GROWING up, my brothers and I had a big collection of miniature plastic animal figurines. We had a variety of them – zoo animals, farm animals, aquatic creatures, insects and even dragons and dinosaurs.

But two animals were always missing from the lot – dogs and pigs.

Like many Muslims in Malaysia, my parents were quite sensitive about having images of dogs and pigs in our home.

I remember once when I brought home a gift from a classmate – a little porcelain mug with an image of a puppy on it – mum gave me the ‘stare’.

“It’s so distasteful,” she commented right before shovelling it into the top shelf of the cabinet, leaving it to collect dust.

Needless to say, a small pig key chain I got as a souvenir from a friend years later also went “missing”.

I never really could understand why the images of pigs and dogs were so frowned upon in my household. I mean, the animals are deemed unclean for us Muslims, yes, but pictures and figurines aren’t real, are they?

My parents’ sensitivity wasn’t limited to the fences of our home.

There were times when dad drove us to grandpa’s house in Georgetown for our weekly visit, he’d remind us to look left when our car went along a certain street – simply because there was a push cart selling pork at the right side of the road.

“Yuck! They should not hang those items like that for everyone to see!” dad repeatedly complained.

Like most kids who enjoy doing the exact opposite of the things they are told not to, I used to glue my nose to the mirror every time the car passed the pork cart, staring away at the non-halal meat dangling by the roadside.

I remember asking dad when I was a bit older, why he frowns upon seeing dogs and pigs when it was only haram for Muslims to consume or to come in contact with it. Dad merely said there was no reason for us wanting to see it either.

I found it very odd to have my dad give such meaningless explanations back then, especially since my dad is a very intelligent man. But I also knew that religious discussions in my home had a limit and debating about it too often may end up in prolonged nags. So I’d always take the easy way out by nodding in agreement and walking away from such conversations.

But time has passed and things are no longer the same today as they were back then.

Living in a Chinese village all these years and witnessing their level of tolerance and understanding in the way we Muslims practice our lifestyle has clearly brought absolute shifts in the way my parents think and perceive things around them.

During Chinese festivals where the temple in our place organises roadside feasts, my Chinese neighbours no longer roast pigs by the roadside like they used to. Today, even displaying the roasted pork on the banquet table includes stacking up rice bags around the pork to avoid the eyes of sensitive Muslims who often use the same street to go about doing their daily business.

In our neighbourhood wet market, although 90% of the sellers and buyers are Chinese, non-halal items are always separated. And even sometimes when new products come in, the sellers are very quick to point out which is halal and which is not.

“Makcik, ini semua orang Islam tak boleh makan punya. Sorry ah, banyak sorry ah.”

When dad rides his motorbike to the surau dressed in his sarong and kopiah, there are always smiles and nods from Chinese folks whom he passes by.

“Mau pigi sembahyang ka?” they’d ask in good gesture.

And not forgetting the countless times mom had to take the trash to the main garbage disposal area only to encounter stray dogs, there is always some Chinese uncles and aunties who would help ensure the dogs do not get too close to mom.

All these incidents have helped re-shape the way my parents perceive things.

Today, my parents are a lot less sensitive than they used to be.

They are no longer bothered about the occasional pork meat hanging by the roadside.

My parents don’t even mind purchasing t-shirts with pictures of puppies for their own grandson.

And mom even occasionally gets into arguments when fellow Muslims she meets at the neighbourhood market criticises about the halalness of the foodstuff sold by the Chinese traders!

I suppose when you are surrounded by so much love and respect, it is only natural to return the same amount of love and respect.

Have a blessed New Year. Gong Xi Fa Chai. – February 15, 2018.

* Fa Abdul is a passionate storyteller and a resident agitator of the idiots in society. Well-known for her straight-talking sarcasm and occasional foul mouth, she juggles between her work as a writer, producer and director.

* 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.