Disclaimer: In Real Life is a platform for everyday people to share their experiences and voices. All articles are personal stories and do not necessarily echo In Real Life’s sentiments.
As a 19-year-old, a first-time voter, I finally understand Malaysia.
Having studied at a government school for 11 years, we have been taught to respect each other regardless of race and religion to prevent the recurrence of what happened on May 13 (racial riots).
[Image taken by one of the authors, Armani]
Whenever they went to war, he ensured his people didn’t harm women, children, and the occupied people’s places of worship.
They had gone to war because it wasn’t aligned with Islamic teachings, where they were hurting other people, and their rights had been taken away. There was no love from the leader.
Source: Omar Elsharawy on Pexels.com
His teaching is simple and is the same as other religions, LOVE.
Love is the main thing that makes us human or even living beings. That was the only topic I was interested in studying, and ever since then, he had my respect, although I was on the path of a different religion.
Yet the big people play the race card – now it’s the religious cards.
Aren’t adults supposed to be role models for us, youngsters, like we’ve learnt in school? As someone with Malay, Chinese and Indian ancestry, I feel embarrassed for those who called us Pendatang and sad for those who were attacked by the statement.
On paper, we’re considered Malaysians, but it doesn’t feel like we’re welcomed.
Can’t we be united like when we sing Jalur Gemilang on Hari Merdeka, when we praise our food or compare how we’re still better than Singapore? Why break when we can be united?
While I was a student, I thought Malaysia was a paradise to live in.
Why are the teachers still teaching us to respect and love every race?
Shouldn’t we know that by now, after going through the pain of colonization by the Portuguese, Dutch, British and Japanese and achieving independence with leaders of different races and religions, naming Tunku Abdul Rahman, Tun Tan Chen Lock and Tun VT Sanbanthan?
Source: Walter Nash on Flickr.com
“This election made me realize that the Malaysia I once thought and envisioned was apparently an unachievable dream.”
Source: Natasya Alias on Pexels.com
Race is just a label of our ancestry, and religion is supposed to be a personal path to achieve personal happiness and contentment in this lifetime while we’re human in this world.
Why are we involving it in politics? To get votes?
What a petty way to do so.
If all parties stop condemning each other, stop playing with the race and religion card and focus on your manifesto.
Stop being greedy and be a true leader. Then, the Rakyat can start trusting you again. Because of this tactic that has been used for decades, people are suffering.
“This feels like the British colonization era when they conquered and divided the races because it was easier to rule when everyone was disunited.”
But what to do, life moves on, and we can only hope for the best.
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