MALAYSIAN-LAH! Campaign

FOR PR2 MALAYSIAN-LAH! CAMPAIGN

Article taken from The Malaysian Insider:

Suggestions for 1 Malaysia
JAN 22 — The recent controversy over the “A” word, and the inability of the authorities to resolve it from the start has further damaged the credibility of the 1 Malaysia campaign.

Some say it’s beyond repair. But let’s not be too negative; after all, our dwindling taxpayer’s money has already been painfully spent on it.

In crucial situations like these, one should “go for broke.” Here are some desperate measures to help spur the 1 Malaysia campaign along its current trajectory.

SPEEDY AND CONSISTENT MEASURES FOR CONFLICT RESOLUTION

Religious and racial disputes are a sure-fire way to leave any unity plans in disarray. The mature way to deal with it is through dialogue and to come to an agreement; to prevent what could have been a non-issue from becoming an international embarrassment.

This must also be explained well to the public, where mainstream media publishes analytical pieces on all sides of the issue. Oops, too late — that didn’t happen.

But surely there are merits to a heavy-handed approach in the use of banning? Banning is after all the easiest way, not to mention the laziest, which uses the least brain cells in dealing with something. No need for long painful processes and dialogues with everyone at stake — just ban it and let someone else deal with the mess later. More resources can then be spent on, say, 1 Malaysia campaign billboards.

So we must be consistent and go all the way. All “inappropriate” use of religious names and symbols practised in Malaysia should be banned as well, starting with the “B” word since Buddha’s image and name has been most widely appropriated by Western culture.

His followers may be confused, mistaking bars, restaurants and spas to be places of worship. Not to mention the “B” word being used for chill-out music and its associated Zen-like music that may, in some insidious manner, seep into unsuspecting minds as true religious messages.

REPETITION IS KEY

There is a 1 Malaysia ad with excerpts of our prime minister’s speech being played on radio these days — something about unity and helping those who need help (as opposed to those who don’t need help). Not quite Martin Luther King, one might say, but that speech was surely clear and strong enough.

It elicited an equally strong response from listeners around me, although not quite in the same spirit. There’s something almost weird about the whole experience, evoking a surreal and lasting magical feeling, i.e. something unbelievable that just won’t go away. But like they say, repetition is key; if we play that speech over and over again, it may actually sink into the Malaysian consciousness.

Crank up the volume of this ad at every street corner, pasaraya and hypermarket. I mean, Malaysians can be a stubborn lot; you really need to hammer it in sometimes. Whoever survives this will form the new Malaysia.

BETTER REPRESENTATION

It must have been a challenge trying to find an inclusive representation for all Malaysians. But we must think out of the box. Everyone must be bored to their wits by now, in always seeing the same old stereotype of a Malay, Chinese, and Indian.

After all, we know in reality we are much more than three races alone, or in wearing traditional clothes. Must it always be in that sequence? It’s like a hypnotic mantra ingrained whenever we describe Malaysians — Malay, Chinese, Indian, Malay, Chinese, Indian. Zzzz. And lately, we hear attempts to be more inclusive, with Iban and Kadazan added at the tail end.

I propose we do away with this concept altogether and find a better representation that is more inclusive to all. A visual representation that would not put one race above the other. One which honours that which is truly Malaysia and has sacrificed the most for the rest of us — the orang utan.

After all, the orang utan has done so much to bring in tourist dollars, being used and abused for that end, but never truly recognised as one of us.

Not to mention the rate we’re shrinking areas of their natural habitat for our own economic gains, to the point where they’re left only with “sanctuaries” to exist.

As such, to celebrate diversity and to be truly inclusive, the orang utan should take the lead in the next Merdeka parade march.

So, there. Perhaps these measures can help save the campaign. Incredibly unbelievable, I know, but I guess that’s where the problem is.

*The views expressed here are the personal opinion of the columnist.