Special bond of the golden years

NOWADAYS there’s so much talk in this country about unity and integration it’s as if these are being forced upon us. It is nothing like in the olden days when interaction among the races was natural.

I grew up in a small Chineseowned estate in Pokok Sena, Alor Setar that consisted of many Malay and Indian households. The Chinese business community was located a stone’s throw away, and we got the daily supplies we required from them.

My father was the estate supervisor or tande as he was called by the Malays. I had 11 siblings and, except for my youngest brother, everyone was delivered under the care of a Malay bidan. I can’t recall her name but we were very close to her.

Whenever a new member of the family was due to arrive, it looked as though there was going to be a kenduri in my house. Malay friends would visit us, making themselves at ease and serving our other guests as if they were part of the family.

I was only seven years old but the memory of my second brother’s (former and late KLIA Customs Director Datuk M. Govinden) birth is permanently etched in my mind. The house was crowded with Malay neighbours eager to hear the good news – a boy or a girl because of the nine children before this, eight were girls. Thus was the spirit in those golden days.

Living in such surroundings made all of us pick up colloquial Malay or bahasa pasar. My family served halal food at home because we always had Muslim guests.

Malay and Indian workers in the estate would come knocking on the door, eager for my mother’s curry after a hard day of rubber tapping.

The Ramadan month was not only special to Muslims but for us as well because we had an unlimited supply of delicious Malay traditional cookies! My father was even given a day to have the “moreh” in the small mosque located in between the town and the estate.

We really looked forward to Hari Raya Puasa and Hari Raya Haji when it seemed as if we celebrated the occasions too. We received plates of kuih from our Malay neighbours and we would send these back full of sugar.

Nevertheless, our connection with our Malay and Chinese friends remained strong, and the relationship that my father fostered continues until today.

Sometimes I wonder where we went amiss. Our ancestors who had little education were able to live like families.

Our diversity in race, culture and religion did not tear us apart. We are an educated generation so we should be able to live together like our ancestors did, helping each other and defending our country together against any threat.

This is our country. This is where we were born, where we will live and breathe our last.

We are lucky to be Malaysians. Let us cherish our country. Let us respect each other and uphold our freedom and sovereignty. KOINDU MUTHUSAMY Sungai Petani, Kedah