Let us together build a happy and peaceful nation

STOP and think for a second: Are you a Malay, Chinese or Indian first? Or are you a human being first?

Next, ask yourself: Are you a Malaysian first or are you a Malay, Chinese or Indian first?

The answer may be obvious to most people: “I am a human being first and a Malaysian next.” This might be how we think but is this how we act? If this is so, we would not be engaged in continuous debates and public spats over race and religion now.

All it takes is one single incident to break us up. Are we that fragile as a nation?

Everyone needs to think of this seriously because if we do not understand the true Malaysian identity, we are not going anywhere. To be a true Malaysian, forget about being Malay, Chinese, Indian or any other race. Just think about belonging to a large family of different colours, beliefs and practices living under one roof, not just tolerating but accepting one another.

Are we so weak and fragile to allow irresponsible people to poison our minds and make us fight each other? It is time to think.

Getting emotionally riled up and reacting to messages that we receive in social media from people we do not even know is irrational.

Listening to religious leaders or theologians or even politicians who speak the language of hate is not what a true Malaysian will do.

Leave politics, race and religion alone. Be a good human being and a true Malaysian if you want a happy and peaceful nation. This is the only way to move forward and build a nation of love.