theSun | WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 17 2008
speak up!
comment by Yeo Yang Poh
THROUGH exchanges
and interactions, different
cultures had throughout
history influenced one
another, and helped shape
one another’s development.
This natural process of
mutual influence is quicker
and more pronounced
today, because of advances
in technology such as in
telecommunication, the
modes of transport and
the Internet. This process,
unlike forced assimilation,
is healthy, egalitarian and
progressive.
On the other hand,
the main argument for
compelling cultural
assimilation seems to be
that, in a multi-cultural
society, the minority
should “compromise”
and merge their cultural
thinking and practices (or
even languages) into the
majority’s. In this way,
it is argued, the people
will be better able to
understand one another,
and all minority sectors
of society will in time
become more like (and
hopefully very similar with)
the majority sector. Such
similarity or commonality,
it is postulated, will ensure
unity, peace and harmony.
Nothing can be further
from the truth. That fusion
formula will no more lead
to unity and harmony than
will wearing the same
clothes and eating the same
food result in love and
brotherhood.
Underlying the thinking
behind this kind of straight-
line reasoning (no matter
how well-intentioned)
are ignorance, a lack
of understanding of the
true causes of conflicts
among human groupings,
resignation to the
acceptance of a subtle form
of racism, and a complete
failure to appreciate the
concept of equality.
To begin with, all
human beings are already
extremely similar in
most ways (if not almost
exactly the same):
biologically, chemically,
genetically, emotionally,
psychologically, cognitively,
and in terms of the capacity
to acquire knowledge,
intellect, experience, and
both positive as well as
negative traits. Yet these
close similarities have not
prevented us from being at
one another’s throats.
This is because unity and
harmony do not come from
increasing commonalities,
whether in terms of
language, habits, behaviour,
cultural practices, enforced
thinking or otherwise. Mao
Ze Dong thought, along
with the other political
motives that he had, that
he could unify the people’s
thinking using the confines
of a little red book, taking
commonalities to a new
letter
letters@thesundaily.com
Parking lots for disabled misused
I AGREE with “Don’t forget
disabled drivers” (Dec 11) on
the misuse of parking lots for
the disabled.
I’ve seen it at Carrefour
Kepong and the KTMB parking
The disaster of forced assimilation
and narrow height. The
disastrous result is for all
to see.
Unity, peace and
harmony will only come
from enlightened minds
and loving hearts, in a
social environment that
permits and encourages
these qualities to grow.
Such an environment, far
from superficial similarity-
seeking, embraces plurality
and equality.
When education as
well as social environment
inculcates in us suspicions
of people who do not share
the same language, culture
or religion as ours, and
when both school and adult
education are no more
than official propaganda
(and where contrary views
are suppressed as being
poisonous disunity factors),
many minds and hearts will
be filled with prejudices,
hatred and bigotry.
There is then no hope for
unity, peace or harmony.
Language and culture
themselves are not to blame.
If official education using
the same language is the
key to gleeful co-existence
in a civilised society,
then by extrapolation this
world would be a better
place if only one language
is officially employed
in education, and that
sole language can be
“democratically” selected by
way of a vote in which the
majority’s choice prevails.
Other languages can of
course still be learned and
used as a hobby. How
absurd such a proposition is.
The argument of
the desirability for the
minorities to “compromise”
and give up the choice of
being educated in one’s
language or actively
practising one’s culture
is myopic, misplaced and
misguided. It also wears
the self-intoxicating odour
of cultural superiority and
racism, tinged with the tired
scent of being resigned to
“facing the fact of life as it
is”.
But the development
of human history and
human values is precisely
propelled by the refusal to
accept “the fact of life as it
is”. A historian, more than
anyone, should realise
this. Without this spirit of
refusing to accept what is
wrong or dehumanising,
for instance, women today
would still not be able to
vote, and (Barack) Obama
would be an illiterate
domesticated slave running
around in gratitude for his
meagre existence within a
superior white culture.
Each language has its
own beauty. Each culture
area opposite Kompleks Desa.
The authorities should take
stern action against these driv-
ers. The best thing is to clamp
their vehicles and impose a
fine.
23
has its own strengths, some tongue or yours. I would cultures are concerned, natural, non-coercive way.
of which may not even still have grown up hating the starting point must be Forced assimilation
be apparent until certain you, only with a different pluralism and diversity. We of cultures is the rape of
events occur. Cultural pronunciation. should not deny any the cultures. It is neither progress
superiority belongs strictly In other words, we must opportunity to grow and nor civilisation.
to the bigot. The lost turn our attention to the develop. Cultural diversity
generations of the natives contents of education, and benefits all. Let there be Yeo Yang Poh is a former
of Australia and the United not its medium or media of choices. Let all languages president of the Bar
States are living testimony instruction. and cultures interact and Council. Comment: letters@
of the horribly misguided As far as languages and influence one another in a thesundaily.com
government policies of
forced assimilation, done
in the belief (genuine or
otherwise) of helping the
young natives to “progress”
like their urbanised peers.
It is now accepted that
biodiversity is a world
treasure that must be
preserved. Just last week,
the world’s first universal
herbal antidote for all kinds
of poison was discovered
in the jungles of Sarawak,
thanks to the traditional
culture and practices of the
Bidayuh. This, and countless
other advances, would not
have been possible if we had
forcibly assimilated minority
groups such as the Bidayuh
into our mainstream,
majority, or “superior”
culture.
Plurality and cultural
diversity are as important
as biodiversity. Cultural
diversity must be preserved
and encouraged, not
deterred. Plurality must be
embraced, not scorned. In
today’s modern societies,
unity, peace and harmony
have little to do with
differences in language
or culture, the varieties
of which we are already
familiar with. Instead, they
have to do with matters
of the heart and mind,
with knowledge, learning,
enlightenment, and hence
with education and politics.
Yes, politics, because
education is controlled and
managed by politics.
The media of instruction
do not cause disunity,
misunderstanding or
tension. It is what we teach
our young that may. It is
those, chiefly politicians,
who wish to compel
assimilation that would.
Love, empathy, respect
and equality, whether
taught in one language or
in multiple languages, stay
beautiful, nurturing and
constructive. On the other
hand, hatred, prejudice
and bigotry, whether spelt
or pronounced in a single
language or in a variety of
languages, will lead to the
same human catastrophes.
For example, if I had been
brought up and educated in
a misguided fashion, and
grown to hate you (a person
from a different grouping)
and see you as an enemy,
it matters little whether
the medium of instruction
had been in my mother
Something has to be done
to educate these heartless
people.
Concerned Citizen
Kuala Lumpur