True Malaysians will always be united

IF you have ever watched a Spider-man movie, you would be familiar with the quote “With great power comes great responsibility.” And indeed if you want to test a man’s character, give him power.

Luckily for Malaysia, our leaders and public figures be it past and present, given power performed admirably with responsibilities.

Malaysian prime ministers, from Tunku Abdul Rahman to Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, have held the fort with aplomb, guiding Malaysians of different backgrounds with racial harmony as the pillar of the nation’s strength.

Malaysia public figures should lead via example. They should consider the feelings of all citizens. They should talk with dignity and responsibility. And most importantly, they should step down gracefully when the time comes.

In a nation where different races and religions mingle together, public figures should really consider all races’ feelings before speaking out. Their words carry weight, and their words could either instil national harmony in citizens or racial hatred among us.

A notable figure who abused his power and stirred racial controversy is a prominent judge who was reported as saying that the Malays had fought for independence to free the country but the non-Malays had fought for independence to safeguard their interests after independence.

What purpose can such an allegation serve? Non-Malays will be angry and Malays will feel betrayed by their non-Malay friends.

Where was this man when the three great leaders of the nation, namely Tunku Abdul Rahman, Tun Tan Cheng Lock and Tun V.T. Sambanthan negotiated for independence 57 years ago?

The independence of Malaysia was secured based on the strength of racial harmony. In 1954, Tunku led a delegation to London to seek independence for then Malaya. That trip proved to be unsuccessful. The British were reluctant to grant independence, using the excuse that there needed to be evidence that the different races in Malaya were able to work together, live together and cooperate before independence could be obtained.

Later in 1955, Tunku, along with Tun Tan Cheng Lock and Tun V. T. Sambanthan, made a trip to London to negotiate Malayan independence, and 31 August 1957 was decided as the date. The rest is history.

What about those times during the Japanese Occupation between 1941 and 1942?

Didn’t all races shed blood for the country? Didn’t all races sacrifice for the nation?

Luckily for Malaysia, most Malaysians regardless of race, have the maturity to forget about outrageous allegations and focus on the words from the ones that truly matter.

One of Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak’s Merdeka Day messages was to “strengthen the solidarity of Malaysians, including unity in grief, in the face of challenges and tests”. Let’s pass this message around, whisper it to friends and neighbours.

Let’s roll back the years and remember our the Tunku’s last National Day speech as Prime Minister in 1970.

In that speech, one year after the 1969 racial riots, the Tunku urged all Malaysians to “never, never forget” the incident, that he called “a social and mental earthquake – one that shook us to the core” and that “we must NEVER, NEVER forget”. And the quote from him which I remember best: “No matter what we are, we are all Malaysians”.

Every person reading this article has friends from different racial backgrounds. Thinking of races in terms in stereotypes saddens me. 

Let’s not stereotype Malaysians by their race and religion. Let’s live together harmoniously and not get stuck by racially-dividing statements. Let’s condemn people who came up with such statements. Let’s protect Malaysia, our land our country.

With Malaysia Day coming up on 16th let’s never forget what our first Prime Minister said. No matter what we are, we are all Malaysians.

Happy Malaysia Day, Malaysians.

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