'Treasured friendships, memories as the only non-Malay in school'

 

OUR MUHIBAH STORY | In April, Malaysiakini invited readers to submit a story about their cherished friendships or relationships that surpass race and religious barriers.

Some shared about their friendship forged as children that have lasted a lifetime. Their stories have left a sense of nostalgia and longing for simpler times gone past.

But some of Malaysiakini’s younger readers - who were not even born in those “good old days” - share that those bonds still exist for them today.

These are their stories, in their own words, as submitted to Malaysiakini.

(Editor’s Note: The stories below are brief but should not be perceived as a full reflection of the contributor’s entire experience. They are brief because Malaysiakini’s call-out was for readers to submit a photograph with a caption of not more than 100 words to fit social media formats.)

‘Learning to live together’

A muhibah story by Sean Liaw, 18.

I was the only ethnic Chinese student throughout my five years in secondary school, all the way up until the final day of SPM.

For five years, I lived at the boarding school with my Malay classmates and batchmates. It was hard to adapt at first but after a year of hiccups, it became great.

They were all very nice and had an eagerness to learn and understand the cultural differences I had with them.

It was definitely an extraordinary secondary school experience and a well-worth journey.

This is my batch - Al Fateh 1923. These friends are “legends”. This memory will live rent-free in my mind.

‘Our teacher taught us the beauty in our diversity’

A muhibah story by Tay Yie Jie, 11.

In multicultural Malaysia, we experience the blending of different cultures and how to be inclusive of others. It’s a wonderful thing.

This is my Bahasa Malaysia teacher, Farah Assofia Harolizam. She is Malay. Through her, we learn the beauty of cross-cultural communication.

She taught our class of nine-year-olds (Standard 3) wholeheartedly, making sure we all understood. Now we are Standard 5 students.

My teacher and I took this joyful photo together on Teacher's Day. I will remember her all my life.

A helping hand from a stranger

A muhibah story by Ivan Seow, 28.

At a recent event, I wore the Baju Melayu for the first time.

I felt somewhat awkward, especially because I had no clue how to handle the sampin.

Fortunately, a Malay trader noticed my discomfort and warmly approached me, offering to help.

At that moment, I realised this is the beauty of Malaysia's diversity. - Mkini