It is something that we have become so accustomed to that we may have now taken it for granted.
Selamat Hari Raya. Maaf Zahir dan Batin.
That is the greeting which Malaysians have wished each other for longer than I can remember.
In two simple sentences, we have transmitted peace, love, joy and forgiveness to our elders, relatives and friends.
To me, it is the thing which I look forward to the most, particularly when I meet my parents, siblings, members of my extended family and my friends.
Two simple sentences, but powerful enough to rekindle relationships, especially strained ones.
Yet, every family has that pesky uncle and aunt.
The one who with one twirl of the tongue is capable of turning a greeting into an insult.
The one who is capable of ruining your festive spirit with an unwelcome comment.
On your growing “prosperity”. On your decision to remain single for another year. On your lack of offspring. On your sugar intake. The list is endless.
Malaysian politicians of recent times appear incapable of distinguishing what divides Malaysians from what unites them. They seem to want to play politics at every available opportunity.
Sadly, even when extending festive greetings.
How else can one explain the Dedak Cartoon attributed to Nga Kor Ming? Or Tony Pua’s Chinese New Year greeting video of earlier this year?
Politicians seem to forget that as elected representatives they represent people on both sides of the political divide – those who voted for them and those who did not.
While their “creative” greetings may provide side-splitting guffaws to their supporters, they will likely be deemed insulting to others on the other side of the divide.
Where is the unity, peace, love, joy and forgiveness in that?
My advice to politicians on both sides of the divide is to stop acting like pesky aunts and uncles.
Learn to recognise that there are days when our commonality as Malaysians must override our religious, racial and political diversity.
Let’s stop the insulting, demeaning and self-serving greetings, and return to the simple and sincere greetings.
To FMT and all its faithful readers, I wish you,
“Selamat Hari Raya. Maaf zahir dan batin.”
Rahim Zainuddin is an FMT reader
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