Indonesia is one step ahead of Malaysia in giving a new meaning to “Unity in Diversity” with people celebrating the great ethnic, religious, and cultural festivals of the world to bring about civilizational understanding and harmony in the world
In my joint Thaipusam-Chap Goh Mei message yesterday, I ventured the view that Malaysia can lead the world in giving a new meaning to “Unity in Diversity” where Malaysians celebrate the great ethnic and religious festivals and cultures of the world while keeping their own ethnic, religious, and cultural identities.
But Indonesia is one step ahead of Malaysia in giving a new meaning to “Unity in Diversity” with people celebrating the great ethnic, religious, and cultural festivals of the world to bring about civilizational understanding and harmony in the world.
Indonesian President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo and some cabinet ministers not only extended their good wishes to the Chinese community in Indonesia, with Chinese New Year observed as a public holiday in Indonesia, the world’s largest Muslim-majority country, Jokowi wore the traditional Chinese attire for Chinese New Year celebration in Indonesia.
If the Prime Minister of Malaysia had worn the traditional Chinese attire for Chinese New Year celebration in Malaysia, would he be accused of betraying the Malays in selling out to Chinese interests in Malaysia, or would he be commended for showing the way for world leaders to promote civilizational dialogue, understanding, and harmony instead of civilizational conflicts?
In his Chinese New Year message, Jokowi said:
“Time changes, the year passes, and new challenges appear, but one that must remain is the hope that tomorrow will be happier, more prosperous, and more advanced. Gong xi fa cai.”
Indonesian Religious Affairs Minister Yaqut Cholil Qoumas said that the Chinese New Year needs to be a momentum for self-introspection to evaluate the past and improve oneself.
“Let us make the Chinese New Year as a momentum to introspect ourselves, correct our past journey and plan the upcoming year.”
Yaqut pointed out that Confucius had said that if people could renew themselves, then they should ensure that their renewal was continuous.
He also expressed hope that harmony could be realized to achieve an outstanding Indonesia.
The Indonesian Minister of Villages, Development of Disadvantaged Regions, and Transmigration Abdul Halim Iskandar, and the Indonesian Minister of Manpower Ida Fauziyah also conveyed their greetings, with the latter saying:
“Happy Chinese New Year, Gong xi fa cai, may prosperity and happiness be abundant for all of us this year.”
Have Malaysia anything to learn from Indonesia in promoting global civilizational understanding and harmony instead of civilizational conflict?
As I said yesterday: “Nobody wants the Malays to become Chinese, Chinese to become Indians, Indians to become Dayaks, or Dayaks to become Kadazans. Similarly, nobody wants the Muslims to become Buddhists, the Buddhists to become Hindus, or the Hindus to become Christians. That will not be ‘Unity in Diversity’!
“Malaysia is at the confluence of the four great civilisations of the world — Malay/Islamic, Chinese, Indian, and Western — and Malaysians regardless of ethnicity, language, religion, or culture must leverage on the values and virtues of the four great civilisations to re-build a first-rate world-class Malaysia.”
Can Malaysia promote civilizational dialogue, understanding, and harmony in the global area instead of civilizational clashes?