JACKY Lawan of Kuching, Sarawak (main pic) has just returned from Dubai after a brief visit.
“Some 60 years ago, Dubai was only a desert, but today, the desert has become one of the most advanced places that I have visited,” she said. “There is no place like Dubai.”
Her visit to Dubai has opened her eyes. “Here, they do not play people’s sentiments. Their R&R is ‘Rest and Recreation’, not ‘Race and Religion’. I see that Malaysia is more Islamic than Dubai,” said the daughter of Sarawak. “I do not see girls wearing the hijab in Dubai.”
Dubai, according to Jacky, is “also VERY SAFE.” Her deliberate use of the capital letters is to emphasise what she cannot help but compare both countries.
Malaysia and Dubai are both oil-producing countries. While Dubai was once a desert area, Malaysia is rich with its natural resources, yet poverty has not been eradicated despite RM22 bil being spent over the years.
“This place is almost perfect,” she added. “I feel that Malaysia has nothing to offer to tourists except maybe the food.”
For this reason, the 52-year-old who has never experienced the May 13 incident expressed hopes that politicians and their operatives stop spinning every single incident or issue to play on racial and religious sentiments.
“Instead of developing Malaysia and keeping our nation safe for all citizens, the leaders misappropriate the money,” she said, citing that the crime rate in Dubai is very low. “This is why I find it hard to trust our leaders unless they are sincerely helping us.”
Race and religion have often been blended together with strong political rhetoric that drive up people’s sentiments. For this reason, in some states, the Sultans have ordered that politicians are banned from speaking in mosques.
However, more needs to be done. It is now the people who have to dictate the narrative, not politicians. If politicians continue to misbehave and play on racial and religious sentiments, they should be voted out.
As we have seen, Malaysians are generally very friendly to each other. The same spirit of national ‘togetherness’ is still intact in Jacky’s pristine political atmosphere in Sarawak.
A visit to Sarawak – and for the matter, even the smaller towns in West Malaysia – will show us what true Malaysians are like. People of all races and religions can sit down together for a meal together.
One of our editorial staff remarked: “I was surprised when I visited a well-known traditional Chinese restaurant in Kuala Kubu Baru. There was a table with about 10 government officers seated for a meal together.”
In the 82-year-old Restoran Kopi Hai Peng, locals from different ethnicities, including Malays could be seen seated around.
In the three R’s which includes Royalty, there needs be a stronger tolerance of each other. The wall that separates us as fellow Malaysians should be broken down as we esteem other races as ‘above’ our own.
The deliberate rift between East and Malaysia should also be mended so that East Malaysians feel this is also their country.
It takes each of us to make the first move. Several years ago, a Perpaduan Buffet@Kampung was mooted by a journalist friend of ours to then women, family and community development minister but the idea went straight into the black hole and never seen light at the end of the tunnel.
Yet, true urban Malaysians crave for the delicious lauk kampung prepared by single mothers and the older lady folks. This would give them a good source of income while creating national unity. Perhaps, Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri would like to pick up the idea, no?
Even Tourism Minister, Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing can leverage this Perpaduan Buffet@Kampung events to boost local tourism while enticing foreign tourists to join in. Many of them will be mesmerised with the Rendang Curry cooked by Makcik Samiah, Rabiah and Kak Salmah (fictitious names).
There is so much we can learn from each other when we are together as one nation. – May 10, 2023
Other prior articles in the “unity” series:
The collapse, collapse, collapse mantra that PN is capitalising on
Unity gov’t solid and strong despite chants of impending collapse
Man of the hour: Is Anwar’s anti-graft drive just a fad or a necessity in Madani Malaysia?
Never idolise any leader, Anwar included
Remembering May 13 and what it was not
