As our nation prepares to celebrate Hari Raya Puasa, it is indeed great to know that there are many in our nation who understand the true meaning of this celebration and appreciate the unique diversity in our beloved nation. In Malaysia, Muslims greet one another “Mohon maaf lahir dan batin,” asking forgiveness for physical and emotional wrongdoings.
Recently, Prof Dr Mohd Tajuddin Mohd Rasdi wrote, this Hari Raya I ask forgiveness from all Malaysians. I am so touched by such humility and honesty of this man. After all, who can boast of having not done wrong or sin? We are all tainted creatures. We are often in many ways selfish and greedy chasing after materialism and fame. We are not as kind and patient as we should be. We often do not give due respect to authorities or our fellowmen. I am sure all of us, on a personal level, have had bad experiences of sabotage and unkindness. Conversely, we would also have had good, memorable experiences of kindness, unity and respect.
As a nation, we have gone through much together. There were good experiences when our diversity became our strength. There were also bad experiences of misunderstanding and false accusations. However, we have weathered through and celebrated ‘Merdeka’ over and over again. Recently, a few unfortunate incidents were allowed to escalate to unimaginable acts and threats. These incidents have torn through the fabric of our nation and marred the beautiful tapestry that made Malaysia so beautiful. These incidents have also scarred many hearts in our diverse community.
Will our nation emerge stronger and better after these recent events? Can we remove the ugly stain of misguided thoughts and actions? Our history tells us that we, as a united people of Malaysians (Malays, Chinese, Indians, Orang Asli, Orang Asal as well as all the minority groups) can overcome all these challenges.
So, this Hari Raya, I say, “Maaf lahir dan batin” to all fellow Malaysians. Let us not allow our morale to be dented or lose hope. Together, we can push back all the ugliness and darkness that try to overcome our nation. Let us choose to press on and make Malaysia beautiful again.
God bless Malaysia!
Mei Wong
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