IS “muhibbah” (goodwill) a word lost in present-day Malaysia?
For as far back as I can remember, muhibbah has always been present. Consider this.
I was born in Greentown in Ipoh, Perak, an area that used to house low-paid government servants in the 1960s. The beauty of this area was that it was a melting pot of race, religion and culture — the community was like one big family. This was years before we were introduced to the 1Malaysia concept.
We celebrated Eid, Deepavali, Christmas and Chinese New Year, without being condemned by religious authorities that celebrating other religion’s festivities was un-Islamic, un-Christian or un-Hindu. I am still a Muslim, despite spending time with my Christian and Hindu friends and celebrating their “raya” growing up.
My next door neighbours were a Hindu family and a Christian family. During Deepavali and Christmas, they all went out of their way to find halal chicken. And, mind you, those days one would have to go to the wet market to buy halal chicken (it was where Malay traders slaughtered the chickens). There were no supermarkets then.
During Eid, my mother would not serve beef as she knew that our neighbour would spend half of the day with us. There were no open houses then, but all of us would don our best clothes for a celebration at our neighbours.
Maybe, the May 13 tragedy helped us value our unity and peace. As a result of the tragedy, the government was promoting the muhibbah concept then.
As children, we did not quarrel or fight or made fun of others who were not of the same race or religion. Arguments or squabbles were usually settled amicably among us and if the misunderstanding involved children, our parents would usually exchange gifts (usually food) as peace offerings, and they would be graciously accepted. There was a lot of give and take in those days.
My house was on 4th Avenue, the street where the families of drivers, office boys and hospital attendants were housed, while the 3rd Avenue housed families of clerks and teachers. The children of 4th Avenue stuck together, formed football and badminton teams, and we often played traditional games like galah panjang and konda-kondi. My best friend was my next door neighbour, Soosainathan. Being older than me, he used to protect me from bullies. Yes, life was so much simpler then.
Recently, I met with a couple of friends from the good old days. While reminiscing the past over coffee, we remembered the good times. We remembered the camaraderie, the bond of friendship that have lasted till today, and, most importantly, the values of nation-building taught by our teachers in school. Those years were the summer of our lives. Of course, there were days not as rosy as we would like to remember them, but there was none of the racial tension that is now sometimes felt.
Things have become complicated today. We are too sensitive. We tend to forget this is Malaysia, a country that was built on the sweat of Malays, Chinese, Indians, Sikh, Orang Asli — all those races. We appear to have lost all sense of respect for others’ religions, things are blown out of proportion, rumours are accepted as facts, and slanders and lies have become the norm.
Back to the question, is “muhibbah” a word lost in present-day Malaysia? When did the division start, or rather, how did it happen? As Malaysians, we need to look back. Bring back that feeling of “muhibbah” in our lives. Find the root cause of the segregation. Maybe, it’s the education system, the schools or the political sentiments.
Let’s not destroy this beautiful country of ours, but let’s celebrate our differences. Our forefathers have passed down a beautiful and peaceful country; it is our responsibility to make it better. We have to cling on to this legacy and guard it fiercely, so that in turn, we can pass it on to our children, not as damaged goods, but as the “utopia” of modern civilisation.
I’m reminded of the principles of Rukun Negara, that coded concept that was often recited during the start of our civics class in school: Belief in God; Loyalty to King and country; Upholding the Constitution; Rule of Law; and, Good behaviour and morality.
These principles, which came into being post-1969, do not have a shelf-life... they are timeless, just like the spirit of muhibbah that we have to guard, protect and keep nurturing.
“Every one of us must respect each other’s rights and feelings, be tolerant of each other's religions, customs and habits, for in diversity we can truly find real unity”. — Tunku Abdul Rahman (1903-1990).
The writer, a former journalist, is communications and media director, Perak Menteri Besar’s Office