Do you, remember?

I write this for my fellow Malaysians residing overseas or plan to reside overseas and do not intend to go back home. Please have a read. It's simple and short, but I know the message can be delivered.

Do you remember the first time you cried for something painful, the first time you cried for something joyful, your first hug, your first best friend, or even your first "it's going to be ok"?

Here's my answer. I do not remember. But you know what? I remember the times I cried for something painful. I remembered the times I cried for something joyful. I remember getting hugs from my family and friends. I remember all my best friends. And through all the miseries that I have gone through in my life, I remember hearing the words, "it's going to be ok".

Do you remember the feeling when you first enter primary school? Do you remember the feeling when you made your first friend there? Do you remember how it feels going home, telling your mom and dad how was school?

I remember I was scared of school. I remember pulling my mom's shirt and hid behind her back. I remember her smile, telling me "it's going to be ok". And under the shy and scared nature I portrayed physically, deep within myself, I remember how happy I was, to finally go to school. I don't remember my first friend there, but I remember who my friends were. I remember how it felt, going home telling my mom what I did in school. I remember how it felt, telling my dad which girl I thought was cute too.

Do you remember jumping into the river, and bathe in the cool gentle water under the hot blazing sun? Do you remember the first time you flew a kite, and had troubles with it? Do you remember the last time you went out with a friend, untill 2am in the morning, just to have supper?

I remember jumping into many cool gentle rivers, under many hot blazing suns, and would not come out until my mom shouts at me to. I remember struggling on how to fly the kite, and my dad told me, "不要紧 (it's going to be ok)", took out his fishing rod, and taught me how to fly it. I do not remember the last time I went out until 2am in the morning, just to have supper, because I remember, there were too many a time that I have done so.

Do you remember how you first cycled, fell down, and bled? Do you remember when, on those very hot afternoons, you go out and ask the pak cik,"Bang, cendol satu"? Do you remember on rainy days, when you were stuck outside and under the rain, with no umbrella or shelter nearby?

I remember falling down many times. I remember crying out loudly, and my neighbour took me in and gave me sweets to cheer me up. I remember after school, I will go to the front gate and meet my pak cik, and buy a bag of cendol to quench my thirst. I remember, many times when I was walking outside and it started to rain, I ran, and just kept running, telling myself, it's going to be ok.

These are my memories and feelings that grew from home. And basically, what I want to share, is that overtime as we grow older, we slowly forget these feelings and need to be reminded once in awhile. Overtime as we grow older, we start to run away from our feelings because the grass is greener on the other side. And overtime as we grow older, we start to ignore our feelings, and pursue more important things for our future.

But you know what? It's ok. It's going to be ok. If you can feel the way I feel, start asking yourselves. Do you remember home? Ask yourselves, do you remember your identity? And more importantly, ask yourselves. Do you, remember, Malaysia?

http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/sideviews/article/do-you-remember-clement-ting/

Not all Malays are to be blamed. Learn to stop accusing all of them.

"Perempuan Cina pelacur semua!" (All female Chinese are prostitutes)

"Pengkhianat negara, China DAN Malaysia" (Traitors! To both China and Malaysia)

"Cina komunis bangsat!" (Damn you Chinese communists!)

"Chauvinist!"

etc

How do you feel? Disturbed? False accusation? Petrified? Anger?

These are the common insults that we Chinese in Malaysia are given. Similarly, from the Chinese,

"Balik kampung la babi" (Go back to the village pigs!)

"Malas! Bodoh! Tak guna! Tak boleh harap!" (Lazy! Stupid! Useless! Unreliable!)

etc

Linking the 2 insults together, you'll see that none of these are applicable to you (for the MAJORITY of you, actually). Heck, most of these people that threw insults at the Chinese do not even know the meaning of chauvinist. They just use it because everybody is using it, and they just follow suit. Similarly, does the Malay bear any resemblance to pigs?

Most of the Chinese will say yes, because Malays are all lazy, dirty and useless.

But here's what you Chinese do not know. They are NOT ALL lazy, dirty and useless. Only some. Similarly, NOT ALL Chinese are prostitutes, traitors, communists and/or chauvinist!

The insults that put race as the SOLE contributing factor are purely unjustified. There are Malays that are capable in standing on their feet. Look at Anwar Ibrahim, he's a Malay. I do not know about the evil deeds that he has committed in the past, but having been sacked as the deputy PM, sent to jail, and rose back up to political power AND managed to strengthen the bonds between DAP and PAS (2 extremists that virtually cannot co-exist) is clearly not something the average man on the street could do.

How many of you ever have any friends of a different race, that can share, joke and laugh with you? There must at least be one in your life. If s/he can do these things with you, will you ever insult them for being their-own-negatively-portrayed-kind?

What I am trying to say here, is that not everyone is at fault for something that their race has portrayed negatively and strongly towards the public. We have to stop cursing each other, because these are just not who we are!

In fact, the Malays are already beginning to accept Chinese into their community. Compare today and 10 (or 20) years ago, although the racial tension was low, it was mainly because we merely tolerated, and we NEVER accepted. Today, racial tension is high, but you'll be surprise, we are getting more and more ACCEPTED. There are generally more cooperation between difference races in Malaysia today than last time. The racial tension is high only because the media, controlled by the government shares false news and accusations. Only pro-UMNO (or Umnoputras) will buy that and start causing more havoc around our neighbourhood!

For example, the dragging of the cow in front of the Hindu Temple in KL. That's not the Malays' fault! it's those Umnoputras fault!

Another example, the burning of churches. Hey, please-la...it's really obvious who's behind these ok.

To conclude, STOP accusing Malays! If you do, you are no different from Umnoputras because you, too are increasing racial tension. Again, not all Malay behaves that negatively! And no one likes to be insulted for who they are not. I know it's tough to suddenly just change your hatred. I admit that I too behave that way as well even today to a certain extent. But I am trying my best, and I hope we all can too, try out best, to stop segregating our brothers and sisters in Malaysia for being different.