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I have been reflecting upon the language problematique as it relates to the debate on Malaysian vernacular schools. I arrived at a few thoughts.

Like the difference between truth with a small 't' and truth with a capital T, the same goes with 'culture' and 'Culture'. Frequently, dialogues on Malaysian culture revolve around our attempt to move from the small to the big 'c'.

We argue endlessly over which Malaysian culture is more superior or which should be made official, or whose language should form the basis of our educational policy, or even whether it is suitable to officially have interfaith dialogue (a form of dialogue rooted in language and culture).

When I was in Sekolah Temenggong Abdul Rahman primary school in Johor Bahru, there were mantras in the still unsophisticated media that conditioned us to value the beauty of cultures.

Two of that I can still remember are Bahasa Jiwa Bangsa and Muhibbah . If I recall, part of the lyrics of Muhibbah goes like this:

Muhibbah, muhibbah

Itu lah amalan kita semua

Muhibbah, muhibbah,

Sejak sedari zaman purba kala

Tunaikan lah ikrar

Satu nusa satu bangsa merdeka

Satu

[can't remember this] satu suara

Dalam Malaysia jaya

What revolutionary lyrics on the need to homogenise the nation! As a child roaming around Kampung Melayu Majidee in my worn-out Japanese slippers, I would hum the lyrics. It was like a mantra. What a powerful mind conditioner!


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