How sports, culture strengthen the Malaysian spirit

Unity in diversity means we can still unite as a nation despite our differences.

(FMT) – True unity lies in shared experiences such as cheering for athletes on the world stage and celebrating each other’s cultural traditions.

Eight months in, 2024 has been quite tumultuous for the nation.

While one episode — the KK Mart socks controversy — boiled over into a political row, another — the “one-on-one” fistfight at a Penang convenience store — was resolved in a “handshake for unity”.

These events may have taken centrestage thanks largely to social media but many Malaysians do realise that being a part of this nation is more than just about politics and fistfights.

For the ordinary folk, it is about sipping teh tarik together at a mamak stall with eyes glued to the big screen as the nation’s athletes battle for glory at major sports events such as the Olympics.

Former Bukit Bintang MP Lee Lam Thye agrees wholeheartedly.

He sees sports as a “very important vehicle” for bringing people together and fostering a sense of national pride and collective identity.

“Sport is a universal language that bridges divides, unites cultures and leaves a lasting legacy,” he told FMT.

“People from all communities foster unity by focusing on shared human experiences and celebrating common interests,” he added.

Lee said this is evident from viral videos on social media of Malaysians cheering for badminton doubles pair Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik as well as singles ace Lee Zii Jia as they fought for their bronze medals at the Paris Olympics 2024 last month.

For student Syaddad Haidhar, Malaysia’s 26 representatives at the games were a source of pride.

He said the Olympics has made this year’s Merdeka Day more meaningful.

“Our athletes did a great job never mind that they did not win a (gold) medal,” he told FMT.

The euphoric reaction to Aaron-Wooi Yik’s victory in the fight for bronze was enough to warm his heart.

Pusaka founder Eddin Khoo recalled cheering for the Selangor football team in the 1970s.

The team then boasted some of the greatest names in the nation’s football history, including Soh Chin Aun, Santokh Singh and Mokhtar Dahari.

“The spirit then was really quite incredible. The love and support showered on them in that very compact (Merdeka Stadium) is the essence of how much we can empathise and come together as a nation irrespective of culture, race and faith,” Khoo told FMT.

Besides sports, Khoo, who has done extensive work in revitalising traditional arts in the local community through Pusaka, has also witnessed the younger generation showing an interest in cultural performances.

“It’s so important to make sure that traditions such as Mak Yong, Wayang Kulit, Main Puteri – which encapsulate and capture and reanimate our ‘semangat’ – are never allowed to fade away,” he said.

Khoo added that unity in this nation is built upon the ability to celebrate each other’s cultural traditions.

“Everybody is able to say whatever culture settles in this country is as much mine as anybody else’s. That is where unity is – it can’t be found in a set of principles dictated by the state,” he added.

For Lee, organised programmes and activities also play a major role in fostering unity.

He said the unifying force of sports and the arts is nurtured by sending students for such programmes.

“It has enabled them to build lifelong friendships and gain a deeper understanding of Malaysia’s culture mosaic,” he added.

Lee said that through regular participation in sports and the arts, people from different communities build trust and understanding, breaking down the stereotypes and prejudices they previously held.

 

Unity in diversity

As Malaysia marks yet another national day, Lee called on everyone to stand united in the face of growing religious and racial polarisation that many say has been fuelled by politicians.

“Unity in diversity means we can still unite as a nation despite our differences. Every Malaysian must always remember that we must never allow racial and religious polarisation to prevail,” he said.

Syazwan Nizam, owner of media studio Bangsawan Pictures, said he was grateful for being able to lead a peaceful life while working and collaborating with people from all ethnicities and religions daily.

He said Malaysia’s independence from British rule in 1957 has allowed its people to “be free to do whatever they want”, a freedom that should be cherished and celebrated every year on Merdeka Day.