LETTERS: News of the riots in the United Kingdom and the nearly year-long genocide in Gaza have made many of us ponder what is becoming of the world.
They are part of a broader and more complex set of issues, such as economic disparities, unfair policies, political exploitation and media influences.
From a language and communications standpoint, racially charged violence can be attributed to the discourse of "othering".
This refers to a way of communication and thinking that portrays a group or an individual as fundamentally different from, and often inferior to, the dominant group.
It is also called the "us vs them" discourse as it emphasises the perceived differences between "our group" and "others".
This belief frequently leads to actions that marginalise and dehumanise others.
Although this form of injustice may initially arise from basic human survival instincts and "the fear of the unknown", we should know better.
History has it that such biases have manifested themselves in the form of racial discrimination, colonialism, apartheid, xenophobia and racial supremacy.
Don't all these sound sadly familiar? Malaysia, which boasts multiculturalism and diversity as its DNA, is not spared. Malaysians have constantly been reminded to be careful to avoid catastrophes such as the May 13, 1969, riots.
Recently, certain politicians in Malaysia used a derogatory term to refer to another political party.
Although an apology has been issued, using religion as a political tool is a "mistake" that is committed too often.
It points to the erroneous ingrained sentiment of "I am superior to you".
It is even more disappointing as it happened close to National Day, a time when most Malay-sians rejoice in harmony and display gratitude for our country's peace and freedom.
Such incidents of racial tensions should remind Malaysians that patriotism should not be displayed only on the surface, through memorising the Rukun Negara, waving the Jalur Gemilang, singing patriotic songs or participating in National Day celebrations.
Let us focus on building a nation with a strong foundation of true patriotism by instilling the idea that we are more similar than dissimilar.
We can revise the school curriculum and create more exciting videos and podcasts on racial unity.
Racial and religious disputes can be avoided if influential people are more careful with what they say, even in a private setting, since video clips can go viral.
There is no excuse for being misinformed in 2024.
Malaysians can be empowered to learn more about other cultures through the Internet, for example, via artificial intelligence applications like ChatGPT.
With the wisdom to sift through fake news, it takes seconds to learn the reasons for the differences between people's lifestyles.
We can also make an effort to organise and join activities involving people from different backgrounds.
This allows us to ask questions about "others" to promote interracial understanding.
Children should be taught from a young age to practise empathy, which can be as simple as asking, "How would you feel if you were 'the other' party?"
Let's focus on our similarities. The patriotic spirit sparked by the Olympics, when we cheered for Malaysia, should be carried to other aspects of our lives.
Let's work for a united Malaysia as National Day nears.
DR NORAZRIN ZAMRI
Senior lecturer,
Academy of Language Studies.
Universiti Teknologi Mara, Dengkil, Selangor
The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of the New Straits Times