JUNE 24 — Chauvinism comes in many forms.

Sometimes it is obvious for all to see. But there are times when it is more subtle.

In the case of your open letter to Lim Guan Eng published this morning in The Malaysian Insider, it is clearly a form of chauvinism dressed up in seemingly centrist language.

Let us look at your suggestions to the Penang chief minister and DAP secretary-general.

You have asked him to openly acknowledge that Malaysia is sired from a Malay polity. You point out that Malays are a gracious people who agreed to share Tanah Melayu.

To quote you: “A show of appreciation for this act of sharing will make a big difference to the Malay community. If you and the DAP set the example to appreciate that the Malays shared the land, the hearts of the Malay community will open to you. Just a simple acknowledgement, a simple thank you, would have warmed their hearts.”

Let us state our position clearly. The Malaysian Insider is impartial but we find it strange that while you profess to be the same, your views suggest that the DAP, and by extension non-Malays we would presume, should be grateful.

It is sad that such views continue to be perpetuated.

It is a view which suggests that our country continues to be stuck in a time warp, condemned to live in 1957 in perpetuity.

While we respect and will defend your right to your views we cannot let it stand.

Malaysia must look forward and in looking forward the country must not perpetuate such a position.

We are all Malaysians. ‘Nuff said, as someone famously said before us.

On the topic of being Malaysian, we would also like to cite your suggestion to the DAP to get to know the Malays. And crucially to say sorry to the Malays.

We do not speak on behalf of the DAP which, like any political party in the country, has its faults.

But let us cite what you wrote to illustrate what we mean by chauvinism.

To quote your letter: “Some of the DAP’s actions in the past, rightly or wrongly, may have hurt the Malay community. For the Malays to stop seeing the DAP as an antagonist, the DAP has to acknowledge the hurt they have caused the Malays and say sorry. If you look at the practice of asking for forgiveness every Aidilfitri, you will realise how important this act is to the culture. The Malays will say sorry even if they did not do wrong. They will ask for forgiveness simply as a good gesture out of respect. They say sorry all the time. That is embedded in the Malay culture. The Chinese may see saying sorry as ‘losing face’ but for the Malays, saying sorry it is to give the other party ‘face’ — an act of high culture.

“Sometimes, to achieve bigger purposes we know that we have to humble ourselves and take the wiser path. In this spirit, I suggest that you apologise for the chauvinistic actions the DAP has taken in the past. For example, the DAP’s attempt to forge a ‘Malaysian Malaysia’ in the way of making the Malay culture and all cultures of Malaysia equal. That is wrong to our history. They are inconsistent with the DAP’s objectives as an inclusive Malaysian party.”

Err... what exactly are you asking the DAP to say sorry for?

Your views are an insult to Malaysians and perpetuate the zero-sum game which is still being played out by different communities.

You have clearly stated in your suggestion that the DAP must apologise for putting Malay and non-Malay cultures on an equal footing.

Firstly, the question of Malay and non-Malay culture should not be compared in such a manner, or to be likened to a competition.

We are of the view that Malay and non-Malay cultures are part and parcel of Malaysian culture.

To paraphrase Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, it is all 1 Malaysia.

And to quote the PM again, perhaps we have to move forward as a country, to go beyond tolerance and just accept each other.

So the zero-sum game has to stop. And, by the way, this message is for all Malaysians.

As far as The Malaysian Insider is concerned, we are all citizens of this country, from Sabah to Perlis, from Kota Baru and Kangar to Kota Kinabalu and Kuching.

It is time to stop talking in terms of Malays and non-Malays.

A final point. When Malaysia’s football team beat Lebanon last night to make it to the Olympics final qualifying round, all of us cheered for the Malaysian national team.

Read that again — the MALAYSIAN national team.

And everyone is looking forward to the national team possibly making it to the Olympics for the first time since 1980.

So let’s stop thinking of ourselves merely as Malays, Chinese, Indians, Kadazans, Ibans, etc.