Salam Saudara - Saudari

Last night, I had dinner at a Malay café which was located in the compound of the owner’s home. We were seated right infront of the main door of the house. The owner was having some kind of prayer session.

Anyway, visitors were coming to the house. As each group came, we noticed the way the younger ones would go up to the older ones to SALAM them, clasping both hands and bringing it to their lips. Now, it is scenes like this that makes me really and truly proud to be Malaysian.

My dinner friends who normally had negative comments on other cultures commented on the scene. She said; “see, the Malay community still keeps this aspect of their culture. So sad that the Chinese have lost this”.

How true it is. In our multi cultural society, instead of harping on the negative, let us pick up on the positive aspects of each other’s culture and make it a part of our own blend of intercultural mix that we shall call Kebudayaan Malaysia – The Truly Malaysian Culture! It is this soft touches that will bring us forward.

Let us forget the racial bias’ness, negative racial comments etc. I pray that our representatives in the House of Parliament will take note of this and start showing some respect. As our MP’s, people look up to you for leadership.

Name callings cannot be accepted especially from our “leaders” and more so, when in the Honourable House. I think our MP’s are actually cowards because they use the immunity shield of the house to call each other names.

I took offence last week when one MP compared the nuisance in the house to the market. If only the MP can “turun padang” and walk around the market. He would notice that our market folks are about the most polite people around. Everyone is either a “leng loi”, “leng chai” abang, kak; you hear no beruk or monyet from them!

It is thus my wish that this short write-up will bring our attention to the greatness and beauty of the multi cultures in our society. Let us stick to the positives aspects and promote them instead of comparing the negative.

MP’s, please do not compare our markets to the rowdiness of the Parliament. Instead, learn from the market and apply them in Parliament. There is absolutely no harm to call your fellow Parliamentarian, even those from the opposite bench, Saudara/saudari. I always find it rather “strange” to call each other YB??

Thank you.