balik Tongsan” or for that matter to ask the Indians to Balik India, or for anyone to be asked to Balik Anywhere.

If we really choose to look at the differences, are we really all that different from one another? Whatever religion we may be, we all believe that there is a God and that we are supposed to do good in life. For those without religion, the basic tenet is to do good. So really, is there such a big difference?

This is our country and we are all very proud to be Malaysian. This fact was seen in the recent Sea Games and also at any sporting event that Malaysia takes part in. I suppose it is true that sport unites a nation. Perhaps it is time that the politicians, to stop the racial vitriol and rancor and instead take a stand against any racist comments and punish those that spew such hatred.

Food is another uniting factor for when it comes to food, we all tend to eat the same thing and there is so much good food to be eaten in this country. There is nothing more quintessentially Malaysian than nasi lemak and it is not uncommon to see Malaysians from all walks of life indulging in nasi lemak for breakfast, lunch and sometimes even dinner.  

I find it heartening to see school children eating and drinking together, often sharing the same utensils, plates and cups. Sure, we have seen instances where this is frowned upon by certain authorities and moves made to segregate utensils. However, I firmly believe these are isolated cases and is in no way a reflection of the true Malaysia.

Another favourite is of course the banana leaf meal where almost everyone eats with their hands and almost everyone, regardless of their culture, knows the tradition of folding the leaf toward you at the end of the meal. I myself was caught out when I remarked to a friend of Chinese heritage after he folded the leaf toward him at the end of the meal.

“Wow, Kenny,” I said, “You also know how to fold the leave huh.”

“Ya lor,” Kenny replied. “I’m Malaysian mah. You think what? I dunno the Indian customs is it? I want to come back here and eat some more BLM”

“Don’t tell me you don’t know about sticking chopsticks in your rice bowl?” Kenny went on to say. “Damn pantang wei!”

Fortunately, I did know about that particular taboo and we spent time discussing the various food taboos of each culture over a cup of teh tarik. We also discussed how almost everyone speaks a smattering of Tamil and Hokkien or Cantonese, even if it’s just enough to order food,  in addition to fluency in Bahasa Malaysia and English, and that episode just solidified my belief that most Malaysians from all walks of life understand, accept and appreciate each other.

The sad thing is that regardless of how Malaysian we all feel, the powers that be insist on placing us into racial and religious buckets or categories. This is a form of forced segregation and you cannot help but feel that this causes a lack of unity. Almost every form that you fill out from the time you are born demands that you are categorised by your race. This cannot be good for the country and it is long overdue that this kind of racial segregation be abolished. It is also time that the powers that be take action against individuals that play the racial card to cause disharmony and distrust among Malaysians. We are all too aware that this happens and it is high time that it is nipped in the bud.

Finally, another example in unity is my experience at a Ramly Burger stall just the other day. All the patrons at the stall were busy “sembang” with one another. We were chatting to the stall operator about how his business was doing and we were busy cracking jokes and laughing with one another. Everyone was calling each other abang, regardless of the fact that our ages probably spanned 20 years.

As I left, I said to the Stall operator, “Raya Haji nak dekat ni bang. Selamat Hari Raya Haji.”

“Thanks bang. And Happy Independence day. Selamat Merdeka bang”

There was a loud chorus of Selamat Merdeka from everyone present and that cemented the fact that in reality we are united as a people. Regardless of our skin colour and our beliefs, we realise that deep down we are not that different after all.

No matter what the politicians try to tell us, we are one and we all proudly stand together as Malaysians.

Happy Merdeka to all my fellow Malaysians! – August 31, 2017.

* Dharm Navaratnam reads The Malaysian Insight.

* 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.