Next month, Malaysians will be celebrating 66 years of
officially living side by side, understanding and speaking each other’s mother’s
tongue, and with much relish, tucking in each other’s nasi lemak, banana
leaf rice, and chicken rice.
Yet we continue to come across comments and actions
fractured, to varying degrees, along racial, cultural, and religious lines. Clearly,
our diverse strands of society have huge and long emotional attachments to
traditional attitudes that emphasise differences. I guess, we forget that such
beliefs and behaviours can have unhappy consequences.
Why do these fractures erupt so frequently here?
Let us start by examining our own thoughts, words, and
actions, and fathom our underlying assumptions about each other. Through
introspection and a willingness to challenge our preconceived notions, biases,
and stereotypes, we really should explore the influences that have shaped our
worldviews and recognise that our assumptions and beliefs may perhaps not
always be accurate or complete. And crucially too, to consider the impact of our
own thoughts, words, and actions on others.
Discrimination originates not in the skin but in the
human mind. At the root of all forms of discrimination and intolerance is the
erroneous idea that humankind is somehow composed of separate and distinct
races, peoples, or castes, and that those subgroups innately possess varying
intellectual, moral, and/or physical capacities, which in turn justify
different forms of treatment.
The reality is that there is only the one human race.
We are a single people created from one same substance, inhabiting the planet
Earth, one human family bound together in a common destiny. This reality has become even more evident
because technology has made it possible for us to become conscious of our oneness
and our interdependence.
Particularly for our multi-ethnic, multi-religious
Malaysia, “unity in diversity” paradigm provides the underpinning for a
framework of values, perceptions and actions that prevent the continuation of
the parallel but separate lives led by the various communities that make up our
society. It is within this paradigm of
unity that diversity has its meaning and enriches all our lives. Without unity,
diversity leads to division; without diversity, unity leads to uniformity.
Neither uniformity nor division is characteristic of a healthy society.
It should be said that practising unity is not a mere tolerance
of those considered to be inherently and fundamentally different. True unity requires us to eliminate racism and
prejudices of all forms from our thoughts, our words, and our deeds, and instead,
we uphold our shared values and celebrate our diversity. To attain this level of unity in diversity, there
needs to be transformation of individual, family, community, neighbourhood and
societal perceptions, interactions, and values if we are to have a cohesive
society that will empower us to learn and to leverage on each other’s talents
and capacities for our own good and for the good of all.
By promoting inclusivity in our communities,
workplaces, and social circles, spaces would be created where everyone feels
respected, accepted, and empowered. This requires actively listening to diverse
voices, amplifying marginalised voices, and standing up against discrimination
when we witness it.
Education and awareness play crucial roles in this
process. We should actively seek to learn about different cultures, traditions,
and perspectives, and promote understanding and empathy. By doing so, we can
appreciate the richness that diversity brings to our communities and break down
the barriers that divide us. This may be offered through formal classroom-based
education, but such learning is just as likely to take place in informal
settings in the family, in the playgrounds, in places of worship, and in workplaces.
How nourishing it would be if our young people
of different cultures and faiths have spaces for them to socialise with each
other in an environment of trust and equality of regard, beyond just being
classmates in class or colleagues at work. In these environments, diversity is valued,
not feared, and uniformity not imposed.
Let us remember that each of us has the power to make
a difference through our thoughts, our words, and our deeds. Change begins with
individuals, but it can also be catalysed through collective action. By
supporting organisations and initiatives that champion equality and social
justice, we contribute to creating a more just and inclusive society. Malaysia
would indeed be the ultimate winner when we all appreciate that we are a single
people created from one same substance, inhabiting this beloved tanahair, one
human family bound together in a common destiny.
