As I sit here sending out Divali greetings on my handphone, I feel so proud to be a Malaysian. In our country, we are exposed to the varied cultures in our communities. Whether or not we fully understand each culture, we nevertheless know a little about the celebration of each culture.
Here in Macau, most would not have an idea at all about the Divali celebration. Forget about any knowledge as to say the Oil Bath Ritual etc when they do not even know of the celebration. We cannot blame them as there are hardly any Indians here.
Nevertheless, as a Malaysian, I feel so proud and indeed so grateful. Understanding and celebrating other cultural celebrations has been a part and puzzle of growing up. And it is this knowledge and experience that has made me sensitive to other cultures and the differences. And it has contributed to making me a better person, (I hope ).
It is on this note, that I am thinking that Malaysia would indeed be a much better place if our children are taught more comprehensively about the various cultures. Teaching just the basics would probably not be enough. We need to teach our children to fully appreciate and understand each culture and religion in order that they can respect the differences. It is thus this respect for the differences of each others culture and religion that will bring Malaysia forward.
Happy Divali.
