We are forced to either integrate, or disintegrate
the riots at the Seafield temple in Subang Jaya, there has been a lot of discussion on social media about unity and how there should be more efforts on integration among Malaysians.
One such is the call by social activist Mariam Mokhtar to abolish the categorisation of race in MyKad. This might be a step towards integration, but there comes the first lie, the false premise. A lie that integration is better than coexistence.
It’s important for commentators to be clear what they mean by integration. A Google search shows integration to be a synonym of homogenisation.
What does a homogeneous society like Japan have? A common language, a common culture, a common practice throughout all layers of society, and a common race.
In Malaysia, that language was supposed to be Bahasa Melayu, a unifying element among the races that should be nationally endorsed, but even the idea of this is scoffed at by they who shall not be named.
After listening to clichéd phrases and repetitive one-liners such as, “We are Malaysians first”, or “Equality”, a perceptive observer would detect a trend of superficial sincerity that belie a deeper facade, the second lie.
The best part of it all is that we now operate on a basis of equality (colour blindness), but racial profiling continues by other means.
Thus, we come to the final lie, that integration is in and of itself a good thing.
The reason that we are able to, for a long time, stay together is because of consensus building.
Learning Malay became a commercial necessity, and didn’t feel forced.
For a while, people were happy, and interactions were genuine, which is against the vilified narrative that racial politics does not work, that it is anachronistic.
But it is this very reason why race-based political parties work, because the needs of the community are catered to by their representatives.
It would not be a crime, in my book, to have a sense of belonging, to care for those with whom we share a commonality, as long as the law is upheld.
Instead of denigrating others with the blanket label of “racist” by the mere act of association, consider how beneficial a consensus is.
By deleting race and religion in MyKad, one does not become less of a Malay nor less of a Muslim.
Nor does one become more Malaysian by being less of one’s race. This is the minimum we must know for a harmonious nation. Back then, the order that conservatism brought was a liberating drive.
But now, everything feels forced. it feels like someone is pointing a gun to my head and saying: “You either integrate, or disintegrate.”