I WAS watching video footage of Kuala Lumpur recorded probably  sometime in the early 1960s. Watching the video, I beamed with pride reflecting on what we have achieved together in just 62 years of gaining independence from the British.

From just a backward nation, toiling together as a diverse family we have achieved respect as a regional socio-economic powerhouse. Kudos to our forefathers who worked hard laying a strong foundation from which we could continue building upon. It is now our responsibility to leave something which is even more solid for generations to carry on from. Due to our collective hard work, today, we enjoy a quality of life comparable to that of developed nations.

What facilitated this success was our willingness to coexist in peace and harmony, guided by the Federal Constitution, except for the ugly chapter of the May 13 racial riots, which, unfortunately, still sticks out like a sore thumb. The May 13 chapter, perhaps, reinforces a powerful message that intolerance can shatter years of collective hard work in an instant.

Since our nation’s political landscape began to alter from the 12th General Election, any untoward incident involving people of different race and or religion is immediately manipulated to incite racial conflict, sadly supported by some irresponsible politicians who crave to score very cheap brownie points. The situation has become worse after the 14th General Election, a historic event which was seen as a beacon of hope by many.

It is scary when reading comments on social media platforms that completely disregard interracial sensitivity and compassion, holding the entire nation at ransom. We are looking at each other as enemies. We openly rundown each other without remorse. 

While interventions from the right individuals have diffused tensions, unfortunately the level of hatred demonstrated towards each other is dangerous. The current reality is that we are taking our political stability, which is our most valuable asset for granted. Without political stability everything collapses in an instance, and I wonder if these selfish instigators even realise this! 

It is high time that our government and politicians recognize the fact that our unity is deteriorating and act to safeguard it. Immediate start would be to enact laws to criminalize hate speech and this must include race and religious insults. Hate if unchecked overtime will trigger violence, and if this happens it will be too late.

Racial polarisation is the biggest hindrance to achieving a unified Malaysia but we have entrusted political leaders and administrative institutions to effectively deal with this. As such, people who walk the corridors of power must act decisively to address the current realities before we reach a point of no return.

Commendable leadership in a country like ours cannot be judged on mega infrastructure development alone, but it must be rated on how successfully racial integration is realised as well.

Happy Independence Day.

* Darshan Singh Dhillon 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.