Press Statement

Wednesday, 21 February 2024

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Chinese in Malaysia are citizens, foremost

Dear Editor,

It is with vexed feelings that Patriot takes cognizance of sentiments raging over the declaration of Chinese villages as

world heritage sites in the country.

Why are we in this state of unjustified prejudices and are seen to be peddling discriminating fears when it comes to

Malaysian citizens of Chinese ancestary having their long standing villages, or ‘Chinese New Villages’, being

preserved for posterity?

Patriot knows too well our victorious national history that is punctuated with gallant stories of how we fought off the

advances and infiltration of communist.

If today we are enjoying and benefiting from the peace, harmony and multiracial coexistence in the country it is

because our Malayan soldiers (and police) of Chinese ancestory stood shoulder to shoulder with other Malayans to

defend a young, struggling nation once upon a time – not too long ago that is, to successfully fight off the

communists.

More important, the Chinese villagers could have bandid together and betrayed our rulers and government then.

But no, they instead demonsttated their resolute loyalty to their ‘new’ nation’ Malaya and helped our defence and

security forces to fight out the communists.

No one of sound mind and a decent heart can deny how Malaysian Chinese have worked together, fought together

and stayed together to build this nation.

In all of these gallant endeavours one significant truth that emerges is the fact that our Chinese villages have and do

continue to play a symbiotic role in nationhood.

Instead of celebrating a world heritage recognition for our distinctly deserving Chinese new villages we seem to be

drumming fears and sowing more anti-racial feelings.

Instead of working towards gaining more world recognition for how our unique country preserves and thrives on

nurtured traditions, cultures, customs, we are instead seizing the opportunity to keep suspicion at a higher cresendo

and belittling our ‘Malayan’ and even ‘Malaysian’ achievements.

Not only are all these divisiveness ruining the country’s economic potentials of the future but also causing irreversible

damage to the power of coexistence and thriving on diversity.

Patriot warns decision makers and public opinion agentry as well as dubious politicians who are bent on attempting to

make desolete any or all ideas and initiatives meant to further enrich our future.

As much as the Chinese citizens of Malaysia have a right to preserve their past, all of us today have a reciprocal duty

to preserve and celebrate our honest history.

Lt Col Dato’ Zarazilah Mohd Ali

President

Persatuan Patriot Kebangsaan

MALAYSIA