Syerleena Abdul Rashid, an ordinary Malaysian who also happens to be a politician and a lawmaker recently put up a post on her Facebook showcasing her uniqueness in embracing multi-faith inclusivity.
Bravo and kudos to her.
Saying she is expected to be mocked by her brethren, she said felt honoured to attend the annual firewalking ceremony at the Kahlee Ama Temple.
As she put it in her FB post, she knows that some people will have something to say about it but she clearly states that showing up at another community’s celebration is not a threat to her faith.
Bingo.
She hits the nail on the head point on.
And that visit was not the 1st time.
In 2025, she also found herself in the line of fire for sitting in a prayer session at the Wat Chaiyamangalaram in Pulau Tikus, in Penang.
Faith is like a muscle.
It grows when it is tested.
Experiencing new places can make one appreciate their own path more.
It can simply mean you are open, human, and curious.
Learning about others can actually make one’s own beliefs stronger.
True faith is often big enough to respect the beliefs of others without losing one’s own foundation.
Social media has enabled cowards to disrespect people without fear of consequence.
The internet creates a shield of anonymity and distance.
When people do not see a person's face, they often forget basic human empathy.
This causes them to say harsh things they would never say in real life.
These people are no different from school bullies.
Ignoring hurtful comments is often the best way to stop the bully from getting the reaction they want.
It shows you are strong.
Bullies want you to get mad or sad. When you ignore them, they get bored.
Also, arguing with bullies wastes time and avoids physical conflict.
Those who spouts hates are in the minority.
Don’t let these minority cowed you, if you are in the right, into submission
Many Malaysians don’t say — until it is far too late — what is wrong, what we want, how we are angry, what we’re ashamed of, and the way we would like things to be.
Probably it is also because of our upbringing.
We are brought up and taught that a good child did not speak up.
If we were sad, we cried softly into our pillow at night.
If we mistakenly spilled some drinks, we tried to hide the evidence.
And kudos to Syerleena for speaking up UPFRONT and not when the hate mail are coming in.
You have shown the way for the majority and hopefully, more and more of the majority will speak up for what they believe in the future.
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