The silver lining of the Low Yat cloud

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THE mass brawl at Low Yat Plaza in Kuala Lumpur stemming from a smartphone theft at one of the outlets in the shopping complex while exposing the racial fault lines in our society also showed how far we have moved on from the racial riots of May 13 1969.

If the same incident had happened in 1969, widespread clashes could have ensued but this 2015 and Malaysians are no longer gullible to rumours of racial discord and the abetment of racists bent on creating chaos in the nation.

While racist elements cast a long shadow on the incident with their concerted efforts to turn the phone theft into a racial issue, we should all be thankful that they failed to achieve their objective as their evil scheme did not succeed in starting off a racial riot.

Despite their best efforts through lies posted in the social media and hate speeches at the scene of the confrontation, only about two hundred people gathered to storm the shopping complex.

Kudos to the police for their quick action in controlling the situation and preventing the clashes from spreading.

In the past week the social media was flooded with condemnation of the racists, bickering among politicians and racial insults.

However, few saw the bright silver lining of the dark cloud of the Low Yat incident – the abject failure of the hate mongers to set off a racial storm.

While we bemoan the attempts to foment racial violence by the likes of blogger ‘Papagomo’ and racial hate merchant ‘Ali Tinju’, we can also celebrate instances when those caught in the midst of the violence that erupted in front of Low Yat Plaza transcended racial lines to rescue those under attack by the mob.

Not only have the hate mongers failed to stir racial riots, their attempts to do so have backfired on their intention.

Our nation had a close brush with racial conflagration but our racial relationship maturity had prevailed and Malaysians in general have emerged more determined not to let a small minority among us to destroy our racial co-existence.

Our situation is not perfect – there are still many issues unresolved but we have realised that we cannot afford to have another May 13 and must guard it from ever happening again.