“Are You Even Malaysian?” And Other Things Malaysians Can Relate To
Happy 61st Merdeka Day to all fellow Malaysians!
What a time to be a part of this country we call home after more than six decades of independence. As Malaysians, we are always trying to find our identities elsewhere but we forget that being Malaysian is an identity of its own. Quite frankly, it is an identity like no other — let it be known to the world that being in a diverse country doesn’t come easy.
We have grown to love and accept our motherland for all its strength and weaknesses, its beauty and imperfections. To this day, we Malaysians still have to fight against racism and discrimination on daily basis. Nonetheless, Malaysia has matured in so many ways and so have the people. For all it’s worth, this land would not be what it is today if it weren’t for the diversity that we have with a manifold of races, culture, tradition and, of course, food.
In all honesty, terms like melting pot or salad bowl are too generic to describe our country. We prefer to consider ourselves as “Nasi Campur” — A true embodiment of Malaysian culture with a little bit of everything from different cultures on one plate. To celebrate this meaningful day, we spoke to #TEAMCLEO on what makes them a true Malaysian.
