THERE is a simple truth about human beings that we often overlook: what a person consistently chooses to speak about, fight for, and amplify tells you far more about who they really are than what they claim to believe.
A person who constantly raises issues that divide, provoke, and isolate is revealing something deeper about themselves. It is not always about the religion they claim to defend or the community they say they represent. More often than not, it is about a deeper inclination towards division itself.
This is an uncomfortable truth, but it is one we must confront honestly. There are individuals who seem perpetually drawn to controversy involving race or religion. Every issue becomes an opportunity to emphasise difference rather than common ground. Every disagreement is framed as a threat. Every narrative is shaped to suggest that “we” are under siege by “them”.
Over time, one must ask: is this really about protecting faith or community? Or is it about nurturing a mindset that thrives on division?
I have always believed that such individuals are not unique to any one country. They exist everywhere. If they were born in another nation, they would behave in exactly the same way – only the labels would change.
In one country, they may champion race. In another, religion. In yet another, nationality or language. The underlying pattern, however, remains constant: the need to divide, to create an “us versus them”, mind set and to position themselves as defenders of that divide.
This is why it is dangerous to take claims at face value without examining behaviour.
A person may be highly educated. They may quote religious texts with precision. They may hold positions of authority or influence. Yet if their consistent output is one of hostility, exclusion, and suspicion, then we must question whether education or religion has truly shaped their character.
Education, in its truest sense, should expand the mind. It should cultivate the ability to understand complexity, appreciate diversity, and engage with others in good faith. Religion, at its core, should elevate the human spirit – encouraging compassion, humility, and a sense of shared humanity.
When both are reduced to tools for division, something has gone fundamentally wrong.
We must also recognise another subtle but important point. Many ordinary citizens are decent, tolerant, and simply trying to live their lives peacefully. They do not seek conflict. They do not wake up looking for reasons to hate others.
However, when divisive voices are repeated often enough – especially by those perceived to be educated or authoritative – they can begin to shape public discourse. Slowly, almost imperceptibly, suspicion replaces trust, and differences become fault lines. This is how societies that are otherwise harmonious can become fractured.
The responsibility, therefore, lies with all of us – not just to reject divisive narratives, but to learn how to recognise them.
We must look beyond the slogans and examine patterns. Does this person consistently bring people together, or do they repeatedly drive them apart? Do they offer solutions that benefit society as a whole, or do they constantly highlight grievances that pit one group against another? Do they speak with a sense of responsibility, or do they inflame emotions without regard for consequences?
These are the questions that matter. It is also important that we do not fall into the trap of responding to division with more division. The answer to toxic behaviour is not to mirror it, but to rise above it with clarity and conviction.
We must reaffirm a simple but powerful principle: that our shared humanity is greater than our differences.
This does not mean ignoring genuine issues or pretending that differences do not exist. It means addressing them with maturity, honesty, and a commitment to coexistence – not exploitation.
Ultimately, the strength of any nation lies not in the loudness of its most extreme voices, but in the quiet resilience of its ordinary citizens. Those who choose understanding over anger, cooperation over conflict, and unity over division are the true builders of society.
The rest, no matter how loudly they speak or how convincingly they dress their arguments, reveal themselves over time. And when they do, we must have the wisdom to see them for who they truly are – not by what they claim, but by what they consistently choose to stand for.
Senior lawyer Dato Sri Dr Jahaberdeen Mohamed Yunoos is the founder and chairman of Yayasan Rapera, an NGO that promotes community-based learning and compassionate thinking among Malaysians. The views expressed here are entirely his own.
