Harmoni was formed to provide a platform for the voices of the moderate-majority to be heard, amidst the current strident religious and racial polemic that builds barriers and hate and impedes the healthy interaction between communities and the development of national unity.
Amongst other initiatives, Harmoni will organise events, conferences and community-based activities to provide opportunities to celebrate our diversity, promote brotherhood and fellowship, encourage interaction and foster rational dialogue (as reflected in the logo of many hands joined together) as a means to generate unity and national solidarity. These initiatives will, where relevant, be implemented in cooperation with other like-minded organisations which subscribe to similar objectives to build bridges between communities and people.
A short video (http://www.thestar.com.my/videos/2015/12/17/golden-hearts-award-2015-more-than-just-a-neighbour/) was shown during the event. It was a poignant and touching video on the plight of Uncle Ah San, who was suffering from elephantiasis, leaving him barely able to walk. Determined to help him better his life, Shirin Aziha Shahidan contacted social activist Syed Azmi who wrote about Uncle Ah San's story online. The story went viral with thousands responding and wanting to help the elderly man.
Also highlighted were the cases of normal and simple folks, all Malaysians, doing their part to help others irregardless of race and religion. What was striking about all those cases were the fact that charity transcends all barriers. A Buddhist nurse, Connie adopted and raised five Malay children as Muslims.
Rajagopal is an office boy, blind in one eye and living with his wife and daughter in a three-bedroom apartment. He turned over one room to an older man who had been reduced to living on the streets.
Rajagopal fed him for 10 years and cared for him. And when the older man died of dengue, Rajagopal helped in the cremation ceremony, with Hindus and a Sikh paying respects as a Buddhist monk did the final rites.
I took the liberty to find out the definition of "harmony". Amongst others, harmony is defined as goodwill, accord, kinship but the one that struck me the most was "meeting of minds" or consensus ad idem. As lawyers we need to strike a balance when we draft a contract i.e we cannot have a one sided deal. It must be a win win situation. We must agree to disagree and compromise by achieving a meeting of minds before we can finalise the contract. Therefore, as citizens of Malaysia, we need to have a meeting of minds in order to achieve harmony. We need to emphatise in order to sympathise. We need to work out our differences. We need accept each other's practices and cultures and live together harmoniously. We need to emulate the individuals highlighted above. As they have shown that a Chinese Buddhist lady can raise Malay Muslims children. An Indian Hindu man can cremate a Chinese man with Buddhist rites. A Muslim Malay can help a Chinese Buddhist.
I dream of a Malaysian Malaysia. I dream of a Malaysia of yesteryears. I dream of a better Malaysia!
Nicole Tan Lee Koon
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