FORMER premier Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s comment on the usage of chopsticks has been blown out of proportion and politicised without full comprehension of the remark, said Parti Pejuang Tanah Air (Pejuang).
According to Pejuang information chief Ulya Aqamah Husamudin, the remark was not intended to offend any Malaysian.
“It was a response to whether or not Malaysia should take the extreme route to assimilate similar to Indonesia,” he pointed out.
“The analogy was brought up to show examples of how it’s different in Malaysia because Malaysians very much define and associate themselves with their original roots.
“The real issue we should take from the comment is how ready are we to assimilate as a nation working together without bringing the Malay Malaysian, Chinese Malaysian, Indian Malaysian, and other sentiments.
“Instead, just define ourselves with one single Malaysian narrative without having to go through the extremities that other countries have gone through.”
Ulya went on to note that the real issue is the readiness of people to assimilate as a nation working regardless of race or ethnicity, and as long as barriers are being drawn, the struggle to unite races and the people will be far from becoming reality.
“This is all because we still define ourselves based on our race instead of as a Malaysian,” he added.
Ulya also said this was the “bitter truth” that needs to be addressed.
“The topic may be a taboo, but if we don’t address it, we will be in denial. The discourse should happen to ensure a better future for the nation,” he remarked.
During the launch of his new book, “Capturing Hope: The Struggle Continues for a New Malaysia” on Sunday (Dec 12), Dr Mahathir had referred to the continued use of chopsticks by the Chinese community here.
“The Chinese eat with chopsticks, they don’t eat with their hands. They have not adopted the Malaysian way of eating food.
“They retained the chopstick, which is an identity from China, not Malaysia, and many other things,” he said, adding that some Malaysians clinging to their ancestral roots only divides rather than unifies the people. – Dec 14, 2021
