Random conversation
Me: Do you realise how the issue of race seems to be popping up more frequently in the news these days? I just can't understand why everything has to be about race. How can we claim to live harmoniously and tolerant of other races and religions when every time something goes wrong, the first thing that's brought up is race or religion!
Friend: That's the beauty of Malaysian politics. I was reading an article on the quota system and discrimination recently and it struck me the irony of the situation we are in.
Me: What do you mean? What situation?
Friend: Recently, we ran an essay competition in one of our workshops for teenagers. And we were supposed to pick the top 3 winners. When we realised that all the winners picked were Chinese, we had to go back, check on the names and re-select a Malay and an Indian winner. And since there was only 1 Indian, she won the prize. But the two poor Chinese girls who didn't get the prize was not because they aren't good, it's because they are Chinese!
Me: See ... why should everything be about race? That's what I can't understand
Friend: I thought it was sooooo unfair! But I can't argue with the other committee members. It was something "non racial" when we "blindly" selected the top 3. But to appear "un racist"... we had to reselect... based on their race!!!!!!
Me: I can see where you are going with that. You had to do something racial so as to appear non racial. And that's the irony of racial discrimination!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
3 comments:
Ultimately, there will be no end to it. As long as the current administration allows/ encourages such practices, there will always be disparity among races. In the case of your friend, it's just sheer irony that one has to be racist in order not to be seen as one. Bangsa M'sia? I think we still have a long way to go.
Isn't that sad?
Personally, I think the sad state where we are today as a nation is partly caused by wrong/bad policies of the past.
The NEP which was originally meant to adjust the imbalances in our social strata has been misconstrued as a protectionist policy of a particular race.
The losers, at the end of the day, are not just the non-Malays but Malaysians as a whole...
It takes everyone to make Malaysia successful. I guess this incident demonstrates how immature certain groups of the society are.
By the way, I found the workshop at Batu Caves.
Hahaha...
Post a Comment