SOMETHING is amiss in our beloved land. A climate of hate is spreading like poison, with the racist virus singling out a race or a religion as it pleases.
On Wednesday, a Chinese idol was placed at the main entrance of Surau Sabilul Huda in Port Klang, calculated to rouse the anger of the Muslims.
Understandably, Home Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has promised severe action against the highly provocative act. There have been other such despicable acts before.
Body parts of cows in temples and pigs in mosques. Hate takes many shapes. Even advertising has fallen victim to the venom.
The cacophonous “Chinese only,” “Indian only” and “Malays only” room-to-let ads have acquired the audacity they never had before. Malaysians, it seems, are now freely trumpeting their racism. They think they have arrived. Sadly, they are at a dastardly destination.
This does not augur well for the nation. Division — be it along racial or religious lines — necessarily divides.
Do not get us wrong. We are not advocating a single race or religion. Far from it. One is born into a race, and in it one will remain until one breathes his last.
There is nothing to feel ashamed of in belonging to a particular race. It will be foolish to create a new race just to create a semblance of unity.
Neither sloganeering nor genetic engineering will work. Let’s not disturb what God has clothed us with. The solution lies elsewhere.
The birthplace of unity is in the heart, the seat of compassion.
Love of one human being for another is only possible if we know our place in this universe.
Our proper place, that is.
The first step to this knowledge is to recognise that the Earth is not made for one particular race or religion. The various hues of humankind are a divine hint.
The knowledgeable among us will read the clue. Race is a given.
If one is born a Malay or a Chinese or an Indian, there is nothing one can do about it. Celebrate it. Others should allow the celebration. Shaming one of another race is to get creation all wrong.
This we must know. None of us were born racists. Racism is something we learn.
At home, at school and elsewhere. This we must unlearn. As for religion, it is a matter of choice of the path to salvation. It is a choice of how we want to live here to prepare for the hereafter. No one should quarrel about this.
To each, his religion.
Put broadly, to each his race, his religion. Placing an idol or animal parts in places of worship does not alter this reality.
On the contrary, it shows how low the perpetrators had stooped.
There is obviously some anger among some people.
Unfortunately, it runs along racial or religious lines. History may have failed some, but there is no need to carry this hostility across time. It destroys the one who hosts this hatred and the people around him.
Old odium must be buried. Hate has no place in New Malaysia.