Have you ever felt the weight of an assault rifle on your hands? I have, in my two and a half years in the 31st Artillery Regiment in the Askar Wataniah. It is heavy and hard to hold. Perhaps this was what it had felt like for the many who have fought for our peace.
Today, many of us Malaysians have the privilege to live in peace. Today, we observe International Day of Living Together in Peace, a yearly commemoration ratified by the UN General Assembly in 2017. The privilege of peace is something that many of us did not fight for. It was a struggle of our elders who had come before us. This raises the importance for us to value this peace in a time when all of humanity is under threat by a sweeping global pandemic.
The pandemic has taken our peace away. Without any gunshot, its quiet but rampant spread has killed more than 3.5 million people and infected over 162 million. And yet, the world is getting increasingly divisive, with global tensions reaching peaks unseen before in this century. The escalation continues, most recently with the airstrikes on the Gaza strip, the ongoing trade wars, the collapse of the Iran nuclear agreement, the Myanmar coup, the China-Taiwan divide. It is as if we haven’t learnt.
Trouble also persists even within what is usually regarded as safe spaces. In the confines of homes all around the country, sharp spikes in domestic abuses leaves many longing for peace. The Women, Family and Community Development Ministry revealed last November they received 1,929 complaints of domestic violence since MCO was first introduced in March 2020. Police also confirmed a rise in parental abuse by their adult children during the same period. This worrying trend has been labeled as a “pandemic within a pandemic”.
These cases, far and near, raises the acute need for us to be defenders of peace.
These cases, far and near, raises the acute need for us to be defenders of peace. Going beyond our homes and our communities into our politics and into our participation in the international community. As Malaysians, we can rise to comfort those who are troubled and are afraid. Many of us know how to accept differences and can listen, recognize, respect, and appreciate others, as well as living in a peaceful and united way.
In this blessed month of Syawal, we have the memory of visiting our Muslim friends and family in their homes. We carry the hope that once the clout of the pandemic is over and forgotten, we can convene again. This raises the case for vaccination. That when more of us get inoculated, the more we are immune as people to this deadly virus. This gives us, our family, neighbours and community, peace.
We hold on to our diversity as a pillar of strength and unity. That is brand Malaysia. To live together, it is impractical to avoid different groups with varying opinions. Differences permeate all areas of life. We just need to focus on what makes us one. We learn to accept differences as our moral and political counterparts. From accepting, we work with those who differ with us to shape a better future. If we do not guard this well, we may risk losing it to a darker side polarization and distrust. We must do whatever we can in our power to keep securing an environment where all can live in peace in this country.
As a new mother to two baby boys, it is my inherent duty to attend to their troubles, be it in their hunger or in the intricacies of growing up. When all is sorted, they will drift into a tranquil sleep. A very peaceful moment to observe. Perhaps this perspective is what we need to take when we think about the world and how future generations will view us in history. Did we live as a generation that worked hard for the next one to inherit a world of peace like how our forefathers did? It is not an easy task, but this duty is paramount, and it begins from our home. Peace be with you.
