It’s the little things

“Saruman believes it is only great power that can hold evil in check, but that is not what I have found. I found it is the small everyday deeds of ordinary folk that keep the darkness at bay... small acts of kindness and love.” – Gandalf, "The Hobbit".

It would seem that we do live in a country of "evil" these days. Perhaps not ‘evil’ in the traditional sense, but one full of selfish, opportunistic people. People who would not think twice about provoking racial tension if it would further their own political mileage.

People who do not care about the effect, but would gladly execute the cause. And look at the mess they’ve caused. We’re at the extremely deplorable state of race relations where people call for the "expulsion" of an entire certain race openly, and with no repercussion whatsoever.

Where provocative, racist signboards can be erected without reprimand. Pragmatists will call this the result of a racially lopsided government, because the Chinese voted against Barisan. But should it matter who the people voted?

Why is it that when Sabah rejected the ruling coalition more than two decades ago, there was no anti-Sabah sentiment? Why is it that while Kelantan has continually rejected the ruling coalition since 1990, there still isn’t a “Apa Lagi Kelantan Mahu?” headline?

Is the democratic right exercised by the Chinese, if they choose to, of less permissible democratic latitude than that exercised by the Kelantanese, or Sabahans?

Part of the problem, I believe, is the inability of the ruling coalition to accept the rejection of the Chinese of their rule. Instead of solving the problem, painting any one race as the boogeyman is about as good for nation building as pouring petrol into a fire is good for flame control.

But political engagement and discourse is a painful, time consuming process. It would be difficult to convince people so used to racial arguments to see the need to look beyond race, for the sake of the long term survival and benefit of the country.

Policy change, laws, roundtable discussions, committees, councils, royal inquiries... these are important of course, but these are big things that take up plenty of time and effort.

What can you do in the mean time?

You can continue being Malaysian. Regardless of what people tell you.

A few days after the Himpunan Rakyat Bersatu or "red shirt" rally, a story went viral online where a Malay lady selling nasi lemak prepares a packet of her food every morning especially for a Chinese elderly lady, at no cost.

This was followed by an Indian college student who put up a signboard declaring he’s Malaysian and inviting people to hug him.

On Sunday, a local daily reported that a bunch of teenagers had rushed to the aid of a 35 year old lady who went into labour in a Petaling Jaya shopping mall. They successfully delivered a baby, despite not being trained in first aid.

Yesterday, as I was waiting in line to pay for groceries, a Chinese gentleman with his family in front of me was talking to the Indian cashier.

As she was packing the items, there was a packet of beef. Without prompting, he places that in the plastic bag himself, probably sensing her apprehension

Their small talk led to him finding out she lives in the same neighbourhood, and he offered her a lift home when he found out she would have to take a cab.

After paying, he was given sticker coupons (the sort you collect and paste on a booklet) for redemption of some item. He lamented out loud that he was three coupons short for something and a Malay lady walks over and hands him a few stickers of her own. “Tak apalah, Uncle ambil. Kita pun tak sempat hari ni”

Despite the chaotic noise in the world outside, three Malaysians connected in a shopping mall. And I believe as long as we keep doing that, connecting with one another, no failure of policy, or nationwide campaign or amount of propaganda will ever stop us from being family.

At the end of the day, it’s not blind hatred, but misguided anger.

Underneath every person who buys into the whole racist rhetoric isn’t a Nazi or a Klansmen, it’s probably just a mother angry that her kid could not get into university, or a son upset that his father still has to drive a cab at 70 when his neighbour is zipping around in the latest German car. And to add insult to injury, his neighbour probably shuns taxis for Uber.

In order to get rid of the anger you would need to talk. And to talk you should first connect.

And we connect with the little things that make us human. And make us Malaysian.

To me Gandalf was right. The little things keeps great evil at bay. – September 29, 2015.

* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insider.