While I remain partially skeptical regarding the case where police arrested three people who are allegedly planning to attack a beer festival, it raises other worrying questions.
If this attack is true, how much has the racial and religious tension arisen here in Malaysia? How have things fallen to such a level where people feel compelled to attack a festival? This is a troublesome trend and there is no easy fix, as proven by the Americans and their own continued struggles with racism (see Donald Trump, eternal bigot and douchebag).
While things are looking down, especially now with the upcoming general elections and politicians resorting to attacking people using racial and religious slurs, I want to remain positive. People are willing to change, or at the very least, grow accustomed to each other.
With all due respect, I don't think that such extremists would attack others because they are jealous of the peace that we have in the country. They make such attacks because there are deep seated issues that they feel are not being addressed, from the poverty that they are currently enduring to the fact that they feel that their way of life is being threatened by others.
So, I call for a change. Not just in the government but in our mindsets. We need to get rid of this 'other side' mindset that is deeply entrenched in us and there is just one way to do it: we need to get along like bonobos so that we can achieve greater peace.
Bonobos for the win!
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