Amid all the controversies that plagued our nation from socks to shoes, there comes a Raya video that warms the hearts of Malaysians everywhere. TikTok user, @julianapija uploaded a video that features her mother inviting her Indian neighbors over for Raya celebration. In the video, the mother can also be heard speaking Tamil fluently to her Indian neighbors! The caption on the video says the following in Malay, “My mother is so happy when the Indian neighbours swing by (our house) for Raya. She speaks Tamil right away.”
At the start of the short 33-second video, the mother can be seen coaxing her Indian neighbour to eat more. Her Indian neighbour, however, politely refuses and gets up to take his plate to the kitchen to wash it. The mother then informs her Indian neighbour to place the plate on the ground (and let her wash it instead) but the Indian neighbour is insistent on washing his plate so he scurries to the kitchen.
The Malay mother also teases her daughter in front of her neighbours by saying that she doesn't understand anything as they speak in Tamil the entire time. The video quickly went viral on TikTok, garnering 64.9k views, 2000+ comments and 1400+ shares at the time of writing. Many netizens deemed it to be a heartwarming video and many reminisced about the time when they were invited to their Malay neighbors/friends' house for Raya. A netizen of Indian descent commented, “I miss my neighbors back in the village. There's free lemang all throughout Eid and various chicken rendang at every home. I really do miss my hometown folk in the PJ area. Those who know Taman Medan, Kampung Perangsang Permai, it's great!”. Another netizen of Indian descent commented, “In Kuala Terengganu, where I'm from, all the Malay families are fluent in Tamil because they used to live next to each other. Back then, religion and ethnicity didn't matter. During Eid, we visit each other for the celebrations. When I celebrate Eid, they come to my house.” It has also been posted to Reddit where unsurprisingly, it went viral as well. Netizens drop comments such as “This is what Malaysia is all about!” and “The awesome Hari Raya content that I wish to see”.
In our nation that is currently filled with division and discord, moments like these serve as a beacon of hope, reminding us of the true essence of Malaysia's unity in diversity. As we witness the genuine warmth and camaraderie between neighbors of different backgrounds celebrating Raya together, it reaffirms our belief in the beauty of cultural harmony and the strength of community bonds. This heartening video encapsulates the spirit of inclusivity and kinship that defines Malaysia, showcasing the simple yet powerful gestures that bridge divides and foster connections. Let it be a reminder that amidst challenges, our shared humanity and compassion shine brightest, illuminating the path toward a more united and harmonious society. This, indeed, is what Malaysia is all about.
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Aaron Colt is a content creator under the Newswav Creator programme, where you get to express yourself, be a citizen journalist, and at the same time monetize your content & reach millions of users on Newswav. Log in to creator.newswav.com and become a Newswav Creator now!
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