Comfortable In My Own Skin

I have 1001 reasons to oppose 1Malaysia. I give it a thumb down until the so-called Malaysians know West and EAST Malaysia thoroughly, and until the so-called Malaysians stop mentioning about the Ibans live on trees, wearing cawats. You people can't even handle the neverending issues between the three major groups and now you want to group ALL races to One? Who are you kidding?

No, I am not being racist here. I support various ethnic groups living peacefully and harmoniously under one roof. This is totally a different subjet to begin with. I love Sarawak and all its people to death. In fact, I love Malaysia that I diss the idea to group the people (with different identities, beautiful cultures and various ethnicity) to ONE group.

We are not English, because they don't have the Ibans and the Bidayuhs in England. We are not Americans, as they don't have Berawan, Mamaloh, Kayan, Kelabit, Punan, Lun Bawang in USA. We are not Japanese, NO they don't have Malays, Chinese, Indians living together in Japan. We cannot and shouldn't be like them because we are totally UNIQUE. I love the cultural diversity in this country and I think we should think of ways to preserve the UNIQUE cultural backgrounds.

I am not one of the people who would participate in an 'illegal protest' to voice my dissatisfaction. NO. I am just an Iban lady, who have traveled to many parts of Malaysia and have listened to many 'remarks' made to my community and the rest of Sarawakians, by these people coming from these many parts of the country. They don't know that other races exist, they still think that we hunt deers and boars for living, the women here are 'cheap' and easy to get, we live by the rivers, and they still wonder why I wrote TAMAN K**** T***** as my mailing address instead of KAMPUNG or RUMAH PANJAI K**** T*****. These were constant remarks and thoughts (taunts, I would say) those SOME people made to my people during my 5 years living away from my homestate. I totally do not exaggerate on what I said here. REALITY & TRUTH bite, don't they?

ALL Sarawakians are proud to be different and they have done the best they could do to preserve their identities to distinguish themselves. Educational websites for the cultural heritage purposes are put to waste when the targeted groups refuse/are reluctant to learn about us, to know about us and to recognize us. I am not being provocative or whatsoever, but what do you think upon hearing to the terms, "Islam Sarawak" and "Islam Semenanjung". This was used (so many times) by someone from that part of Malaysia (totally NOT my dear housemate), to refer to the Western Malays and the Eastern Malays. WTF.

Don't get me wrong, I love all my friends. I have a Bidayuh fiance-to-be, the Malays, Ibans, a Bisaya, Kenyahs, Chinese, Melanau, Kadazans, Dusuns, a Mamaloh, a Selakau, a Berawan etc in my social chain and I don't hate my friends. When I learn about each one of them and be around them as much as I could be, I begin to understand each one of them and accept them the way they are. It isn't too much to ask for, if each and everyone in Malaysia could accept the FACT that Malaysia belongs to the Malaysians, and we are in fact - a DIFFERENT UNIQUE country in which we should be proud of.

Malaysian is my nationality, Iban is my race.Signing off.