MUCH attention was brought to worthy causes during Ramadan: from feeding the homeless, providing shelter to the needy, offering medical services to orphans, to simply preparing and handing out Raya hampers to those who might never otherwise be gifted them. According to one of the organisations I’m involved with, the difference between help received during the fasting month and outside it is dramatic: if all the offers to feed the children were spread out throughout the year, they would never go hungry, and there would be much less wastage. That, indeed, is what we are telling our sponsors, and hopefully a change in attitude is coming.
Conversely, when the time came to celebrate Raya, I was glad to see (and joined in where possible) appreciation extended to the large number of people who worked as normal throughout: responders, drivers, nurses, doctors and firemen in the emergency services, tow truck operators, toll booth operators, cleaners, caretakers, police and security guards and food stall operators.
An argument could be made that people who work for a wage (or indeed, make bumper profits during festivities) according to pre-determined contracts shouldn’t get any special recognition, but then again, those providing services to ensure we are able to safely and fully enjoy an important celebration are surely worthy of our thanks.
Two people in particular stood out for me this time. One is the caretaker of a property development who has been loyally serving his employer for decades, who every year receives his growing children in his humble home in the basement area of the development. For the first time, I noticed physical signs of age, and I wonder if anyone else will be able to do his job as superbly when he retires.
The other person is the security guard of a heritage building which has been neglected for nearly a decade and is only now about to be rehabilitated. His own memories of the past residents and workers of the site are encyclopaedic, but few visitors would bother to ask security guards about what they saw and absorbed over years of service. But what impressed me is that even when the glory days were gone, and a lack of maintenance led to dilapidation, he stayed on at the site, also welcoming his children (one of whom is on a path to great success as a lawyer overseas) in the little accommodations tucked beside the grand mansions.
These stories of balik kampung don’t conjure the same romance as scenes of relatives returning to quant wooden houses amidst lush paddy fields, but the joy on their faces is inescapable. And for the children too, to celebrate at family homes which are also places of work must serve as a powerful reminder of what their fathers have gone through.
Across several organisations that I’m a part of, it is often lamented that it is difficult to find loyal and trustworthy employees: and that people like the two I just described are gems. It helps that their employers also treat them generously.
That’s why it always encourages me when I see young Malaysians extol the values of giving, gratitude and trust. I was recently reminded of the good work that goes on throughout the year by a group of Malaysian 18 to 30 year olds during the 2016/2017 Awards Night for the Rotaract Clubs of District 3300, of which I’m patron. I had an inkling of how active the clubs were over the past year when I was sent the full calendar and invited to attend as many of the events as I could, which unfortunately weren’t very many.
The awards were split into several categories, and the events organised included refurbishing orphanages, tutoring children, blood donation drives, engaging with Orang Asli communities, raising environmental awareness and connecting with Rotaractors around the world to further augment the impact of these activities.
There was also room for clubs to enhance the development and diversify the skills of Rotaractors themselves: including mentoring schemes, visits to factories, cooking sessions, dining etiquette workshops and other events seeking to hone leadership and teamwork skills.
As I handed out the award for best club in the district (which went to the Rotaract Club of Sunway University), I reminded the young Malaysians – some still studying, others working – that they should always engage with the diversity of our country, and show that regardless of who celebrates what, it’s important to appreciate the contributions of fellow citizens who work hard, fulfil their mandates and gain our trust. That is the bedrock of our society: and it’s amazing how little the official agents of government need to be involved in the whole process.
Tunku Zain Al-Abidin is founding president of Ideas.