I am happy to be here at this celebration to commemorate my friend Rev. Dr. Sumana Siri’s 60th anniversary of his monkhood since he was eleven years old six decades ago.
Dr. Sumana, who took post-graduate studies in Christian Theology at Oxford University, is an “activist” monk.
He had actively participated in many causes in Malaysia, like the Save Bukit China (Malacca cemetry hill) campaign in 1984/5 and the hunger strike against the death sentence of Sim Kie Chon campaign in 1986.
In 2,000, he walked the entire Great Wall of China (about 6,000km and through four seasons) in nine months to set a world record.
I have been thinking of civilizational dialogue, understanding, tolerance, co-operation and harmony as way Malaysia can contribute to global efforts in this direction as well as to help one Malaysia create national unity and overcome the very polarized situation the nation has found itself in recent years, aggravated by the social media of instant information, misinformation and disinformation.
For the first time of human history, civilizations, cultures and groups have to relate to one another on a constant and continuous basis. Is this to lead to a clash of civilizations or can we ensure civilizational understanding, tolerance, co-operation and even harmony?
This is the greatest test of mankind.
All over the world, the most worrisome question is whether there will be war between the United States and China. If there is World War Three, mankind will be destroyed and all the potential of the AI era and the space age will come to nought.
Only civilizational understanding, co-operation, tolerance and harmony can save mankind from such self-destruction.
Malaysia, where there is unity of diversity, with its many races, religions, cultures and civilizations is uniquely placed to contribute to this global civilizational process, but first Malaysians must develop global mindsets.
I believe that Malaysia can contribute to this global civilizational harmony process, which will also be part of the national effort for Malaysia to rise again as a great world-class nation but that Rev. Dr. Sumana Siri can contribute to this process.
(Speech by DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang at the celebration to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the monkhood of Rev. Dr. Sumana Siri in Penang on Sunday 1st September 2024 at 6 pm)