howwwzattt... of a fine line between nationalism and racism...

I was born in Kuala Kangsar, a royal town in Perak. I inherit a Bugis and Acheh lineage from my father and mother respectively. Most of the living Malaysians now regardless of their ethnicity were here in Malaysia and that makes us a rightful citizen of the country.

Our forefathers and those before them may have come from some place else to the peninsula and I believe mine too. This is a hijrah, a migration to another land or place for a better living.

As for our generation now, we were born, schooled, work and die on this land that we love, well some may died some place else.

Being so, sub-conciously all of us are nationalist in each individual right. Some may fight with guns like the army, some may venture into businesses to strenghten the economy, some may teach in schools preparing for the next generation, some may work in factories again for the economy and some may not even doing anything except for counting their fortune.

Being proud of who we are, of our land that those before us had developed with their bare hands and sweats.

1Malaysia is a nationalism in form of slogan, reminding us of who we are.

Shouting Cina balik Tongsan, India balik India, Benggali balik Punjab tapi Melayu balik mana? What if the Orang Asli shout at us, "hoiii Melayu, pegi balik Jawa, pegi balik India", would we be abled to react?

And that is racism, a card being played by our leaders just to save their skin, to save their periuk nasi.