Intro2jr2014 [International Exchange]

Week 2

Malaysian As a Family

There is no definite answer on what being a Malaysians means to me. For me, it is a collective idea of the various things that happens in the life of all these people who regard themselves as Malaysians. Being Malaysian is not something that is on the surface such as officially regarded as the permanent resident or holding the Malaysian passport. It is a bundle of many things such as culture, thoughts, behavior, stereotyping. If we only had one aspect of things to define what being Malaysian is, it would be a very bland topic to discuss what 'Malaysian' would be about. Whenever a Malaysian is asked what the special thing is about Malaysia that sets it apart from other countries it will most probably be either of these two answers which is the diverse culture, or the food.

I grew up with a bunch of friends from different ethnicity, races, and religion. In the screenshot above is my old friends since school days. (PS: almost 16 years of friendship and still counting) We came along through bitter sweet, share things together and tease each other even though we were far apart now. Hmmm, talk about food, there is always a yummy thinking in my head about their parent's cooking, rendang, laksa,ketupat with satay, thosai, banana leaf rice, just to name a few during Deepavali and Hari Raya. This is what makes me feel like a Malaysia.

                                                                 satay with ketupat

                                                                     banana leaf rice

                                                                                laksa

                                                                            rendang

                                                                           thosai

'Malaysian' to me, is to face the difficulties of trying to overcome the harmony that we all claim that we have. Discrimination is the problem. It is true that the Bumiputera’s were promised to have special rights as it was one of the conditions when Malaya wanted to merge countries. Personally, I would understand them as nobody likes having to share things that you have always thought to be yours with others who you have no relations with. Why do minority of them still feel the hate and develop the urge to discriminate other races such as in the controversial case" Orang Cina Balik China"(Chinese go back to China) and "Apa lagi Cina Mahu"( What else does the Chinese want).

This brings me to the idea of how being a Malaysian to me, would mean to forget the fact that we are different. Although we are from different roots but we should be seen as the same family. Just like how beans can have red bean, black beans or even green beans but they are all still beans anyway. For example, all Malaysian act as one to cheer for Datuk Lee Chong Wei, the country’s and word’s no.1 badminton player  during the recent Thomas Cup. Despite that he is a Chinese but he is significantly being recognized by Malaysia.

I believe there is no right or wrong when it comes to opinions. In my opinion, we need to understand, give chances and have a little more faith in our own country and that’s what makes us a real Malaysian.