Muslims quickly react with anger and hate at the racist/Islamophobic perpetrators, but never look deep into oneself and tell oneself "it starts with ME."

An open message to fellow Malaysian Malay Muslims.

Every time there is a tragedy that occurs somewhere else in the world that targets Muslims, we are quick to react with anger and hate at the racist/Islamophobic perpetrators, and with love and gratitude towards those showing support and solidarity. We are quick to demand and expect foreign, non-Muslim, leaders to be indiscriminate in their support and fight for justice for "our people".

Whilst everyone is focused on their outrage on how the outside world is constantly in a bid to suppress and oppress minority Muslims, I prefer to use these events to reflect a mirror back unto ourselves and look at all the things that need to be improved within our own society. Where we, the Malay Muslims, are the MAJORITY.

How many of our own Malay Muslim political leaders fight indiscriminately for the equal treatment, rights, and justice for our non-Malay, non-Muslim countrymen?

How many of our religious leaders educate their followers about being inclusive towards non-Muslims?

How many of us still latch on to the mindset that if we 'gave away' our Bumiputera rights and included the Chinese, Indians, and Dan Lain-Lains in fair and equal rights within Malaysia 'they' are going to take over our jobs, our lands, our country? That a church or a temple built across a mosque is offensive? You applaud a non-Muslim white man for being a hero because he stood up and made a sign to say he will keep watch whilst his Muslim countrymen prays. How many of you have stood up against racial or religious discrimination towards YOUR Christian, Hindu, Buddhist and etc countrymen when they have been oppressed??? When their places of worship have been attacked by OUR people? You lash out when a foreign government talks about banning the hijab but support a home government that gets offended over Chinese New Year advertisements featuring pigs (who, by the way, are still a creation of Allah swt).

How many of us still look down upon immigrants from Bangladesh, Myanmar, Indonesia, and African nations , treat them as slaves with oppresive wages and saying they are 'flooding' our spaces, taking away jobs, and trying to steal 'our' women?

It is easy to look somewhere else and demand equality when you relate yourself to the minority being oppressed. But we need to really dig deep into our very own discriminatory ways IN MALAYSIA where we are the ones forming THE MAJORITY and constantly act in exactly the same, privileged whiny way as others do in non-Muslim white-majority countries.

You want the world to be a better place you better learn to sort your own selves out. Start from within. Stop being so hypocritical. Demand your political, religious and media leaders to STOP INCITING RACE- AND RELIGION-BASED DISCRIMINATION. Learn from our Prophet Muhammad S.A.W. and how he was fair and just towards all regardless if they chose to be his followers or not.

One love, Malaysia. Look deep into yourself and tell yourself "it starts with ME."

#MalaysiansForEquality

-fb Fizzy Fizah (knowledge from Chui Lim)