THE MALAYSIAN DILEMMA -- HAPPY BIRTHDAY STILL!

DESIDERATA launched a National Day Project titled THE WRITE CHALLENGE: The Malaysian Dilemma, on August 2, 2005.In inviting my EsteemedReaders to take part, I had expressed the aim "that this project was planned to consist of a Series of Essays to discuss or ruminate, and to highlight, on the various challenges and issues of importance and of potential flashpoints facing Our Country. Malaysia will soon reach the age of 48, not very old to be dismissed as incapable of reform, neither too young to continue to be coddled on crutches.

Malaysia reallly needs to stand tall and be Independent. Malaysians reallly need to aspire towards Towering status. We all need to stand up and be counted."


DESIDERATA is deeply honoured by GUEST BLOGGER LATIFAHAIDA ABDUL LATIFF in flagging off a cooperative endeavour of a SERIES of SIX or SEVEN ESSAYS in the run-up to the 48th birthday of OUR COUNTRY – NEGARAKU. This series with the main theme of THE MALAYSIAN DILEMMA gives an opportunity to my welcome guests here who volunteered to take part – regardless of ethnicity, creed, class, or gender and age –to my invitation to think about some issues they feel concern, and care for, as each and everyone, Desi believes, wants Pak Lah to succeed in his mission to create a nation of TOWERING MALAYSIANS.

So this bright Friday morning a 26-year-old professional, LATIFAHAIDA, also known as Mitochondria, and hosting her own weblog (http://sukungoreng.blogspot.com) , shares with fellow Malaysians this sincere Greeting, looking through her youthful lens:

HAPPY 48TH BIRTHDAY MALAYSIA!

Six days from today, Malaysia will celebrate her official 48th year of independence. Forty-eight years ago, our forefathers looked forward to the magical date - 31 August 1957 - to celebrate their victory in fighting for the motherland, their rights to dictate the future of this blessed soil and the freedom to uphold the sovereignty of this country. But 48 years later the magical date has lost some of its charm, 31 August has become just another public holiday with lots of concerts, and the true meaning of ‘Merdeka’ has mostly been buried along with the heroes from those days…forgotten and unimportant.

To be honest, I do not really feel the spirit of Merdeka. Maybe because I had never experienced the difficulty and the agony of the people in that era, I just learnt all that from text books and from my father’s experiences. I’m sad to admit that 31 August every year has become just another public holiday for me, longer time in bed and more time for TV. But if there’s one thing that I look forward during Merdeka celebration is the multi-cultural performance. I like to be reminded of the harmonious multi-ethnic nation I’m living in.

Race issue has become an integral part in the development of this country. If we look back during the time of the British occupancy, the British were very smart. They have brought in the Chinese from China to work in the mining industry and Indians from India to work in the estates in Malaya. From my point of view, this was to create polarization in the country. The Chinese had grown economically strong, while the Malays had powerful force in politics, a formula deliberately created by British to form a divergence in the society which will ultimately lead to a more sensitive issue – Race. In view of the uneven distribution of the economic wealth and political power between Malays and Chinese prior to Merdeka, one of the conditions given by British before ‘releasing’ Malaya is that there will not be any disorder between the major races, failing which there will be no independence. I guess the British never had thought that their plans will backfire when the Malays and Chinese agreed to find a solution to the uneven distribution and decided that it’s time for the British to go. As such, the social contract was born where the Malays will surrender some of their political power and the Chinese will help their Malay friends to gain economic strength.

Unfortunately, the noble idea of a social contract had been used over and over again by politicians for their own personal victory. Every time a ‘race’ issue was brought up, I become very worried. The recent New Economic Policy (NEP) issue is a perfect example. To paraphrase a professor from UIA: ‘”The cultural stability despite the multi-ethnic groups in Malaysia is not because of our full understanding of the other ethnic groups. But the stability was based on a perfect tension. It’s like when you play the guitar, each of the guitar strings needs to be on a right tension so it can create the desired sound. That’s how it is in Malaysia. The tension was created so each race in Malaysia would have the chance to show their full potential.” Honestly, my 26 years old brain do not understand why do these politicians need to add more pressure to the already intense ‘guitar string’ since too much tension might cause the ‘guitar string’ to snap.

It is sad that four decades after the independence, we are still unable to free our mind. We are still making decisions based on our race, the politicians’ manifesto will fight for the wellness of only their own race, people will vote for leaders from their own race, employers refuse to employ candidates not from their own race. We have become very selfish and overlook the fact that Malaysia was not built by only the Malays or the Chinese or the Indians, but it was a joint force from these three major races. We are still unable to see Malaysians beyond the colour of our skin. Everyday in the train on my way home from work, I notice that schoolchildren will hang around people from their own race. Malays will flock around Malays, Chinese will hang around with other Chinese, and Indians will also be among themselves. This thing also happens in the public university where most students prefer to mix with just their own race. Be it in the lecture hall, cafeteria, library or the dormitories.

I still remember when I was in the University, I specifically requested not to be put in one room with other Malays, well at least one of my roommates has to be from a different race. Not that I hate my own race, but it was because I looked at it as my only chance to learn about their culture and all of them had become my good friends. I celebrate Chinese New Year and throw mandarin oranges during Chap Goh Meh, I learn to wear saree and help my Indian friends to cook the sweet rice during ‘Ponggal’ and my friends definitely enjoy watching wayang kulit and fasting with me during Ramadhan. I was glad I made that request ‘coz between me and my friends, the only thing that reminded us of our race was our name.

If I have one wish for this coming National Day, I would wish that we can free our mind and embrace the rich culture that we have. The government agenda should not only streamline on development of only a certain race in the name of ‘patriotism’ and distribution of wealth has to be fair and equal. I think the race issue is one of the enormous challenges faced by the people in this country and definitely an issue that need to be looked at more seriously so we can prosper not as Malays or Chinese or Indians, but as Malaysian.

-mitochondria-
22 August 2005



DESIDERATA: Ribuan-ribuan terima kasih to a YoungMalaysia who bears the Torch of Hope for the future Malaysia. At the outset, I wish to reiterate the dictum I have adopted for discussions at Desi’s Place:

“I may disagree with what you say but I will defend, to the death, your right to say it.” – VOLTAIRE

Our discourse shall proceed with civility and a rational mind, motivated by the common aspiration to build a United and Towering Nation of OUR COUNTRY – OUR MALAYSIA. Over the next five or six days, one writer will each day explore the same subject THE MALAYSIAN DILEMMA with his/her own sub-theme. SO COME BACK FOR MORE, TO CHECK OUT WHAT OUR YOUNGONES, and that not-so-young, but still YOUNG-AT-HEART, have to say on OUR MALAYSIA in facing the challenging times ahead.

Readers are now invited to address the issues raised by Mitochondria – one of our future leaders – and engage in conversations with her, for the above is her proud effort. Desi will just play host – offering all visitors the famous HariDas' Teh Tarik – and will join the conversations once a while when appropriate.

ENJOY!