I AM identified by government agencies, banks, employers, service providers and other organisations by my identity card, which has my full name and a unique number.
In my country, the locals see me as Malaysian Chinese but when asked by foreign visitors, my answer would be Malaysian.
Recently, the South China Morning Post published an article headlined “I’m Singaporean, not Chinese: TikTok videos sparks debate over shunning of roots”.
However, I concur with the assertion that nationality should be placed above roots.
A vast majority of Malaysians practise a religion but most of them may not fear the Almighty.
No religion discriminates against others of different ethnicities, but some leaders of political parties can be openly against others of different ethnicities.
For thousands of years, battles and wars have been fought between tribes and nations, and between people of different ethnicities, religions or ideologies, with winners seizing land and property, and controlling the government and inhabitants.
To me, there will always be good and bad people in the world, and most are somewhere in between. There will always be arguments, starting from homes and in workplaces, among neighbours and within the community.
While it feels good to be right, it is better to be kind and magnanimous. I am touched by people who do kind deeds. These are the qualities that I embrace and wish to emulate.
While not everyone can be intelligent, smart, clever or lucky to succeed in a career or business or become wealthy, everyone can choose to be kind. This quality triumphs over all others, and a kind person is appreciated by everyone.
I always identify with kind people, and they can be of any nationality, ethnicity, religion, language, culture or region.
I may not practise a religion but subscribe to universal values and may have more godliness than ardent or fanatical followers of religions.
Feelings of superiority over others of different ethnicities or religions or foreign workers do nothing but inflate egos and refrain one from giving a helping hand to others. It also retards mental and economic development.
A nation progresses when its communities are open-minded and exposed to diversity, and adapt to a rapidly changing world instead of clinging to imaginary glories of the past. I want to be part of those who are kind to others and all living things and the environment.
