THE IGNOMINY OF BEING LABELLED 'DAN LAIN-LAIN'

Open invitation to celebrate Malaysia Day with SABM (Saya Anak Bangsa Malaysia)

16 September is Malaysia Day. As in 2011, I celebrated the day with friends at SABM (Saya Anak Bangsa Malaysia). Children from the rural-urban exchange program gave a 30-minute performance of three mimes, an interview on racism and a lively dance to Kate Perry's "Fireworks". Delightful.

The children from SABM's rural-urban exchange program. 

The special guest was Subang jaya assembly woman YB Hannah Yeoh. She was there with her husband Ramachandran Muniandy to speak on "Bangsa Malaysia - Illusion or Reality?" They shared the hassle they encountered at the National Registration Department when they tried to register their first-born as 'Anak Malaysia'. The only options they could tick from on the national registration form were the standard Malay, Chinese, Indian or Other (dan lain-lain). Apparently, they were told by the registration clerk that the computer data system has been programmed to accept only any of four race categories. (Read more here.)

Anyone would have thought that in this era of digital technology, it would be easy enough to set up a national registration system that allows parents to register their child of mixed parentage as 'anak Malaysia' or just 'Malaysian'. So why hasn't this been done? Is there any political agenda behind this?

The open dialogue session with Hannah after her talk. One can feel the frustration that she and her husband went through to try and register their first child as a Malaysian.

If your mother is Chinese and your father is Malayalee, what would you tick under 'bangsa'? What if you are of Portuguese, Javanese and Kadazan descent? Why does race take precedence over nationality?

Where do I tick if I am of mixed parentage but born in Malaysia to third generation Malaysians?

To be classified under 'Other' is so insulting and demeaning, said a member of the audience during the dialogue session. It's like being lumped together with other nameless people without any identity. It hurts one's pride to have one's ethnicity completely removed from mention in official records.

We are all Malaysians first. (From wilsonbeh)

WHERE WERE YOU ON 16 SEPT 2010?

Another public holiday to mark on our calendar - 16 September, Malaysia Day. 47 years since the formation of Malaysia, and this is the first time we are celebrating it!

For me, National Day on 31 August came and went like any other day, but Malaysia Day held more significance and meaning.

I was out the whole day from 8.00am to 11pm. First was the 5th National Congress On Integrity (NCOI). The theme this year was "Truth Matters: Integration with Integrity".

In the impressive line-up of distinguished speakers that included recently retired Federal Court judge Datuk Seri Gopal Sri Ram and former Oxford-trained lawyer Datuk Azzat Kamaludin, the speech that resonated most with me was delivered by Senator Dato Seri Idris Jala. He spoke on "Celebrating Diversity in Malaysia". I've never heard the concept of 1Malaysia explained with such clarity and conviction. If anyone could transform Malaysia from a regional centre of mediocrity to a global model of meritocracy, it would be this man.

For the benefit of those who missed the event, here are some key slides from Dato Idris Jala's presentation. They are self-explanatory. Click on image to enlarge.

Right after NCOI, it was on to Saya Anak Bangsa Malaysia's (SABM) 1st anniversary celebration, which began at 6.30pm. It was an informal gathering of mostly university students and young professionals, although I did spot some silver hair among the crowd. The entire evening's program was coordinated by young people. As I listened to them share their stories of what being a Malaysian means to them, my heart swelled with pride and renewed hope. Articulate, confident, intelligent and driven, these young men and women are in the vanguard of SABM's mission to take the message of "One People, One Nation" nationwide through their road shows, CDs and publications.

Paid in Fiction in action. They are featured on SABM's 'Bangkit' CD.

The InorOut website was launched at the SABM event to encourage Malaysians to think, speak out and vote on issues that concern them. 

Doing my bit to spread the message via SABM's T-shirt "RACISM is so yesterday", and NCOI's "WE 'R' MALAYSIA"