Singapore - "Our country should play P. Ramlee films everyday. His films can teach us how we can live together happily and harmoniously like the good old days," says the Malaysian High Commissioner to Singapore, Datuk N. Parameswaran.
Parameswaran made the comment when asked what his wishes are for Malaysia and Malaysians in conjunction with the 51st National Day celebrations on Sunday.
He said during the P. Ramlee era, all races could go for a Malay ronggeng or joget dance and mixed happily.
(Tan Sri) P. Ramlee, who died in 1973 at the young age of 44, was a Malaysian as well as Singaporean icon long known for his significant contributions to the local, particularly Malay, film and entertainment industries.
He acted in and directed many films that focused on multi-racial themes and people in Malaysia and Singapore, having good relations and living harmoniously.
"But I do not like what I see now," Parameswaran said, adding that he felt that some racial and religious polarisation may have unfortunately emerged.
He recalled that when he was studying in Universiti Malaya, he and a Malay friend shared a room rented from a Chinese family at Paramount Garden in Petaling Jaya.
"I‘m the product of May 13, 1969," Param, as he being affectionately called by those closed to him, said tersely.
Soon after graduation he joined the government service on May 2, 1969, and very soon after that May 13 broke out.
During the difficult days of the May 13 riots, he said the Chinese family helped by giving him and his Malay room-mate food.
"I knew what it was like then, when Malaysia was in shambles," Param said, adding that he disliked with what had happened.
But after the May 13 incident, the country and Malaysians moved forward, never to let such ethnic strife surface again.
"We became one country, blurring the lines of race and religion," he added.
But Param felt that in recent years some people failed to perpetuate harmonious relations among the Indians, Malays and Chinese.
The High Commissioner wished that Malaysians would go back to the good old days like in the 1960s, like the days of P. Ramlee.
He said Malaysians should emulate what they see in the P. Ramlee movies, which depicted them living together in harmony.
"We should begin to appreciate the differences in our races and religions. I like to see this happen as it is important," Param said.
In other words, a country with different races but all living in unity and with little discord.
Param said he was proud that Malaysia had a system that accommodated all the different races.
"You know, our Prime Ministers are protected by our Unit Tindakan Khas boys who come from all races," he pointed out.
On the Malaysia Day celebrations in Singapore, Param said since it would fall on the fasting month of Ramadan, the high commission would celebrate it with a ‘buka puasa‘ event at a hotel with about 600 to 800 guests.
For his final wish come Aug 31, Param said, "I want a harmonious Malaysia."
And more P. Ramlee movies to show the way it should be. By Zakaria Abdul Wahab
Source: http://www.bernama.com/ (August 25, 2008)