MALAYSIANS, particularly Peninsular Malaysians, celebrate Merdeka (now called National Day) on August 31st, an important event that is supposed to remind them of the day then Malaya rid itself of British colonial rule and, in turn, became an independent country.
That was 67 years ago, and since then the people’s right to self-determination has brought about socioeconomic progress that has improved the living standards of a large segment of Malaysians.
In this regard, one could think of the rise of urbanisation and industrialisation, the many schools, colleges and universities, clinics and hospitals, the tolled highways that run through the length and breadth of the country, and the many skyscrapers and condominiums that have changed the urban landscapes, to name but a few.
But that’s only one aspect of the bigger picture.
It is, however, unfortunate that there are still stains of the colonial rule that seem difficult to wash off, the impact of which is felt in contemporary Malaysia by many ordinary people of various ethnic, religious, and cultural backgrounds.
In particular, a united nation that was dreamt of by our forefathers has not been fully attained, while some would even contend that the goal has become worryingly elusive over the years.
The policy of divide and rule pursued by the colonial British, which had been lambasted by our political leaders in the past, has taken on an indigenous form.
Elements that polarise our multiethnic society manifest themselves in various degrees and forms. These can be found in, among other things, education, business, housing, the divisive politics of race and religion, and unequal application of the rule of law.
Why, even in this day and age, a certain government hospital, for example, still insists on patients revealing their ethnic and religious backgrounds on their registration forms. It is as if a patient would stand a better chance of surviving from a serious illness if he or she is of a certain ethnic origin.
In other words, a difference in ethnicity and religion becomes an important marker for some people and institutions instead of an indication to celebrate our commonalities in diversity.
Indeed, these harsh realities are nothing new for many Malaysians. But just because they have become commonplace doesn’t necessarily mean that we ought to ignore them.
If anything, it is feared that not addressing this issue of social divisiveness from time to time may pose the danger of normalising it as if it is not wrong and unjust. It strains ethnic relations.
That is why it is disturbing that certain quarters in our society still feel that it is impractical, if not politically suicidal, if a political party, whose survival depends on the support of its ethnic demographics, chooses not to exploit race and religion.
For instance, Umno vice-president Khaled Nordin recently argued that making use of race and religion for the sake of gaining support among certain demographics was an outdated political strategy.
He said this presumably bearing in mind that rival Perikatan Nasional (PN) employs its unwavering strategy of winning the hearts and minds of the Malay-Muslim community, much to the chagrin of many non-Malays.
source https://www.themalaysianinsight.com/s/487153
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