Malaysians & Perspective.

The notions of traditional perspective and modern inquiry has gone into a new level of phase in the Malaysian society.
We are new to these ideas and thinkings, which are both philosophical and scientific that some attempt to understand.
Others which I wanted to focus on, are the ones who rejected.

But why reject such cases of thinkings if they are deemed "un-traditional" or "unsuitable" to our mold of society?
And who are these people?

Fundamentalists.
In the recent days, it was funny how turn on the television and see how people are still debating about the origins of our society. The Malays, the Chinese and Indians.

I found out that most people tend to ignore other ethnicities not only in Sabah and Sarawak but also the Orang Asli or the indigenous people around Peninsular areas.

It's quite a bold topic, yes. But I still wanted to talk about.

The other day I've been to an open lecture about "Lazy Native" that was written by a prominent sociologist Syed Faris Al-Attas. It wasn't something new to me, to what was discussed as I came from a social science background. But it was still intriguing. And the fact that the topic is big, is that it's hard to compressed in one whole 3 to 4 hour session.

It's a complex thing, but the Malaysian society regardless of what ethnicity we are is that we have to get out from the idea that we'll only stick one thing when we search for the truth.

I don't undestand what was the point of searching for the truth, if our goals are only to criticize them. It is like us trying to debate about something that would reach to a point where we only believe in "grey areas". We only believe in what was given and socially acceptable to us, rejecting anything that opposes to what we believe.

Hence we see things like Salafi Extremists. Anyone who adheres to another faith or school of thought is a heathen or an unbeliever.

We can talk about so many controversial topics, but if we couldn't manage to bring ourselves to be a neutral opponent in something that requires higher level of thinking, could we make any changes in the first place?

Some even said Malaysia is a "failed-state". I disagree completely to this.

To say we are a "failed-state", is a close minded opinion for example. Yes, deprivation of rights existed everywhere in the world. And I can give you what is a failed-state. These kinds of opinions don't differ much to their counterparts who are right wing fascists, the likes of Rani Kulup guys.

A "failed-state" is a state where the state itself could no longer enforce laws and order in the area they controlled. There is no development. Chaos and violence are widespread across the state, as everyone tries to seize control or nobody tries to improvise the situation. It is a place where you don't want to live, in short.

Take an example where there's no basic necessity for you to live. There's no sewage system, no law enforcements and no other people who would direct their people in order for them to live peacefully. There's no drug controls and you have to constantly be reminded of your own security for 24 hours, especially when it is nightime.

That is a "failed-state". An example would be (in my opinion), the West Coast of Liberia.

So guys, especially Malays, Indians and Chinese who are nationalists, right-winged factions and chauvinists who are equally racists, here's my message.

You people claim to be open-minded, because you have the right to voice out your opinion. The very fact that your voice reach outspread to the media is because of the freedom that everyone of us enjoyed. Whether they are opposed to the current government or not, that is never the issue. Because "those who are in power" would do what "those who are in power" would do". You rights are not deprived, but because you are not in power, I despised the fact how you take your approaches
to be in power by hurting other people's sentiment. I agree that your existence must be there in order to upheld to democratic values in a nation which believes "everyone is equal".

But tell me again, how would it differ if you people like Rani Kulup or other Chauvinists are in power? How would corruption and others would be decreased (I did not asked for it to be "lifted" or "erased" because it's all what we have been  dreaming, but I'm only asking the least because not many of us could do it)?
Would everyone still be free to express their views? Would everyone still enjoy their rights, if not full then more than half of it would be fine?

Very well, if you can answer these confidently with your actions then I can only say it is given. But you must hold on to your answer.

Otherwise you are just the same close minded like anyone else. And the whole lot of other social issues topics is not for you to be discuss.

My other message goes to religious fundamentalists, who claimed to be open-minded as those who are nationalists and likes.
And wishes these issues to be discussed.

You people failed to recognize your schools of thought within your own religion, so how can you be someone who is open and someone who would engage other people's views so freely? It's not just Muslims, but Christians, Jews, Hindus, Buddhists as well as other people who claim themselves to be religious.

If you represent the "thought of God", then why the "thought of God" is only limited and superficial with a little understanding? To you Sunnis, I may be an unbeliever or a heathen if I am a Shias, while I question on anyone who creates sects, is he a Muslim in the first place? To you Salafi extremists like ISIS, I am a heathen or kuffar without a doubt, because I believe in democracy.

The question goes back to other faiths as well. If I am an Orthodox Christian, would I be less of a Christian than those who are following Catholicism?

It's not about religion. It is people who are willingly separate themselves between what they think was right and ought to be preserved. All other views are mundane and should be eliminated. This kind of thinking is more dangerous than radical nationalists or its likes.

How can we unite if there is no sense of tolerance? How can we unite if there is no message of peace? How can we unite if we disapprove that people are diverse?

Yes, people are diverse. Which is why they are different and we are not only different than our skin color or ethnicity but we are different in terms of our thoughts, which is more complicated than that!
And if you guys cannot understand that, that means you guys cannot comprehend the beauty, the work of God.

I am saying this not because I am a secularist. I am not a Kemalist, I do not buy the socialist thought which was promoted by Kemal Ataturk. I do not consider he is a socialist neither. I am of what I am, which goes to my faith. My life and my faith is inseparable. That is my personal stance, but in the social context, I wish to take upon the neutral stance  which I can engage and bring all of you the greater understanding about our society.

In short, this is an essay that brings to your attention about diversity in terms of opinions, ideas and thoughts. We are not only different by our skin color, ethnicity, gender or any other likes, but we are also different in terms of our very own thoughts. Some might have agreed towards my point of view, but they have a different view towards my personal stance which is my faith. If you ask me personally about political view, yes I do believe in Socialism. But if we were to talk about the context of faith or ideology in this case, I would be a neutral one, more of a centralist. At to some point of your life, you would need to pick a stance and side. You cannot be the sole audience of the fight if you wanted to be a character in politics. I chose to write this as a "bystander opinion", a commoners' opinion of you people who represented us commoners who are deprived and have limits to our powers. If we all are united, if we all are tolerant towards each other and if we all are knowledgeable altogether, it could only mean without any doubt that we could be a stronger nation, while being diverse towards each other.

Because we are one whom are weak in many them who are powerful, makes us all invincible together as one, unbreakable throughout the time.

Asyraf Amir. 20160813.