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Malaysia--A
Rich Cultural Tapestry
By Liu
Cheng-Choong, Soka Gakkai Malaysia Secretary-General
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SGM
Culture Centre
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Liu
Cheng-Choong
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Malaysia is a
country rich in both natural beauty and cultural diversity. It
has a warm tropical climate with sunshine all year round.
Rainfall may occur at any time of year, and 60 percent of the
country is covered with tropical rain forest. Lush greenery
can be found in both rural and urban areas of the country,
including the capital Kuala Lumpur, and the newly declared
administrative capital of Putrajaya even has its own 335
hectares of wetland.
Malaysia became a
country less than 40 years ago in 1963 after it gained its
independence from Britain. Comprised of 13 states and three
territories, it has adopted a parliamentary system of
government modeled mainly on the British system.
Covering a land
area of 330,000 square kilometers, Malaysia consists of a
peninsula and the states of Sabah and Sarawak which occupy the
northern part of Kalimantan Island, separated from the
peninsula by the South China Sea.
Cultural
Diversity
Malaysia's
landscape is as rich in greenery as its inhabitants are rich
in the diversity of their cultures. There are three main
ethnic groups living in the country. The dominant group, the
Malay, was already living in Malaysia long before the arrival
of the colonial powers. The Malays are devout Muslims and have
a rich cultural heritage. The Chinese, most of whom originally
emigrated from poverty-stricken southern China, are mainly
Taoists or Buddhists who have brought their own rich culture
along with them. The Indians and Sri Lankans, mostly Hindu in
terms of faith, also retain many of their own cultural
traditions.
Although Islam is
the official religion of the country and is practiced by all
members of the Malay ethnic group, the Malaysian constitution
provides for freedom of worship. There is a wide array of
places of worship, and in many parts of Malaysia one can find
Islamic mosques, Buddhist temples, Hindu temples and Christian
churches within the same town. It is also not uncommon for
followers of a particular religious faith to invite friends of
other faiths to join them for religious festivals and
celebrations. Christians invite non-Christian friends to their
homes for lunch or dinner on Christmas Day; Muslims invite
their friends to Id-el-Fitri to celebrate the ending of their
holy month of Ramadan; the Chinese invite their non-Chinese
friends to their homes during the Chinese (lunar) New Year;
and the Hindus do the same during their religious celebration
of the Festival of Lights. Even political leaders hold open
houses during such festivals, and Malaysians from all walks of
life, without any invitation, are welcome to attend these
gatherings.
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Children
from the Malaysia Soka Kindergarten
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The Malaysian
political system is based on the sharing of power among the
country's various ethnic groups. The ruling political party in
Malaysia, the National Front, is a coalition of both ethnic
and nonethnic political parties. The Malaysian cabinet, the
executive branch of government, consists of members from the
main ethnic groups. It is the strong spirit of cooperation
among these various groups that has made Malaysia so colorful,
vibrant and progressive.
The multicultural
and diverse ethnic tapestry of Malaysia has certainly made
Malaysians tolerant and cooperative. The development of a
forward-looking and politically stable Malaysia can be
attributed to this diversity which has galvanized the
strengths of the country's various ethnic groups.
Soka
Gakkai Malaysia
It is within this
multicultural framework that members of Soka Gakkai Malaysia (SGM)
carry out their activities for the promotion of peace, culture
and education. Established in 1984, SGM consists of
individuals who share a common belief in the Buddhist life
philosophy expounded by Nichiren.
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Five
thousand SGM members performing the
"human graphics" during the opening
ceremony of the 1998 Commonwealth Games
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While many of its
activities are for members only, SGM has also organized or
joined many events that are open to the public. Since 1995, it
has organized five Charity Cultural Festivals in different
locations around the country that included cultural
performances by SGM members. Proceeds from the sale of tickets
to these festivals were donated to various charities,
including underprivileged communities, educational centers and
welfare organizations. People from all walks of life,
irrespective of religion and ethnic background, attend these
events, and some of the donations are given to institutions
run by other religious groups.
SGM youth division
members have also actively participated in various community
and cultural events organized by sports groups and
government-backed bodies. These include the cleanup of
recreational areas and welfare centers, as well as the
larger-scale participation of 5,000 SGM members in a
presentation of color-card "human graphics" during
the opening of the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur.
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People
of Malay, Chinese and Indian ethnic origins
mingle socially in Malaysia
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SGM has also
established a kindergarten, one of three kindergartens outside
Japan to use the Soka School teaching methodology. Children in
this nonprofit kindergarten, who come from different ethnic
groups, are taught the importance of self-confidence,
tolerance, good behavior and social interaction.
SGM has also held
lectures and seminars on issues relevant to living more
fulfilling lives and building a more peaceful world.
History
Although SGM was
officially established in 1984, there were some Malaysians of
Chinese origin practicing Nichiren Buddhism before then. It
was first practiced in Malaysia in the 1960s on the northern
island of Penang and in the town of Klang, 20 kilometers from
Kuala Lumpur. Since that time, the membership has grown
immensely. At present, there are about 50,000 members of Soka
Gakkai Malaysia.
There are members
throughout the country and SGM culture centers in Kuala Lumpur
and eight of Malaysia's 12 states. Culture centers are
presently being built in the remaining states and should be
completed within two years. Culture centers serve as the venue
for members' activities as well as events such as lectures and
exhibitions that are open to the public. SGM serves as a
spiritual home for its members, and it is through
participation in organizational activities that members strive
to bring about positive changes in their character, financial
situation and physical well-being.
Soo-Yong Chong, a
hairstylist trained in the United Kingdom who has been
practicing Buddhism for 30 years, says, "I have achieved
tremendous turnarounds and growth as a person because of my
belief in Buddhism and the support of the SGM organization.
All the sincere SGM members, my friends in faith, have
supported me and provided me with opportunities to learn how
to become a much better person."
While striving for
their own happiness based on the practice of Nichiren's life
philosophy, SGM members are equally concerned for the
well-being of their fellow Malaysians and continually carry
out projects for the benefit of the underprivileged and the
improvement of the quality of life for all citizens.
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SGM
General Director Koe Teng Hong
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The general
director of SGM, Koe Teng Hong, says, "SGM members should
place society and nation above their individual interests in
their actions promoting peace, culture and education. We
should expand our networks of friendship, promote goodwill and
harmony and establish a Malaysian society where all Malaysians
coexist and co-prosper."
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