Breaking barriers: The little-known path to unity in Malaysia

The secret to embracing our shared Malaysian-ness lies in fighting for the rights of those from backgrounds different from ours

DR WONG SOAK KOON/ALIRAN

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By Ch’ng Chin Yeow

Is Malaysia able to move away from ‘tribalism’ defined by race and religion and unite everyone into a single Malaysian ‘tribe’ based on universal human rights, democracy and justice?

Is the nation able to make everyone in Malaysia truly proud to be part of it?

‘Tribe Malaysia’ means we need to be proud of our Malaysian-ness.

For a start, people in Malaysia will surely feel prouder if scandals, both political and religious, are no longer front-page news.

Only when the government and politicians have the political will to stamp out the culture of corruption will the low-income segment no longer remain disadvantaged.

This will reduce the opportunity for some politicians to use race and religion to manipulate the people along communal lines.

Corruption is the problem – not race or religion.

Our cultural diversity is our true strength and identity; Malaysia is truly Asia, as the “Cuti-Cuti Malaysia” slogan goes.

The reality is that the most powerful voices in the fight for any victims are the voices of those who are not the victims.

In the case of Israel’s genocide against the Palestinians, the voices of people who are not Palestinian or Muslim are most powerful. These voices have come from Jews who oppose Zionism and other non-Muslims from around the world, including non-Muslims in Malaysia.

Within Malaysia, the most powerful voices are those who fight for the human rights of others – meaning, ethnic Malays fighting for the rights of minorities, and ethnic minorities fighting for the rights of disadvantaged Malays.

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More people need to view issues from the lens of our common Malaysian-ness instead of the lens of race and religion. The way people in Malaysia of diverse backgrounds have come together to support the Palestinian cause proves this is possible.

After all, all functioning societies are expected to practise these universal values as a bare minimum.

Ch’ng Chin Yeow, an Aliran reader based in Penang, has an interest in many issues and subjects, including history, mineralogy and human behaviour.

The views expressed in Aliran's media statements and the NGO statements we have endorsed reflect Aliran's official stand. Views and opinions expressed in other pieces published here do not necessarily reflect Aliran's official position.
AGENDA RAKYAT - Lima perkara utama
  1. Tegakkan maruah serta kualiti kehidupan rakyat
  2. Galakkan pembangunan saksama, lestari serta tangani krisis alam sekitar
  3. Raikan kerencaman dan keterangkuman
  4. Selamatkan demokrasi dan angkatkan keluhuran undang-undang
  5. Lawan rasuah dan kronisme
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