Freedom From the Prison of Prejudice and Hate

By Mimi Say

On this Independence Day, we free our minds from Prejudice against people of other races. We free our minds from judging people not from our group. We cut the leash that bound out emotions that dislike those that don't 'belong' to our group.

We are prisoners. We are in the prison of our judgemental tendency. We only see the faults of others and the greatness of 'our' people. Do we want to live in a land where people distrust each other, do not like each other, do not understand each other or do not tolerate each other?

Malaysia is a beautiful country. She has diversified people and cultures. She is endowed with bountiful and beautiful resources. She does not have natural disastrous calamities.

She used to have people of various races interact with each other harmoniously. Now she has more people who deal with each other suspiciously. Where has the 'beautiful' her gone?

I try to bring up my children of various colours into one heart. The heart that beats into one rhythm. The rhythm of love and harmony. In the ears of young innocent children, they only hear the melody and rhythm of love. In their eyes, they only see the colours of beautiful rainbow that are woven into an extraordinary arch.

I bring children of various races together. They learn together. They eat and play together. They have fun together. Please allow them to grow together. Release them from the prison of hateful mind towards people from other races. Let them make friends. Allow them to have fun together.

Hopefully they will grow up to be humane people. Hopefully they will grow up in the garden of love. Hopefully they will cherish friends from other races. Hence I do not take the celebration of Malaysia Independence Day lightly.

On this day, children interact harmoniously with each other. They sing, play, eat, laugh, interact and colour together. They have FUN together. I plant the seed of racial harmony in them. Hopefully the seed of harmonious living will continue to grow and the flower of love among various races will bloom beautifully in the future.

Hope you enjoy the scenes of how we celebrate Malaysia's 57th Merdeka (Independence Day).