AUG 28 — The Oxford Dictionary defines ‘Foreigner’ as: “A person born in or coming from a country other than one’s own.”

There has been increasing attention to ‘Foreigners’ in the press recently, some positive, some negative. I am a foreigner, at least here in Malaysia where I happily reside. If I go to England (my father’s birth country) or to Brazil (my and my mother’s birth country) I am not a foreigner, since both of these are my ‘own’ countries. However, since I have spent the greater part of my life living outside of these two countries, the Oxford criteria of “one’s own” becomes a little shaky.

In fact, we are all foreigners. The minute we step outside of our ‘own’ country, we become a ‘foreigner’. Do we change and undergo some form of transformation? Not immediately. Live long enough in any country other than ‘one’s own’ and most people take on at least some of the habits, views and condition of the host country. Most people are grateful for that.

There are those who staunchly try and hang on to every single part of their ‘own’ culture and behaviour, no matter where they are. That can work, but most often does not. The British tried that when they had an empire, and look what happened to them. This of course includes the simple and more obvious characteristics of ‘one’s own’ country, such as the food and the dress. Travellers who eat only at restaurants that serve their country’s food rather than try the ‘local’ food, for example Brits in their eternal search for warm beer and fish and chips are examples. That is Ok, but they are missing out on what could be a very tasty experience that they could enjoy.

Indian ladies wearing a sari during a cold European winter is also OK. This is usually the dress that they are comfortable in as a matter of personal choice, or northern Europeans wearing a suit and tie in the hot and humid tropics, when most around them have long abandoned the tie, is also OK. This is a personal choice. Sometimes this can be offensive to the ‘locals’, such as skimpy clothing in a predominantly Muslim country or overtly wearing yellow or gold in Thailand, where such colours are reserved for the king. Mostly this is due to ignorance of local custom and culture, and can be easily and politely corrected.

The human family has developed as a result of the glorious mix of races, cultures, beliefs and behaviour. Had we all stayed closely confined within geographic boundaries around ‘our own’ country, civilisation would not have evolved, and we would today be a primitive people, by modern standards.

A recent newspaper commentary from a respected writer complained that his favourite char koay teow stall, for years operated by a Chinese woman, now has two Indonesian men doing the cooking, and that the char koay teow “ is never the same again”. He used this as an indication that the foreign ‘invasion’ is getting out of hand, and should be checked. He writes also that having Thais here to cook Tom Yam is OK, because without them, there would be no good Tom Yam. Agree. So should we instead of banning foreigners, just ensure that they only cook their ‘own’ dishes? Thus only the French are allowed to cook French food and only Italians allowed to prepare pizza? What about ‘fusion’ cuisine? This could get complicated.

I have lived in 10 different countries in my life, and in 8 of these I was a ‘foreigner’. I had a wonderful time in each and received, learnt, benefited and grew. I have settled in Malaysia after a 30 year association with this country. I have a Malaysian wife. I love living here, amongst many different races and cultures, which have come together as ‘Malaysian’, a rich and wonderful tapestry of all that is good and bad in each. I don’t feel like a foreigner here.

The other day a man came to do some work in my house. He is a Malaysian of Chinese origin, with a Thai wife working beside him. He speaks Cantonese, English and Malay, she speaks Thai, English and Malay. They talk to each other as man and wife in English or Malay, since the wife doesn’t speak Cantonese and the husband doesn’t speak Thai. They have a 6-year old daughter, who speaks fluently in Malay, Thai, Cantonese and English. Awesome!

Over one million Malaysian’s live outside of Malaysia, ‘foreigners’ living in ‘a country other than ‘one’s own.’ Some have traded their Malaysian passports for those of their host country and that is OK, their personal choice. They have mostly been welcomed and assimilated by their host country, as Malaysia has traditionally welcomed and assimilated guests who chose to come here.

So by all means, lament the loss of a favourite Char Kway Teoh stall and find one that is as good as the old one irrespective of the nationality of the cook. Eat Tom Yam prepared by real Thais, or by whoever is able to make a decent Tom Yam whatever their nationality.

There cannot be unlimited and open borders to the point where ‘foreigners’ completely overrun a country’s society, culture and economy. That would truly be an invasion. Malaysia is nowhere near that point, nor will it ever likely be, in my opinion, as the current immigration laws appear to work pretty well. Instead let us all embrace our diversity and continue Malaysia’s wonderful tradition of a welcoming multicultural and multi ethnic society, an example to the world.

* This is the personal opinion of the writer and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail Online.