National Patriots Association: Chinese in Malaysia are citizens, foremost

National Patriots Association: Chinese in Malaysia are citizens, foremost

By Lt Col Datuk Zarazilah Mohd Ali

Letter to editor

IT IS with vexed feelings that the National Patriots Association (PATRIOT) takes cognisance of sentiments raging over the declaration of Chinese villages as world heritage sites in the country.

Why are we in this state of unjustified prejudices and are seen to be peddling discriminating fears when it comes to Malaysian citizens of Chinese ancestry having their long-standing villages or ‘Chinese New Villages’ being preserved for posterity?

PATRIOT knows too well our victorious national history that is punctuated with gallant stories of how we fought off the advances and infiltration of the communists.

If today we are enjoying and benefiting from the peace, harmony and multi-racial co-existence in the country, it is because our Malayan soldiers (and police) of Chinese ancestry stood shoulder to shoulder with other Malayans to defend a young, struggling nation once upon a time – not too long ago to successfully fight off the communists.

More importantly, the Chinese villagers could have bandied together and betrayed our rulers and government then.

But no, they instead demonstrated their resolute loyalty to their ‘new nation’ Malaya and helped our defence and security forces to fight out the communists.

No one of sound mind and a decent heart can deny how Malaysian Chinese have worked together, fought together and stayed together to build this nation.

In all of these gallant endeavours, one significant truth that emerges is the fact that our Chinese villages have and do continue to play a symbiotic role in nationhood.

Instead of celebrating a world heritage recognition for our distinctly deserving Chinese new villages, we seem to be drumming fears and sowing more anti-racial feelings.

Instead of working towards gaining more world recognition for how our unique country preserves and thrives on nurtured traditions, cultures and customs, we are instead seizing the opportunity to keep suspicion at a higher crescendo and belittling our ‘Malayan’ and even ‘Malaysian’ achievements.

Not only are all these divisiveness ruining the country’s economic potentials of the future but they also causing irreversible damage to the power of co-existence and thriving on diversity.

PATRIOT has this reminder for decision makers and public opinion agentry as well as dubious politicians who are bent on attempting to make desolate any or all ideas and initiatives meant to further enrich our future.

As much as the Chinese citizens of Malaysia have a right to preserve their past, all of us today have a reciprocal duty to preserve and celebrate our honest history. – Feb 21, 2024


Lt Col Datuk Zarazilah Mohd Ali is president of the National Patriots Association (PATRIOT).

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