On Dec 13, The Ant Daily published an article headlined, This is Sarawak! Malay cops belt out ‘White Christmas’! showing a link to a short 2 min 17 secs video clip taken of some Malay policewomen and policemen in Sarawak singing that old Christmas favourite – rather merrily too!
Just two days later, on Dec 15 by 10am the article reached an audience of 100,617 (one of The Ant Daily’s largest viewerships ever) and garnering on its Facebook page 990 Likes, 974 shares and 87 comments. On its original site, it received well over 10,000 Likes.
By any standards, this is rather astounding and unexpected – why should a simple article about a small pre-Christmas celebratory function in a little place like Kuching attract such widespread and enthusiastic nationwide response?
We at the editorial board of The Ant Daily do believe the reasons are quite easy to grasp – people are tired, bored and exhausted from all the stories doing the rounds about dirty politics, government scandals after scandals, politicians who mouth off without putting brain in gear first, and other natural disasters like floods, haze and tragedies on roads, rivers and in the air.
A brilliant little story like this makes the reader “feel good” and reinvigorates the mind and the soul.
It also brings back hope, where hope has been found wanting in certain segments and areas of our country where many things have simply just gone bad and have gone down the drain.
It’s also basically a story of the triumph of good over evil. The evil that ordinary citizens of Malaysia have seen in pure unadulterated bad governance and in the way that the people governing us have been doing their best to divide us all by race, religion and politics.
It has taken a small group of 13 policewomen and men in their uniforms belting out a Christmas song of celebration, knowing quite well that in certain parts of the nation this would be seen as bucking the trend, and at worst inviting condemnation and reprimand!
Why? Because they were not supposed to celebrate with their fellow countrymen and work colleagues a Christian festival?
As if in disbelief, hundreds of comments from readers deluged both the Facebook page and the website, comments such as these:
AnakKampung8 – Are you sure they are Malay? Please do not reclassify Orang Asal as Malay! Thank you.
oh Malaysia – The problem in Semananjung is the leadership. Corruption, cronyism, nepotism, abuse of power are part and parcel in their life without which they cannot survive. And PDRM here is very different from that in S’wak.
Seow Theang Choo – Soon v will b hearing a new fatwa fm Jakim regarding this. Maybe d Harus-cakap-bodoh fler fm Perak will oso issue his own stupid fatwa too. Let’s wait & c...
MusaNg – Edgar Ong, I cannot believe what I am seeing. I am blown away. In Semananjung, those officers will be facing a reprimand from the IGP and probably some counselling by JAKAIM (sic) for engaging in haram acts.
Buing Sultan – During CNY celebrations, check out the compositions (sic) of the lion dance troupes. It’s almost certainly made up of Chinese, Iban, Orang Ulu, Malays n Melanau boys. No big deal.
As to be expected there were a couple of detractors and comments from those who had frowned upon the act shown in the video:
MC Hassan – when we sing a christmeas (sic) song, we agree that jesus was born in 25/12...and we also agreed tht he is god’s son.. which is totally wrong in islam religion, so ask the malay police whether they r islam or not, not all malay are muslims...some don’t even pray.. if they know the truth, they won’t sing...
A majority of the comments on Facebook and The Ant Daily portal have expressed wonder and support, almost 95 per cent in fact, from a mixed readership from all over Malaysia and abroad.
Commentator Charles Yii probably sounded it out best when he wrote, “The Muslims should not be so sensitive about wishing some one of a Christian faith. When we wish some one Merry X’mas we do it out of a fondness, belief and respect of the person and not necessary believe in the Christian faith. We want to share our happiness with them in celebrating the happy occasion.
“I wish people in Malaysia are less sensitive regarding religion and have more beliefs and respect for people irrespective of races and religions just like those people in Sarawak. Merry X’mas to all my friends wherever you are in Sarawak!” - http://theantdaily.com/
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