Wearing traditional attire a laudable habit

LIKE the relevance and worth of one’s name, traditional attire occupies one of the most important places because of its role in everyday life, its significance for ethnic identity and its value artistically and aesthetically.

Our different attires with their distinct form and decoration, whenever worn, distinguish one’s ethnic identity in our multi-ethnic milieu.

When we wear each other’s attire, on any specific occasion or even as a practice, we are expressing not only our appreciation of it but, more so, articulating our social oneness of unity and harmony in diversity.

That’s exactly what Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak was conveying when he wore a kurta and attended the festival of Thaipusam at Batu Caves recently.

And, that’s something that should be lauded.

Whether it is joining fellow Malaysians in celebrating Aidil Fitri marking the end of Ramadan; tossing yee sang for prosperity during Chinese New Year dinners; or visiting those celebrating Christmas commemorating the birth of Jesus, or the Deepavali festival of lights or the Vaisakhi festival of the Sikhs; for us, as Malaysians, it is a unique and praiseworthy tradition that should be cherished and encouraged.

Only by engaging more closely with each other socially and culturally, can our leaders and citizens better understand the traditions, practices, aspirations and hopes of individual communities and the nation as a whole.

By identifying ourselves in any way with fellow Malaysians, we show our appreciation for each other, recognise each other’s values and contributions and assure the other of our mutual support so that all of us can together progress and prosper in a united, peaceful and just 1Malaysia. RUEBEN DUDLEY, Petaling Jaya.