JULY 26 — Although the offensive “buka puasa” greeting and a school’s controversial move of making non-Muslim students eat in changing rooms are two isolated incidents, they have indeed highlighted a fact that must be of concern to all Malaysians, namely we seem to lack understanding about different races and religions, as well as the sense to respect them.
They are two regrettable cases. In addition to giving warnings or imposing appropriate penalties on the offenders, it is more important for the whole society to reflect. Other than condemning the repetition of similar incidents, we should also repeatedly emphasise the spirit of indiscriminate love, and spread mutual respect and tolerance to each and every person.
Indiscriminate love is a common spirit of all religions. It requires believers to love themselves, their parents as well as siblings, while removing family, racial, cultural and religious barriers to pursue equal tolerance without borders. In other words, we should treat all people as our loved ones, getting along with them peacefully and friendly, while respecting them, to achieve a truly peaceful, loving and joyful world.
It is inevitable to have disagreements and differences among different races or even among different divisions of a religion. However, they should be accepted and mutual respect is the principle of acceptance, instead of rejection.
Unfortunately, under the manipulation of some people after the general election, our society has been caught in a racial and religious quagmire where inappropriate remarks and acts could be found everywhere, covering the eyes and hearts of many people. A wall seems to have been built among different races and religions. They do not understand and agree with one another, even more frightening, some even refuse to understand and reject differences.
It is definitely not a good sign, but an ominous sign of latent crises for a multiracial, multicultural and multi-religious country. It is because the lack of understanding could be solved through communication but the refusal to understand and the rejection of differences are the start for creating hatred.
The offensive “buka puasa” greeting and a school’s controversial move of making non-Muslim students eat in changing rooms are two mirrors reflecting a weakness, namely although Malaysians with different racial and religious backgrounds have been living in peace for a long time, we still lack deep understanding and mutual respect.
On the surface, Malaysia is a harmonious multiracial and multi-religious country, impressing even many foreigners who have praised the country as a model for the world. In fact, no one knows better than us that our love, peace and harmony are actually maintained on the basis of superficial tolerance and mutual non-interference. Essentially, we lack deep understanding among one and another, as well as mutual respect.
The recent controversial incidents are indeed regrettable. However, they have also reminded us that we cannot maintain racial and religious relations based only on superficial tolerance and mutual non-interference. Instead, it must be maintained through sincere understanding and mutual respect to truly achieve steady and permanent harmony.
We are not unaware of the truth and we all agree that dialogues and interactions can help in eliminating stereotypes. We know that highlighting values like sincerity and goodness can help communities of different religious groups to work together and create a better society. Also, we deeply understand that the world can be made more peaceful only if we spread respect, tolerance and the spirit of indiscriminate love to each and every person.
The problem is, in addition to talking big, how much efforts have been made by the government to curb splits and confrontation and have we ever taken even a small step to understand our friends with different racial and religious backgrounds? — mysinchew.com
* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malay Mail Online.
