In the past two months, “social media Malaysia” seems to have a developed a life of its own – giving a false picture that centrifugal forces in Malaysia are having an upper-hand and tearing Malaysia apart as a result of the worst racial and religious polarisation in the nation’s history.

But this is a false picture of the real Malaysia.

The 62nd Merdeka Day on August 31 was not only celebrated in the federal capital and the various state capitals by the “big shots”, but for the first time in a very long while in the nation’s history by ordinary Malaysians in small towns and villages all over the country.

In the Iskandar Puteri parliamentary constituency, for instance, I flagged off in the morning the 62nd Merdeka Day Run in Kangkar Pulai which was participated by some 2,000 people, opened a debate tournament, flagged off a 62nd Merdeka Day Convoy of Motor Bikes and officiated a day-long 62nd Merdeka Day Pesta Bola participated by 32 teams from the surrounding Malay kampongs.

Instead of inter-racial and inter-religious doubt, suspicion, distrust, animosity, fear and hatred, as propagated by “social media Malaysia”, I find on the ground only goodwill, understanding, harmony and tolerance among Malaysians, whether Malays, Chinese or Indians.

I call on Malaysians regardless of race and religion to prove “Social media Malaysia” wrong, that it is giving a false picture that centrifugal forces in Malaysia are having an upper-hand and tearing Malaysia apart as a result of worst racial and religious polarisation in nation’s history. Read the rest of this entry »