When he hears the racist call to shed the blood of this group or that, or the claims that one group is supreme over others, or has more rights, he asks, if not of the racist speaker, at least of himself :
‘Are we not all human? What is the rationale for this class or group discrimination? Different colour? Different culture? Different religion? Some were here before the others and therefore are more superior? The larger in number are the mightier? Can these factors justify these discriminations?’
This is the mind of anak Bangsa Malaysia.
In his mind, all this does not seem right.
The hate-language continues to play on the mind of anak Bangsa Malaysia.
He is greatly burdened by this talk of blood-spilling, by this ‘us and them’, ‘do not like it, get out’, ‘this is our land,your fathers were migrants’, ‘we gave you citizenship’ talk.
‘These are my people. Yes, all of them. No, not just my clan. All of them. They are my brothers and my sisters. Why would you want to hurt them? How can I just watch as you deny their children what my children have? I love their children as I love my own. Ignore their hunger because they are not of my race, of my faith? What God would have me do that? Not my God. No, I will not let you hurt them. They are my people. I love my people. Yes, all of them. Yes, even you. Please, please stop saying these things. It hurts my people and it hurts me.”
No, this is not the mind of anak Bangsa Malaysia.
This is his heart.
sharleen
August 30, 2007
haris ur in BBC la..
sharleen,
Not me, lah. i look younger. that guy looked so old.
Ronlek.
August 30, 2007
Yes, truly said and indeed it saddens me. As a parent, how will one likes it watching the children fighting and hurting each other. I bet no decent parent will want to watch his children firghting and hurting each other to the extent of shedding blood.
If we look at the colour of our blood, be one a malay, chinese, indian or others, what is the colour?
If we look at our bones, what is the colour?
If we look at our flesh, what is the colour?
When we die, what happens to the corpse?
Only the deluded will have a different answer, and if we analyse the situation, I am quite sure that the majority will conclude that our delusions sre created by GREED. Yes, “GREED”, greed for fame, fortune and most destructive of all….power.
I sincerely hope and pray that we will all have a better tomorrow, if not for ourselves, at least for the generations to come.
Peace to all my fellow countrymen….WE ARE MALAYSIANS!!!
MERDEKA…MERDEKA…MERDEKA…MERDEKA…MERDEKA…MERDEKA…MERDEKA.
Avtaran
August 30, 2007
The racists and bigots are the obvious ones, politicians and power hungry psychos. Then there are the ordinary people (of various educational backgrounds)who genuinely think their race and/or religion is ACTUALLY SUPERIOR and THE RIGHT ONE!
The stupid notion that one religion is superior and the right one is what is killing us. People who actually subscribe to this irrational thinking need to be educated. I mean can anyone prove their religion is the correct one? The answer is NO. That is why it is called a ‘belief’, duh. So why get into this mindset? Why brand others has non believers or pagans? Why cause such feelings of hurt?
Malaysians need to think. Something that many of us have not been doing for a long time (if at all). We need to face up to the fact that we have to address the basics:
-The lack of courtesy and manners towards others
-The lack of ‘principles’ in our lives
-To Stop teaching our young to bribe the police when they get a summons
-To be willing to stand up for our rights
Think about it, if we do not reflect on our ugly side, how can we go forward? Shouting slogans alone is not going to get us any where.
Through common courtesy and manners we can engage in civilised dialogue. Through principles we build moral strength and character. We can than tackle the corruption that eminates from us. And actually have the courage to stand up for our rights.
Let’s make a conscious effort to enable us to be the agents of positive change. No one wants to address their own shortcomings. But if we are serious about all we read and write here than lets together take stock of our own weakness and overcome them.
Selamat Hari Merdeka! Semoga rakyat hidup bersatu sebagai bangsa Malaysia.
Paul Warren
August 30, 2007
When our MAS stewardesses once were being harrassed by a bunch of drunken Ukrainian sailors 38,000 feet up, my anger welled up. They were two Malay girls. Me an Indian. Felt the need to be with them as they seemed all alone having to deal with them. I joined them. Had two teas. Not that I needed it. Could see those drunken guys were not necessarily too happy that I was standing around. But never mind. They were our girls. I felt the need to be there. Hope they were glad! I know they felt a little relieved!
puvanan
August 31, 2007
Well said Haris! Your words remind me of what Tunku said 50 years ago – We are first and foremost, Malaysians!
Everything else comes second.
farida
September 1, 2007
Can I take this one step further? The MIND and HEART and ACTS of Anak Bangsa Malaysia.
Unless our thoughts and feelings translate into actions, we will still be in our psychological cocoons.
Paul, you have given us an example of what it means to translate Mind and Heart into Action. Standing by your sisters in their time of need and acting even when they did not call for help! You saw their distress and you rose to the challenge. That’s really something.
If each of us consciously went forth in our daily lives to live our transformed minds and hearts through practical application, we’d win the hardened hearts and the unwon minds and we’d change the social and political landscape of this nation.
Avtaran said we must address the basics, the first of which is courtesy and manners towards others. How true! There is so much of rudeness going around in this country that even foreign tourists write in about it.
We can be agents of positive change but we must begin with ourselves. Let there be at least ONE act per day by each of us, Anak Bangsa Malaysia – an act of courtesy or an act of kindness or an act of mercy, compassion, generosity.
Love is all the above and even more. Yes, love is tangible. Love is demonstrable. Love is the gentlest and most powerful act in the universe.
So let us begin.
And let us share our stories of each day when we touched an untouched life, not as a boast but as an encouragement to others to do the same and as a celebration of life together as Anak Bangsa Malaysia.