In the company of true Malaysians

The columnist finds patriotism and unity among a group of like-minded people from all races and faiths who come together effortlessly to do good works.

I HAVE attended so many Rotary Club events to give speeches and lectures or participate in forums that I’ve lost track of the number.

Since my days as an academic at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia in Johor, I have had the pleasure of meeting many great Malaysians in Rotary Clubs.

I have never been a Rotarian myself, and I am still not a member. I do not feel it is important for me to be a member; I think it is more important for me to support the Rotarians and the good work they do.

When I speak at Rotarian events, I always begin with something along the lines of this: “Thank you, ladies and gentlemen of the Rotary Club, for ­inviting me to speak tonight. I always find great peace and a surge of inspiring hope whenever I attend a Rotary event.

“I do not feel like this at other events, only in the presence of great Rotarians whom I consider the best Malaysians in our nation.

“You will never find as many great Malaysians in places like Parliament or even houses of worship as you would among Rotarians.

“Here, people of all faiths, all races and all cultures come together to share their experiences and expertise, to pool their resources and talents to help build a better world by helping the needy or building bridges among communities.

“And you Rotarians do this without any government aid that I know of, using only your own ways and means. For me, there is no greater spirituality than what Rotarians do and what you have become to each other. Syabas Rotarians, I salute you and your works and pray for the blessing of God on you for all time.”

I don’t say all this to praise, and I am not merely gushing compliments at my hosts. To me, the words roll out effortlessly from the heart just by being in the ­presence of Rotarians at their events.

I always look for true Malaysians, and over 20 years, again and again, I find them not in political parties, academic ­circles or religious associations but among Rotarians.

I have had a 40-year career in universities, both private and public, but, so far, I have yet to find my idea of what comprises true humanity and a proper Malaysian among these circles.

I have spent almost the same amount of time with Islamic reform groups and movements, but I still find it difficult to find among them the peace and spirituality I seek.

Yet I find such ideals easily within the group of Malays, Chinese, Indians, Sikhs and others that make up Rotary Clubs, and they’re all always rushing here and there, smiling, and extending a helping hand.

Thus, to me, Rotary Clubs are a microcosm of my ideal Malaysia and true humanity.

When I hear politicians calling for the unity of a certain race or religion, I always ask, what about the unity of Malaysians and the unity of all humanity?

Why do we let these politicians call for the unity of one race and one religion without questioning them?

If I were ever the Home Minister, I would make a law that said no one is allowed to form a political party based on race or religion. Why would you want to divide up the people like that?

While our politicians seem to struggle with the concept, Rotarians have for decades been pulling people of all races and faiths together effortlessly and doing so much good while doing so. And they do it without a ­billion-ringgit budget or an inflated staff.

Politicians are supposed to make sure the poor are aided and given opportunities to improve their lives, but I wonder how many people are actually helped when I hear of money secreted away in offshore accounts or used to buy Rolexes.

The Rotarians, on the other hand, have sent hundreds of poor boys and girls on the journey to build their dream careers over the years without taxing the ­people, using only their connections and the generosity of friends and businesses.

Come to think about it, ­perhaps we should let the Rotarians run the country so we won’t be ­burdened by the falseness of political parties proclaiming empty rhetoric about patriotism, the motherland, and spirituality.

Recently, at an event organised by Rotary Clubs, I delivered a talk on youth and peace-building to a group of 40-plus young people from all over Asean.

This was an international event, bringing together diverse young people to talk about building bridges between communities.

To me, the intention behind the event felt purer than any political ideology and broader than any academic lecture. This is what politics is supposed to be for, and that is what the administration of a nation should look like.

After almost half a century immersed in thoughts about ­education, history and politics, when I leave this world, I would like to leave it with memories of the time I spent with my family and with Rotarians.

Prof Dr Mohd Tajuddin Mohd Rasdi is Professor of Architecture at the Tan Sri Omar Centre for Science, Technology and Innovation Policy Studies at UCSI University.

The views expressed here are entirely the writer’s own.