SEPTEMBER 17 — On Monday, I had a blown-out tyre while driving to work but fortunately I was close to a petrol station. Then while I was changing it to the spare, a stranger approached and offered to help. He was Chinese.
When we were done I thanked him and apologised for taking away his precious time, on a Monday morning no less, but he waved it away with a smile. Then I filled up on petrol—might as well—and the pump attendant, a foreigner, asked if I paid the Chinese guy.
“Oh no, he was just helping,” I said.
“Oh, kawan ya (friend is it),” said the pump attendant.
Driving to a nearby workshop after that, I found myself pondering what the vocal racists we keep hearing from in the media might think about the whole thing. And then I wondered: what’s so strange about one Malaysian helping another Malaysian?
Celebrating the 51st birthday of Malaysia this week, there are many things we should be thankful for. Most of us have jobs, we don’t have armed insurgents roaming the streets and we don’t have bombs falling out of the sky to kill us.
But it is troubling, at a place in the heart that is deep and dark, to think about the things we are still talking about more than half a century after the Malaysia Agreement.
In 2014, we are still arguing about repealing an Act that was enacted by colonialists during colonial times that was aimed at curbing opposition to colonial rule. Worse, some of us are arguing that we need to keep the Act in order to progress.
In 2014, we are still asking for the long overdue review of the Malaysia Agreement, delayed by more than 40 years now, to be restarted. Worse, some of us have given up, talking about Sabah and Sarawak seceding instead.
In 2014, we are fighting leaks in the national examination system. Worse, the leaks were for an examination that is for by 12-year-olds, who can progress to secondary school regardless of how they do in the examination.
In 2014, we are still arguing about what is seditious and what is not. Worse, even informed opinion, legal facts and straight reporting is suspected as sedition these days.
These things, and more, sound like things that we should have resolved for good long ago. More than 50 years in, shouldn’t we be preoccupied with bigger, more important issues on our way to becoming a developed nation?
In 2014 we should be talking about our stateless, our homeless, our poor. Better yet, we should be finding ways to feed them, clothe them and help them stand as part of our society.
In 2014 we should be talking about managing urban migration. Better yet, we should be finding the right balance in de-centralising growth away from the capital to some extent so that a better future doesn’t necessarily have to mean moving to the big cities to find better-paying work.
In 2014 we should be talking about the problem of sugar. Better yet, we should be finding ways to wean ourselves from our sugar addiction and halt the increase in diabetic cases.
In 2014, we should be talking about encouraging Malaysians to voice their opinions openly without fear. Better yet, the politicians should be made to listen so that they know what the people they supposedly represent really think.
At present these larger issues and more are, sadly, only talked about by small pockets of Malaysia. That won’t be enough to drive our progress as a society.
If only we can resolve the petty things for good, then we can move on, upgrade our national conversation and find better things to worry about as a collective society.
* This is the personal opinion of the columnist.
