Country Cottage Arts

I simply have to comment on the recent happenings in our country  which I normally wouldn't think of writing in this column. I simply have to get it off my chest or else I'll go bonkers....


What in the world is happening in Malaysia? I can't believe the news that I heard in Aljazeera about the arson attacks in churches right here at our doorsteps.   These kinds of violent incidences only happens in other 3rd world countries, certainly not in our Malaysia.  Or so I thought.   Or,  is it that I am too naive and living in a make believe world?  Why do politicians mix religion and politics and create such terrible havoc in their way. 

First, it was the Hindu temple destructions and cowhead incident in Shah Alam, my resident town  of 19 years.  I was very well ensconced in my surroundings and was very very happy with the landscaped greenery , the numerous parks throughout and its gentle inhabitants.  I would proudly tell my other family members what a beautiful place Shah Alam was  and how  warm , welcoming and friendly my Muslim brethens were. Till the cow-head incident. That gave me a huge jolt.  Did it really happen like it did?  You tube doesn't lie and it happened just around the corner to my house.  It was really frightening but ever the optimist,  I thought it was the work of a few misguided souls who had no idea what true faith and religion is all about. My thoughts were - one robin doesn't make a spring and a despicable act by a few doesn't warrant tarnishing the entire society concerned.

Now it's the arson attacks on churches. Over a name of God, no less.  I simply don't understand what the big fuss is all about.  Why can't we call God in any name we feel easy to communicate with  Him.  Did God tell man that he must only call Him with a particular name and that too defined to a particular group ,otherwise He will be offended? Duhh?? So the Christians want to call God ' Allah ', so do the Muslims. Would that make them both become confused idiots?  Not if   you know whom you are referring to. Only if they have graduated from the School of  Imbeciles. Period.

Lets say that the Joneses and  the Alis' have each a son called Adam and they are trying to call out to them in a park.  When Mrs Jones calls for  Adam, she would naturally mean it to be her son, Adam . And how do we know that? By the inflection in her voice and  the  pronunciation , of course. Adam would be as in A for apple. Now, if Mrs Ali calls for her son, Adam would sound like Ahhdam, the A sounding like ' Ahh 'as in 'u' in 'umbrella'. Most importantly, their intention would be for calling their own son, not  someone's  else. Why would they anyway?

I'm a neutral party, being a Hindu and I know how the word 'Allah' is pronounced by the non-Muslims and Muslims.  Non-Muslims pronounce it as it sounds - a flat Allah.  On the other hand, all Muslims pronounce the word with a lilt in the l with a definite Arabic twang (like in a triple lll)  and it sounds completely different. The issue in focus is  that some bigot Muslims think that their lot will wither away at the slightest sniff of  the sound of the same word' Allah'   What makes them think that the Christians are trying to sabotage the  Muslims by calling God as Allah and thus cause confusion?  What confusion are we talking about? Unless they  are confused by their  own religion or lack of it.  It's simply a case of  making a mountain out of a molehill and the ugliness of it all makes me sick to the core.  This issue  has been  further manipulated  by a bloody bunch of  banana  politicians  and the wounds are all exposed for the entire world to see.  And laugh. And jeer.

I'm frightened of the future and where we stand. Are were regressing into the Dark Ages of  fear and bigotry?.  Would I have to look over my shoulder everytime?  Would I have to take precautions when I go out with my family in a predominantly muslim neighbourhood?  It's really sad that this is happening and allowed to happen.  Situations such as these are recurring more often than it should . For the 2nd time this year, friends have advised me to be careful when I go out to town. 'Don't take any chances' they e-mailed. I'm feeling a bit lost and unsure now.   This country is my home too for I have no other country to lay claim. I'd join the army if  warranted to defend this country I call home despite being reminded in the mainstream  media by obscene politicians  that we are 'immigrants' and can always go back to our country..  Which country should I go to when I was born here in Malaysia ?

When I went to Australia, I was proud to tell the Aussies that I was a Malaysian.  When I went to India, I was even prouder to tell them that I was Malaysian. When I went to Singapore, I was so proud to tell them I was  a  Malaysian when they mistook me   for an  Indian lady from India.

Not any more............