ON the third day of Chinese New Year, I walked past a community mall on my way to dinner. I was intrigued by the results of a colouring contest that had been held to mark the festive season. Children were given the task of colouring in three human figures representing the main ethnic groups of Malaysia. I took a closer look and saw that the figures were fleshed out in skins of various colours.

It would appear one could choose the colour of one’s skin.

Last week the prime minister launched the National Unity Blueprint 2021-2030 comprising three action plans to achieving unity in the Malaysian context within 10 years. These objectives include inculcating unity as a tradition among Malaysians. 

But unity cannot become our blood in a mere 10 years. The meaning of unity per se is often ambiguous and multidimensionally defined. Children are therefore taught to learn about unity via the perspective of disparity and disintegration in terms of ethnicity, from the lens of external resources rather than self-exposure. Textbooks, teachers, parents, medias and society contribute to their cognition of their surroundings. 

Unity can be simultaneously referring to an integration process within a homogenous society as well as a heterogenous society. Malaysia being a multicultural nation, we are certainly aiming for unity in the latter context. Unity is a process. It should be cultivated in diversity and most importantly, it has to be organic. Learning and knowledge absorption is easiest in the early years of growth and development. The first 1,000 days of life is the best time to inculcate acceptance of what is different from us. 

However, instead of allowing children to explore the concepts of diversity and disparity on their own, they are taught to differentiate according to skin colour – unconsciously, of course. As a result, a fragmented idea of unity starts to root in their minds in subtle ways and rots when they enter adulthood. 

The saying that “children don’t hear us, they imitate us” makes a pivotal point here. Unity should be instilled early at home. The parents need to be aware of the language they use to describe others. Through behavioural interpretation, children can easily receive the messages in ways that may not be the best for them.

On the part of the government, efforts towards unity should be inclusive of all parties according to the nation building direction and unity blueprint. With the wide partisan divide over political values, the dual nature of partisan prejudice, and manipulation of racial issues, how can the politicians sow the tradition of unity in diversity among Malaysians?

Before we put unity on a curated blueprint, we should instil the value in our blood, by taking affirmative action to discriminate against bigoted individualistic mindsets. Children should not only be taught to tolerate one another, but to wholeheartedly and naturally accept all differences with empathy and kindness. Older people should learn from history and do not allow the similar mindsets to prevail among the younger generation. It is hard, but shall we begin now? A blueprint does not ensure unity among the rakyat but the people themselves are the blueprint for a bigger unity landscape in this country.

So how about only one colour for all human beings? – February 26, 2021.

*  Iris Ng Pei Yi 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.