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ONCE UPON A TIME........
02-15-2010 2:30 pm - [hf]
… I lived in South East Asia in a country where very different races and religions lived together in peace. It was during the late 1960’s when special celebrations from many different religions and cultures occurred within a very short time of each other. I can still remember that year very clearly because it made a lasting impression on me as public life stopped for more than a week.

The Islamic Aid al Fitr, the Christian Christmas, the Hindu Deepavali (Diwali) and the Chinese New Year were all happenening within a week of each other and the traditional New Year's celebration was an additional festival for all.

As usual, everyone in the village of Tanjung Aru in Sabah expected visitors. So the most important task was to prepare proper food … for Islamic guests, for Christian guests, for Buddhists and for Vegetarian guests. Lots of pots and pans were heated up in our household. We wanted every guest to be happy and feel welcome. All neighbors were invited and came to our house to celebrate with us. All the guests were well fed, happy and we all enjoyed the day together.

Of course, we were also invited to visit our neighbours when they celebrated their holidays as well. They took care to respect all reglions of their neighbours and prepared proper food for all their guests. I do not know if it is still like it was back in the late sixties, where neighbours got along with each other regardless of their race or religious beliefs. I sincerely hope it still is the same.

Isn't that the way it should be ?

Invite your neighbours, regardless of their race or religion, to your religious festivals.
Respect their individual food restrictions.

Accept invitations from your neighbours to their religious festivals.
Maybe you might feel it is a little strange, but go, look and listen.
Keep up good neighbourship regardless of race and religion.

Do not give radicals a chance by allowing them to outlaw any race or religion.
Do not give the government a chance to collect data on millions of citizens under the label of SECURITY.
Do not give anyone a chance to poison good relationships with your neighbours, regardless of race or region.
Do not give the government a chance to interfere with your very personal rights to keep a good relationship to others, regardless of their race or religion.
Do not give any radical person or group a chance!

Please, do not give them the tiniest of a chance ...

We are all human beings living on this one world; do not let us make life harder by hating anyone just because of race or religion.

I am now living in Germany maybe a mile from the bridge over the Neisse river to Poland. There are no border controls anymore (Foto 2). We and the Polish neighbours are able to cross the border anytime and go shopping at this or the other side of the border.
What a progress in relationship to neighbours.

Information:
In most countries that have been colonies of Great Britain, many people moved during colonial times to other colonies and settled there. Mainly in search of work. Malaysia is no exception. In the State of Sabah (East Malaysia) 50% of the population are natives; Kadazan or Dusun, Bajau and Murut. Other large groups are Malays and Chinese. Indians immigrated from their country and Europeans decided to live there when Malaysia became indipendent. All major religions are represented in Sabah.

Feedback and comments welcome

Foto 1: Tanjung Aru Beach at Sunset; © Andrew Foo (wikipedia.org)
Foto 2: The end of border control beetween Germany and Poland


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