#SaySomethingNice

Pals,

We Malaysians (at least true for the Malays, donno about other races), are taught by our elders to be nice when we say things. Being too direct is considered rude and simple unheard of in yester-time. Thus, if we have something bad to say, we say it nicely with flowery words so as not to directly offend the other party. And that is the Malaysian way of diplomacy.

For example, if someone calls you and ask you whether or not you are busy and occupied with lotsa work, then you will nicely reply that you are not busy and you will have time for that person. That's a white lie, but it is done for the sake of maintaining good relationship with the other party.

And Malaysians too are very generous with the phrase "tak apa" (English: it's okay). Let's say someone calls you at 3:00 am, and if you are a true blue Malaysian, you wouldn't shout "do you know what time it is?"; instead you would put a fake smile and say "tak apa, what can I help you with".

And that's how polite Malaysians can be. Seriously.

But that was in the past, and partially true now. Being nice nowadays are considered luxury, for people these days are not afraid to show their rudeness, display their remorse and show their anger at even the tiniest bit of things. And I am also not excluded, for I too am a human and prone to make millions of mistakes.

Thus, if let's say the waiter sends us the wrong drink than what we ordered, we, the Malaysians of the present, are more likely to shout "I didn't order this. Take it back", with harsh voice. I hear this too often many a time, and sometimes, it is hard to find traces of diplomacy and empathy in the screaming voices.

What have Malaysians become? Are we too stressed by the pressure at the office that we bring it with us everywhere we go?

And which is why, I find the campaign "#SaySomethingNice" to be a good campaign. It is timely for all Malaysians to say something nice to other fellow Malaysians.

This campaign was started by Anas Zubedy in his facebook wherein he directed this campaign at Malaysians to say something nice to other Malaysians despite their difference in political beliefs.

After Malaysia's 13th General Election (GE 13), many of us seems to not recognuze positive adjectives; rather we opt to use negative adjectives directed at those having different political beliefs. And I am aslo not excluded for I have said many bad things about the opposite political party.

I, along with other Malaysians needed to be reminded time and again, that we must say something nice (or neutral) about the other party. At least in the public sphere.

Therefore people, let's join this noble campaign and start saying nice things about people, places and politicians, no matter how dumb they can be. Okey, probably not the adjective "dumb", but let's choose a much lesser evil of all the negative adjectives there are in the English language: "silly".

Let us be more loving and caring towards each other. Put behind our differences and start embracing one another like a family.

Alright, time to #SaySomethingNice, Malaysians!