Malaysian-first ,race second ?

The debacle of choosing either as Malaysian-first or ethnic-first as
one's identity among our national leaders is indeed a sad reflection
of the state of ethnic unity in our country. After 53 years of
independence , we are still struggling to ascertain our basic identity
as a citizen . The One Malaysia ideal is far from our grasp.The recent
outburst of racist remarks and the retaliations thereof  do not speak
well of Malaysia as far as ethnic accommodation and co-existence are
concerned.Malaysians need to discard ethnocentrism which will only
breed cultural superiority and racial prejudice. The One Malaysia
concept should not remain as mere rhetoric . Mutual respect by each
and every ethnic essential . We  should not allow a handful of ultras
to erode the mutual trust and respect that have been established among
the various races in Malaysia.Being different in sociocultural values
does not mean there must be confrontations and conflicts. The
principle of Unity in Diversity is achievable if Malaysians learn to
perceive national issues from a more open-minded and universal
perspective.In short , let each and every Malaysian regards our ethnic
diversities as a cultural heritage than seeing it as a liability .