LETTER | Chinese Malaysians are citizens too

LETTER | It is with vexed feelings that we take cognisance of sentiments raging over the proposal to get several new Chinese villages listed under Unesco as heritage sites.

Why are we in this state of unjustified prejudices and are seen to be peddling discriminating fears when it comes to Malaysian citizens of Chinese ancestry - having their long-standing villages, or “Chinese New Villages”, being preserved for posterity?

We know too well our victorious national history that is punctuated with gallant stories of how we fought off the advances and infiltration of communists.

If today we are enjoying and benefiting from the peace, harmony and multiracial coexistence in the country, it is because our Malayan soldiers (and police) of Chinese ancestry stood shoulder to shoulder with other Malayans to defend a young, struggling nation once upon a time - not too long ago that is, to successfully fight off the communists.

The Chinese villagers could have gotten together and betrayed our rulers and government then. Instead, they demonstrated their resolute loyalty to their “new nation” Malaya and helped our defence and security forces fight out the communists.

No one of sound mind and a decent heart can deny how Chinese Malaysians have worked, fought and stayed together to build this nation.

In all of these gallant endeavours, one significant truth that emerges is the fact that our Chinese villages have and do continue to play a symbiotic role in nationhood.

Instead of celebrating the proposal, we seem to be drumming fears and sowing more anti-racial feelings.

And instead of working towards gaining more world recognition for how our unique country preserves and thrives on nurtured traditions, cultures, and customs - we are instead seizing the opportunity to keep suspicion at a higher crescendo and belittle our “Malayan” and even “Malaysian” achievements.

Not only is all this divisiveness ruining the country's economic potential but also causing irreversible damage to the power of coexistence and thriving on diversity.

We warn decision makers and public opinion agentry as well as dubious politicians who are bent on attempting to desolate any or all ideas and initiatives meant to further enrich our future.

As much as the Chinese Malaysians have a right to preserve their past, all of us today have a reciprocal duty to preserve and celebrate our honest history.

Writer is the president of National Patriots Association.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.