BEAUTY OF MULTICULTURALISM

Ladies and gentlemen, "When you have coffee that's too black, it means it's too strong. What do you do? You integrate it with cream, you make it weak. But if you put too much cream in it, you won't even know you ever had coffee. It used to be hot, it becomes cool. It used to be strong, it becomes weak. It used to wake you up, now it puts you to sleep . (Malcolm X 1963). Peoples from many lands have been meeting and mixing in the Malay peninsula, just like the ingredients in a cup of coffee, for centuries, in the name of trade. They came packaged with their racial origin and their religions. This chronic international mix-up has resulted in a multicultural Malaysian society today one of a handfull and that is my topic for today Multiculturalism. Over the centuries, there was a caste system in the peninsula, akin to the vedic caste system of India. There was the Administrative caste, the Business caste, and the Plantation caste, which describes the Malays, Chinese and Indians respectively. This was merely for ease of administering a nation of three major races. Unfortunately, we were left with this division at independence. Unfortunately each race remained in the respective caste, with obvious advantages and disadvantages. Unfortunately business became the most important stuff globally. Ill let you guess who became Mr. Advantage, Mr. Anger and Mr. Disadvantage. Enter the May 13 racial tensions.

Enter the New Economic Policy. Remix the races. Remove the castes. Add the races. 1+1+1=1, that is 1MALAYSIA. That is our history on one powerpoint slide. The three major races and many minor ones differ by a mere 0.1% of genes. We are are not just multiracial and multireligious, but multicultural because the races and religions have merged in many ways. We talk the same, walk the same, cry the same, laugh the same and we do it together. My late grandfather epitomized a typical Malaysian with respect for all races and religions. His actions spoke volumes. On Hari Raya Day he would distribute gifts to poor Malay boys from the nearby village. For Chinese New Year he would invite the Lion Dancers to perform at our home and call the neighbors to watch. For Christmas he would allow us to follow our Christian neighbors for mass. A Vesak Day visit to the Bhuddist temple was a must. Being Hindus, at Diwali we would distribute a lorry load of sweets around town; Open House was the norm. His best friends were Punjabi Sikhs. He loved his Japanese classes during the Occupation and could read Jawi like a pro. A groundbreaking study The First R: How Children Learn Race and Racism (2001) by Debra Van Ausdale and Joe R. Feagin describes how children as young as three years old are already aware of racial concepts like skin colour and facial features. They are also able to display racist behaviours in their interactions with their friends without being taught. As such, being exposed to a multicultural society from a young age would breed racial and religious interaction and integration rather than their opposites. From the time we enter school we are greeted by multiculturalism, from the Malay traffic policeman and Indian security guard, to the teachers in their traditional attire and students from all races talking in the many languages, to the kinds of food served in the canteen. On

Fridays we are reminded of religion and prayers. We greet friends of different ethnic origin differently. When we go on outings, we are aware of different dressing, different songs, different snacks and so on. And when we visit each oth ers homes we become aware of the difference in customs and traditions. I AM EXPOSED! ... to the BEST in multiculturalism EVERYDAY. No need to spell it out.

All roads lead to Rome. There is only one Rome and everyone wanted to go there. All religions lead to God. There is only one God and everyone wants to go back to Him. Put religion and race aside, and we are all humans same anatomy, physiology and biochemistry, living on this lovely, lonely planet; and Multiculturalism makes us ONE.