St Anthony's join the fray...

Eng Heng writes:

COLOUR-BLINDness is the inability to distinguish specific colours from others. But in a wider sense, we all need to be COLOUR-BLIND. We live in a world of many races, religions and creeds. But our differences are meant to be embraced and celebrated, rather than to discriminate and alienate. Human history is marred by various instances of horrific racial violence that jolts us and makes us wonder why.

In conjunction with the International Day of Prayers for Peace (LDOPP), the Lasallian Board of SMK Saint Anthony held an essay writing competition which is divided into 3 categories:

i) Category 1 (Form 1 and 2)

ii) Category 2 (Form 3 and 4)

iii) Category 3 (Form 5 and 6)

The titles for the essay writing competition are as follows:

i) The Colours of Malaysia

ii) I am Malaysian and proud to be one

iii) Diversified Unity

iv) Equality among Races

Besides essay writing competition, we decorated our heritage wall which is located just beside the stairs so that all the students can have a look at it. We decorated it with articles and pictures which provided by the La Salle centre.

This year, SMK Saint Anthony for the first time successfully held LDOPP. It was not a huge success but it’s the sincerity and the hardwork that meant the most. I hope next year we will organise a better LDOPP.

And here's an insightful piece from Jason Ng Kin Kit:

I am Malaysian and Proud to be One

With Malaysia celebrating its 53^rd year of independence, it gets one to think. Looking at the fact that celebrations tend to get less and less interesting as years pass, one may observe that school children have far less enthusiasm as the generation progresses, and during occasions such as this, sometimes more than half of the student body doesn’t even bother showing up.

I remember how I was forced to pay a dollar and twenty cents for a flag that’s stitches came undone even before I had the chance to wave it. Has patriotism really been reduced to merely waving a flag to a song that’s lyrics we don’t see a reason why we should remember? Has patriotism really been reduced to merely giving long meaningless speeches that seem to be trying to implement a sense of unity within its audience? Is this the true depiction of independence? Is this how we honor those who fought for it? Hardly.

Despite all that, a deep sense of belonging managed to creep up and out somewhere from within. A quiet yet very real sense of pride to be where I am. To be here, on earth, at this particular spot, HERE, in Malaysia. And as I look around me, no single individual being the same; not in looks, not in color, not in character, not in race or beliefs.

Yet something within blinds me to all differences and compels me to love. And like a gush of fresh air that hit me out of nowhere, awakened my spirit, and for a moment there I felt a true taste of freedom. Freedom from hatred, from prejudice, from bitterness and intolerance. Yes, it is an uphill task, and a constant struggle, a battle that we are so close to losing but let me tell you is every bit worth fighting for.

For in all the complexities of how a nation stands as one, the strive for unity boils down to one simple reason. This is MY country. MY people. If I don’t love it, fight for it, who will?

I am Malaysian. Aren’t you one too?