MALAYSIANS are fond of telling the world that we are a multi-racial country.
The fact is, many countries in Europe are much more multi-racial than us, and the greatest diversity is found in the United States.
Some would argue that there are three main races in Malaysia but what purpose does it serve when nationals from China and India are not granted visa exemption for short stays, whereas nationals from 162 countries are given 14 to 90 days stay without visas?
Nationals are easily identified by the passport they carry but how are people distinguished by race?
Throughout the history of civilisation, race was not the most important except in tribal societies, and great religions have spread globally, transcending race, language and culture.
Also, identifying people by race may not mean anything. For example, Indian is not a race to me, and nobody speaks or writes Indian. When I asked some of my friends why they call themselves Indians, the reply they gave was because this was what they were told.
Some of my buddies are pure Tamils but they do not read or write the Tamil language, just as I could hardly read or write Chinese, and speak Mandarin and Chinese dialects poorly.
Local Chinese primary schools are actually Mandarin schools. In Hong Kong at one time, it had only one Mandarin school while the rest were Cantonese.
Therefore, Tamil primary schools were correctly named as it would have been wrong to call them Indian schools.
All of us should be proud of our national language but not many Malaysians have done something noteworthy about it.
Instead of putting down other languages, efforts should be made to promote Bahasa Malaysia (BM) as an Asian language.
There are millions of foreign workers in our country. Why don't we offer BM classes for them and their children if we truly love our national language?
The French have done that globally through their Alliance Francaise to promote the French language and culture.
In 1928, a 23 year-old Irishman arrived in Malaya and was fascinated with the rich Malay culture. He stayed on for another 63 years and Tan Sri Dr Hj Abdul Mubin Sheppard became the historian of Malay culture and heritage par excellence.
Indeed, the richness and diversities of the Malay culture is second to none, enriched through the infusion of Arab, Indian, Chinese and many other Asian cultures and ancestries.
Condemning and stepping over others will not bring any benefit or blessing, and may even turn into a curse, just like money from ill-gotten gains.
All Malaysians are born equally intelligent but grow up differently as a result of our environment and experience.
When members of a family can be different, phoney champions categorising an entire race as good or bad simply defies logic.
Those who are poor, weak, ignorant or illiterate need help regardless of their race, religion, culture or nationality.
Real champions go out of their way to help societies in need, while the phoney ones go about raising emotions and dragging many down a dangerous slope.
YS Chan
Kuala Lumpur
The fact is, many countries in Europe are much more multi-racial than us, and the greatest diversity is found in the United States.
Some would argue that there are three main races in Malaysia but what purpose does it serve when nationals from China and India are not granted visa exemption for short stays, whereas nationals from 162 countries are given 14 to 90 days stay without visas?
Nationals are easily identified by the passport they carry but how are people distinguished by race?
Throughout the history of civilisation, race was not the most important except in tribal societies, and great religions have spread globally, transcending race, language and culture.
Also, identifying people by race may not mean anything. For example, Indian is not a race to me, and nobody speaks or writes Indian. When I asked some of my friends why they call themselves Indians, the reply they gave was because this was what they were told.
Some of my buddies are pure Tamils but they do not read or write the Tamil language, just as I could hardly read or write Chinese, and speak Mandarin and Chinese dialects poorly.
Local Chinese primary schools are actually Mandarin schools. In Hong Kong at one time, it had only one Mandarin school while the rest were Cantonese.
Therefore, Tamil primary schools were correctly named as it would have been wrong to call them Indian schools.
All of us should be proud of our national language but not many Malaysians have done something noteworthy about it.
Instead of putting down other languages, efforts should be made to promote Bahasa Malaysia (BM) as an Asian language.
There are millions of foreign workers in our country. Why don't we offer BM classes for them and their children if we truly love our national language?
The French have done that globally through their Alliance Francaise to promote the French language and culture.
In 1928, a 23 year-old Irishman arrived in Malaya and was fascinated with the rich Malay culture. He stayed on for another 63 years and Tan Sri Dr Hj Abdul Mubin Sheppard became the historian of Malay culture and heritage par excellence.
Indeed, the richness and diversities of the Malay culture is second to none, enriched through the infusion of Arab, Indian, Chinese and many other Asian cultures and ancestries.
Condemning and stepping over others will not bring any benefit or blessing, and may even turn into a curse, just like money from ill-gotten gains.
All Malaysians are born equally intelligent but grow up differently as a result of our environment and experience.
When members of a family can be different, phoney champions categorising an entire race as good or bad simply defies logic.
Those who are poor, weak, ignorant or illiterate need help regardless of their race, religion, culture or nationality.
Real champions go out of their way to help societies in need, while the phoney ones go about raising emotions and dragging many down a dangerous slope.
YS Chan
Kuala Lumpur