"Salad Bowl" theory ...

I read this opinion in a letter written by Suren, from Malacca in The Sun dated 20th September 2011 and would like to borrow and share it. 

It started of with a quote from Mahatma Ghandi ....

"Unity to be real must stand the severest strain without breaking"

Unity as the word says means oneness. But unity or being united means more than what many perceive. It can be divided into two :

• Agreeing and coming together for a common identity or agenda
• Patronising a common goal/agenda/ideology totally even by sacrificing the self interest/ideology/importance/gains for the common goal. 

Now the first part is not much of a trouble. Freezing the condition at this point and calling it unity would be an act of hypocrisy because at this state one can't say that the state of togetherness is unity but rather a surface of common togetherness.

For example a group of individuals from different backgrounds like a restaurant and visit the place without fail - this state is called "togetherness on a common ground". Unity is far more than the feeling of togetherness.

Now the second part is best described with the analogy in place where the outlet is threatened with demolition. When the same group of individuals put aside differences, disputes, personal comfort and time, and all other attachments and come to the rescue of the outlet then unity is in action.

When the second scenario takes place in defence of the nation or dealing with a national issue despite people's differences and personal importance then the nation is worthy to be called united.

It's a difficult task to stand united when clear cut differences are present. This is best described by an analogy of a salad bowl with different types of vegetables. The combination makes up one dish called salad but each vegetable maintains its qualities despite sharing the bowl with other types of vegetables. The different items sacrifice their individuality when named a salad; a tomato in a salad is still a tomato but we call it a salad after it is put in the salad bowl. Thus the tomato has lost its individuality by being assimilated in a larger group. This is the type of unity practised by Malaysia.

The United States and Indonesia subscribe to the melting pot concept where all differences are eliminated by boiling it down to a single substance, the nation. This can be described as induced assimilation which does not permit varied identities.

We as Malaysians should always be thankful for the "salad bowl" model of unity practised here as it allows every one to maintain their culture, values, norms and faith in peace and freedom. The key to sustain and maintain peace and harmony is tolerance, mutual respect and understanding, the salad bowl will always remain a wonderful dish and pleasant to the eye of the world.

Happy Malaysia Day, Malaysia.

****

Agreeing to the "Salad Bowl" model, what we Malaysian should further look at actually is the dressing. If you like Italian, Thousand Island or what ever that suits your taste bud, it is well and fine. However, should it be otherwise that we shall eat less or stop eating.

Lets imagine that the political party or their respective grouping or coalition as the dressing in this big "Salad Bowl" call Malaysia, and small "Salad Bowl" call all the 13 states. It taste good for some, and bitter for others. 

Accept it, respect it, but one thing is for sure comes the next election GR13, be sure you vote the dressing that suits you best. That is if you had already register, if not please do so immediately or else  you forfeit your right and you yourself is to be blame.

By the way ... this video clip is a must ... think and enjoy.

 

Merdeka dan Sejarah Malaysia ...

Sejak akhir-akhir ini sejak Mat Sabu (Timbalan Presiden PAS) mulakan cerita, kita mula mendapat pendedahan Sejarah dari pelbagai perspektif. Yang sokong Mat Sabu, dan yang marah kerana apa yang Mat Sabu cakap atau apa yang sesetengah pihak kata Mat Sabu cakap.

Tapi kita nak tanya sikit lah ... apa yang dimaksud kan dengan sejarah?

Ramai yang akan berkata dan ramai pula yang mengaku atau diakui sebagai ahli atau pakar sejarah. Dan dari semua  orang-orang ini, ada yang kata jangan pandai-pandai nak tukar sejarah.

Masa kita sekolah dulu, matapelajaran sejarah tak ada ... yang ada Tarawih ... oops sorry bukan ... TAWARIKH. Betul ke ejaan tu, dah lama sangat pun.

Memandangkan terlalu ramai yang mau kita percaya dengan Sejarah Malaysia, dan apa yang kita baca mempunyai pelbagai versi, "OFFICIAL" atau sebaliknya, kita kena buat kajianlah sikit, tak boleh baca dan percaya bulat-bulat ikut kata orang-orang yang perasan "PAKAR". Nanti kita minat kat belah sini, belah sana marah, minat belah sana belah sini marah pula.

Ayah saya yang alhamdulillah dah berumur lebih 80 tahun (lahir 1931) telah melalui zaman Malaysia yang pelbagai, dan dari beliau saya dapat banyak juga cerita atas pengalamannya sendiri. Beliau pernah menjadi Pegawai Polis berpangkat Sarjan sebelum berhenti atas sebab-sebab tertentu. Masa zaman tu Boss beliau Orang British lah, jadi beliau kira Polis British atau Polis Di Raja Malaysia ??? Ini macam Sarjan Jamil (Bukit Kepong) lah, nasib baik ... alhamdulillah kerana beliau masih bersama kami. Kalau tidak mungkin saya pun sibuk angkat "PLACARD" marah kat Mat Sabu.

Kalau tak silap saya ... mencatatkan apa yang terjadi semalam tu seperti apa yang terjadi secara sebenarnya ... itu lah yang dikatakan sejarah. Yang baik dan menguntungkan adalah sejarah yang baik, tetapi apa yang buruk dan merugikan adalah sejarah yang buruk dan perlu diambil pelajaran dan dijadikan iktibar.

Contoh ...

Esok ... 11 September 2011, maknanya 10 tahun yang lalu World Trade Centre di New York, USA telah di langar oleh 2 kapalterbang yang mengakibatkan lebihkurang 3000 orang terbunuh. Banyak cerita banyak versi, dan dari insiden tersebut banyak serangan dan lebih banyak nyawa terkorban. 

Yang mana satu sejarah dan apa yang terjadi selepas perkara tersebut berlaku? Betul ke versi yang "OFFICIAL" atau ada cerita disebalik cerita?

Lagi satu contoh ...

Arab Spring ... Tunisia lah, Mesir lah, Yemen lah, Libya lah ... semuanya satu sejarah, kalau satu ketika dulu Muaamar Ghaddafi adalah hero Libya, sekarang ni ... dia macam pelarian yang orang belum tahu dimana dia. Semasa dia naik itu sejarah dan bila dia jatuh juga sejarah, apa juga yang dia lakukan untuk Libya, baik atau/dan buruknya juga sejarah. Akan ada cerita rekaan dan akan ada cerita benar, "REBEL" hari ini akan atau telah jadi Pemerintah atau Kerajaan.

Jadi di Malaysia kita ni macammana ????

Untuk diri kita dan generasi akan datang, kita kena buat kajian lah dulu ...