Pondering on 50th Independence Day

Reflecting on Malaysia's 50th year of independence, I could not but felt obligated to share my racial experiences growing up in this multi-ethnic country.

I attended the "national" primary and secondary school. It was so-called "national" because it was suppose to be schools catering for all Malaysians regardless of ethnicity. The 13 years of education in multi-ethnic schools have created the "Malaysian" in me. In school, besides during Moral Education/Islamic class or religious' fellowship, ethnicity was rarely a factor. Majority of the decision were more inclined to meritocracy. I have friends who were Malays, Chinese, Indians and Sikhs that I am still in-touch with. Perhaps I was too naive to think so much about ethnicity during my school days.

In 2002, I was offered a place in University of Malaya. After the week-long orientation, I stayed on in the residential college. This was when I had my first experience of what is racial segregation. Students were grouped or classified according to ethnic groups. Conscious or unconsciously, segregation policy has been in-placed in different ways, such as room allocation. Chinese students will all gathered in the basketball court and the seniors will tell us to be united and vote for the Chinese candidates in the residential college student council election. Subsequently, we juniors, were also told to be supportive of the so-called 'Chinese' projects.

One year later, a new Master took over the administration of the residential college and introduced a quota system for the election of the student council. All ethnic groups will be represented in accordance to the ethnic ratio. I was privilege to be one of the Chinese nominated to serve in this council.

In the council, the Malaysian in me began to resurface. To my surprise, the members of the council were actually non-racial although we supposed to represent our ethnic groups. Due to the cooperation and the non-racial viewpoint, we introduced many drastic measures in the residential college to eliminate or reduce the racial segregation. These measures were met with resistance and we were also being viewed as traitor by our respective ethnic groups.

Along the way, the wonderful friendship between Shakirin and Murali, both who served together in the student council, were eventually bonded. We were known as the Petronas group because we were always seen to be together (Petronas is the national oil company that always produced meaningful advertisements that reflect strong sense of interaction between the three major ethnic group in Malaysia). We began to have good long conversation, sharing our opinion, criticizing each other constructively and even sat for hours enjoying our supper at Abang Zul's foodstore. The working relationship in the student council eventually became true friendship that have no boundary of ethnicity. We even came to a point where I began to learn eating with fingers, while Shakirin began to use fork and spoon. I also clearly remembered how Shakirin helped Murali and me to feel at ease while attending a fast-breaking dinner, which we were the only non-Muslims in the dinner.

We began to see each other as Malaysians, rather than as Malay, Chinese or Indian. We began to discuss more complicated and sensitive issue like religion and politics with racial elements. More importantly, we have the understanding to "agree to disagree" and this prompted frankness and openness. No doubt, the strengthening of our friendship has further re-affirmed our strong sense of being a Malaysian.

More gladly, our spirit of friendship that has no racial boundary, also began to spread, as we began to see our juniors in the residential college began to develop such multi-racial friendship. We began to see students from various ethnic group sitting together during meals, watched TV, participated in sports, going for supper together, and more interesting taking part in each others' cultural activities and dance.

Indeed, Malaysia can truly look forward ahead with brighter hope as we celebrate the 50th years of independence, if all Malaysians began to see themselves more as Malaysian and less as Malay, Chinese or Indian.

Happy 50th Birthday, Malaysia!