What Does It Mean To Be Malaysian?
Author: Elaine Soon
What does it mean to be Malaysian?
A straightforward question, really. Yet the answer is quite the contrary.
10-year-old me presumed that being Malaysian was one word: Simple. As the end of August loomed near each year, her eyes would glimmer with excitement as she passed the rows and rows of Malaysian flags that decorated our streets, all proudly waving back at her in the blustery wind. School was more exciting than usual; the long dreadful classes were replaced with enjoyable activities to instil a sense of patriotism in the students since the early days. Naïve and good-natured, the best parts about being Malaysian to her meant designing Merdeka banners for Hari Kemerdekaan, colouring Malaysian flags, and belting patriotic songs during assembly. However, cheering and shouting “Merdeka” with her classmates took the cake among them all.
To her, August 31st was a cornerstone in Malaysian history. To her, September 16th was just another public holiday.
16-year-old me eventually developed the impression that being Malaysian was more centered around our trademark of being a harmonious blend of diverse ethnicities, races, and cultures — a sweet concoction indeed. She boasted that Malaysia functioned as a united multiracial country despite our many differences, that the said differences were widely embraced and nourished our bond with one another rather than divided us. There was never a shortage of parties and celebrations as her calendar was packed all year round with festivities; starting the year with Chinese New Year, Kaamatan Harvest Festival, and ending it with Wesak Day, Hari Raya Aidilfitri, and Christmas just to mention a few. She had also tasted more of the world, literally, and she showed deeper appreciation for the myriad of food our country had to offer. With nasi lemak, laksa, roti canai, char kuey teow etc available on our menus, it comes as no surprise that our vast and impressive array of cuisine has successfully landed us 3 spots in Asia’s 100 Best Restaurants as of 2021.
Improvements were also made in terms of her knowledge and understanding regarding the history of Malaysia as she had to endure Sejarah lessons in high school. She was genuinely intrigued, and the classes that many deemed as boring and dry piqued her interest as they were comparable to storytelling. Alas, the spell wore off as the Sejarah exams gradually converted into mere memorizing sessions which diminished the appeal it initially had. Changes were made to her calendar, though. She believed that August 31st was Malaysia’s Independence Day and she updated September 16th as Malaysia Day. Yes, clearly there was still room for improvement.
20-year-old me matured as she left the nest with the opportunity of pursuing her higher education in West Malaysia. She was not that far away from home, but the change in environment introduced many fresh new experiences in her life. More cultures, more languages, more laughs with fresh new faces. Differences were set aside as everyone bonded over friendship and support for each other. However at times, a few instances occurred where she felt like a foreigner from the East, and as she wanted to share more of Sabah’s colourful history, she came to the realization that she herself did not fully understand her own country’s and state’s background. How much did she know? And to what extent are they the truth? What exactly does it mean to be Malaysian to her? After two decades of declaring the love she had for her country, these doubts and uncertainties began to cloud her mind.
Currently as I ponder the question of what it means to be Malaysian, no doubt my answers have gradually shifted over the years. Some things were not what it seemed, some dust were swept under the rug, and some people were silenced. We must learn to look beyond textbooks and mainstream media and recognize that there is more than meets the eye. Who are we to advocate for and educate others on our country’s history if we ourselves are unfamiliar with the truth behind the untold stories? Our country has a rich history, one that we need to unpack and dive into to fully understand and comprehend, to enlighten the future leaders of our country of the past sacrifices that were made.
As an adult I now know that August 31st is Malaya’s and Sabah’s Independence Day; and September 16th commemorates the date of when the Federation of Malaysia was formed. How I wish as a Sabahan, I learnt that simple difference from the beginning. Simple to many, but noteworthy to us Malaysians, more so Sabahans and Sarawakians. I now understand that Malaysia’s “multitude of cultures” consist of more than just Malay, Chinese, and Indian. That the “dan lain-lain” option may be distressing to many other ethnic races. Lim Guan Eng who stated that “I don’t consider myself as a Chinese, I am a Malaysian,” is an embodiment of a true Malaysian who looks past the surface differences and recognizes that we are all in this together in bringing our country forward. More importantly, I have accepted that I am always still learning more about my country, it is an ongoing journey that I hope one day to confidently share with other fellow Malaysians.
There is a popular saying that goes: “Don’t fix what isn’t broken.” Just because something does not appear broken, it does not automatically imply that it is in perfect tip top condition; That it does not require a checkup or an oil change now and then. We need to constantly “check up” on our beloved Malaysia, to ensure that She is keeping well and thriving both on the outside and the inside; to make certain that we are not merely putting up a front of being a harmonious nation; to reflect now and again that we as Malaysians are on the right path in reaching our true potential. To me, we need to understand our own origins, all the good and more importantly the bad. We must rid of certain archaic mindsets that do not fit with what we envision Malaysia to be in the future. To see the change, we must be the change and decide for ourselves what we want Malaysia to be.
To me, that is what it means to be Malaysian. Happy 58th birthday, Malaysia. Till your next checkup.