JULY 21 — When people say that I am brave for writing the things that I write, I say "thank you” but I don’t really know what they mean. Fear is an unfamiliar emotion to me.

It could be because my father died from cancer when I was 16. When your loved one dies and you somehow manage to pull through, then you feel like you can handle anything. Because nothing can be worse than a loved one leaving you forever. 

So when it comes to talking about the state of the nation, especially about race and religion, I just say what’s on my mind. Because I believe that we should just be honest about what we think.

It’s only when we’re honest with each other, when we dare to confront our own shortcomings and prejudices, that the nation will be able to heal and come together as one.

Honesty is a rare quality in Malaysia.

Politicians lie to us all the time, whether they’re from the opposition or from the government.

They talk a lot about disunity and race and religious issues, but they don’t offer any real solutions.

They just give us platitudes.

They either endorse racism and some might say, fascism, or they lack the courage to declare that they will abolish race-based policies. They pander instead, implying that Malaysians are generally racist and care more for the ethnicity or faith of their "wakil rakyat”, rather than about policies like healthcare, security or education.

But I don’t believe that Malaysians are racist.

I don’t believe that Malaysians will only vote for someone who looks like them.

And I don’t believe that Malaysians are content with the stale old politics that both sides have to offer.

We want to live in a country where we are judged not by the colour of our skin, but by what we stand for.

We yearn for equality.

We want to be treated with respect.

The concept of equality is fundamental to society’s progress and development. It is only when we embrace equality, when we can look each other in the eye and honestly say: "I am no better than you”, that we can start to bridge divisions.

These seemingly wide divisions, the "us-vs-them” mentality and the lingering suspicion and distrust are not impossible to overcome. Sometimes, it does feel that way when yet another racial incident flares up on social media.

We make jokes and memes, but we sometimes wonder if the differences between us are just too big.

But I believe we have more similarities than politicians give us credit for.

Malaysia isn’t divided into conservatives and liberals, Malays and non-Malays, or Muslims and non-Muslims. Malaysia is one great family.

There are conservatives who care for people’s welfare and liberals who are deeply spiritual.

There are Malays who disagree with Bumiputera policies and Chinese who do not support vernacular schools.

There are Muslims who are against expanding Shariah law and non-Muslims who want more moral policymaking.

Malaysia is rich with diversity. We shouldn’t be pigeonholed according to our race or religion because there are so many facets to our character, our values and our principles. If we resist using stereotypes and take the time to understand, truly understand, each other, then we can begin to love our family.

What we do at BEBAS

At BEBAS, we believe that Malaysia can reach her fullest potential when all of us choose to embrace equality as a nation.

It is not easy to fight for equality here. Most of the time, we get angry when our own race suffers discrimination, but we rarely call out oppressors if they are our own people.

Upholding equality means that you and I have to recognise our own privilege. All of us enjoy some form of privilege because of our skin colour. For example, I may easily get a senior-level position in a company in the private sector and climb the ladder, depending on how good I am at my job. But a Malay woman with similar qualifications and skills may not even get her CV looked at.

This is unacceptable.

If we want to fight racism, we cannot turn a blind eye to oppressors from our own race or worse, perpetrate the same injustice on others just because they do the same to us. This is not how we treat our family.

A tit-for-tat is childish and helps no one. We need to get off our high horse and stop looking down on people of another race. We need to give them some goddamn respect.

At BEBAS, we will fight for an Equality Act that outlaws discrimination in the public and private sectors, in employment, education, and service provision.

When it comes to getting a high-paying job, going to a good school, or renting a house, our skin colour shouldn’t matter.

How can we put out racist job ads, deny someone a scholarship, or refuse to rent a home to someone of a different race? How can we even have different payment options based on race? This is absolutely ridiculous!

Our skin colour and our personal beliefs shouldn’t matter when it comes to education, employment or buying goods and services. Which family we’re born into shouldn’t matter.

No matter who you are, you should have a decent shot at success if you work hard. There should be no other criteria when it comes to achieving our dreams.

If we want the private sector to be the country’s engine of growth, then we must make it illegal for companies to discriminate against workers and prospective employees, whether it’s over their race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, or disability, among other things.

If we want more Malaysians to serve the country, we must give everyone equal opportunities to reach the top in the civil service, so talented and intelligent people can make good policies that benefit the people.

BEBAS plans to work with organisations to conduct diversity and non-discrimination training in the corporate sector and government-linked corporations.

Because faith is personally important to many of us, it’s important that all Malaysians recognise that they have the right to freedom of religion, thought and belief. So BEBAS will launch a series of forums and talks on Article 11 of the Federal Constitution that protects our right to freedom of religion.

We must have the freedom to think for ourselves. No one should be telling us how to think, least of all the government.

Take charge of our own destiny

If we want a progressive society, we must recognise our own prejudices instead of accepting racism and discrimination.

We must take responsibility for our own actions, instead of asking the government to regulate every single part of our life.

We must exercise every single bit of freedom that we have, instead of sacrificing it for so-called national security.

Change will come if we have courage and hope.

I have hope in the future. I have hope in my generation and in the people who come after me. I have hope that we will break our chains of fear, hate and despair.

We do not put our hope in people of power. Politicians are cowardly. That’s why both Barisan Nasional (BN) and Pakatan Harapan refuse to truly eradicate racial politics.

They are stuck in the past. They play us against each other. They retain a broken system and call it "change.”

We are not like them.

You are many, they are few. Politicians and governments do not decide your destiny.

Together, we will rise and take power into our own hands, and build Malaysia in our own vision.

* Boo Su-Lyn, co-founder of BEBAS, delivered a version of this speech at the launch of BEBAS at Kelab Sultan Sulaiman, Kampung Baru, on July 15, 2017.

** This is the personal opinion of the columnist.