Opinion: Prof Teo Kok Seong, why don’t you build bridges that unite, not walls that divide?

Opinion: Prof Teo Kok Seong, why don’t you build bridges that unite, not walls that divide?

15 Mar 2024 • 7:30 AM MYT

FLK
Used to do a bit of work in corporate restructuring, corporate `undertaker

Image credit: WeirdKaya


Do you know what a typical Malaysian would look like?


We were like a potpourri of flower petals with our diverse physical features and skin colors.


We have so many different cultural expressions and there were things that we did differently.


The beauty of this diversity was that none of these ever bothered any one of us and neither did we see each other differently.


We are all Malaysians.


The events in recent years have made many people look at each other differently.


We call ourselves Malaysians probably because we hold a Malaysian passport but our diversity has been made into an issue to divide us all.


Many would readily admit that this has been caused by a political agenda.


The sad part is that the disagreeing majority remain silent – for whatever reasons.


Now is the time for us to build bridges as bridges bring us prosperity in all forms whereas walls only hold us back so that we do not grow.


That is not to say the fearsome torrents of hate, suspicion and mistrust will disappear entirely but by building bridges we can cross over those fearsome and troubled waters.


All of us have crossed a bridge before at least once if not more in our lifetime.


What was important is that we were able to cross from one point to another.


In today’s world and in the context of this country that we live in, bridges build up trust, strengthen friendships and create a connection between people of different faiths.


The first step towards building bridges is to make friends.


But in order to make friends we must learn to trust one another.


The roots to many of the problems in our society today is that we do not trust each other.


The lack of trust could have been either implanted by an external source or by certain prejudices that we carry in each one of us.


If we continue down this path of addressing the symptom rather than examining the cause we will only damage what we have been working towards.


So instead of listening to the fear in the voices of those who call for a wall to be built, with your stature you should instead bridge the divide and strive to work and unite all Malaysians.


You appear to hide behind the veneer of your academic achievement with your recent rant that appears to be born out of years of frustration in you.


The problem lies with you too for you only look at the issue without acknowledging that you are also part of the problem.


By not offering and immerse yourself in providing a solution to what you perceive to be an issue, you are equally guilty.


You degraded the alma mater that awarded you your academic honors by focusing on the differences alone without offering any solutions.


Now not only you have offended a lot of people but you also embarrass yourself.


Or probably this is your personality which is going against the grain.


Focusing on differences can also be quite mentally taxing.


Think about it.


You walk into a room and your mind races with all the different cultural differences you need to remember, that you’re not supposed to do X, Y, or Z and that your partners from another culture may be doing A, B, or C, and each of these behaviors has a specific meaning in that culture that’s different from yours.


It’s enough to make your head spin!


So, what then can you do to be more effective across cultures?


Why don’t you focus on similarities, on what we have in common, instead of what we don’t.


The possibilities are endless.


A lot of ordinary Malaysians are hoping that you develop the courage and have the willingness to focus on similarities and with your academic achievements, create connections and build relationships that either supersede cultural differences or make them irrelevant.

Image credit: Free Malaysia Today