MIND-MAPPING

WE HAVE A BETTER LIFE THAN OUR GRANDPARENTS

INTRO F strategy (Factual Statement)
Not necessarily better
Maybe more comfortable WHY?
It is different HOW?

BODY


CONCLUSION
GOOD ----------------------------------------Each generation---------------------------------- BAD
||
No valid comparison
||
Very relative





PRO
Better life style
more leisure time
use of computer and digital
technology
advanced modes of transport
more chances at higher
education / online degrees
more individual liberty for
women
NO
lost family ties / values
no human touch in
communication
uncaring society
materialistic society
apathy for the elderly


F Strategy
-begins with an
opinion




Opinion
repeated










Note the use of
idiomatic
expressions

















Logical
connectors
used to relate
ideas
SAMPLE ESSAY: WE HAVE A BETTER LIFE
THAN OUR GRANDPARENTS
I don't think we live a better life. We live a different
life. We have more things. We have our cell
phones and laptops, Twitter, and Facebook so that
we can stay connected but yet we have no
personnel connections. We have lost family values,
sit down dinners, playing outside, and the list could
go on and on. We don't talk to each other anymore.
All we do is text. So no, I don't think life is better.
The life led by our grandparents was just very
different from the life we lead now.
Looking at the upside of life today it does seem
outwardly obvious that our generation is having a
better life. Work today is not as exhausting for most
as we do not toil all day in the fields, and many
have leisure time that our grandparents could not
have imagined. We now rely on electrical
appliances and gadgets, switching on and off.
No longer limited to the speed of horses, today's
personal transportation makes miles pass in
minutes. Many live a jet-set life. We have greater
opportunities for higher education, and an ease of
access to information that brick-and-mortar
libraries could never have provided. Just look at
the number of colleges and universities that have
mushroomed over the recent years. To top that, we
can even pursue online degrees from the comfort
of our homes.

We also have a growing awareness of and
appreciation for individual liberty and rights. Few of
our grandmothers had a voice in the running of
affairs outside of their home. Most women were
property and not owners of property then. They
and their children were the equivalent of livestock.
Women today hold top posts in companies, even
leaders of a few countries. Most women these days
make their own choices on working or nurturing
their children, or balancing both.

However, what they had that we do not have is the
physical closeness of generations of family
members, a community of concerned and caring
citizens that, for the most part, worked together for
the betterment of all and stood together when the
hardships of life assaulted their people. Instead of
forging a caring society, we have mostly become
mindless money-hungry zombies. The care for
the elderly is mostly left to hired caretakers or
worse, the aged are dumped in homes to linger till
death takes them to a better place. There is this
newfound apathy for caring, be it for our aged
parents, neighbours we do not even say hello to, or
even towards our own children who are mostly left












Points on the
upside of life today
Better life style
More leisure

Computer/digital
technology
Advanced
modes of
transport
More chances at
higher education






More individual
liberty for
women








Why life is not
better?
Lost family ties
No human touch
Uncaring society
Materialistic
Apathy






to nannies and baby sitters.
Every generation has its ups and downs, it's good
and bad. And I am just not sure you can actually
make a valid comparison; it might be more like
comparing which are better fruits, apples or
oranges, or whether we have a better life here than
someone in the UK or Indonesia, for instance. It's
all relative. I think in some aspects we are better off
today, whereas in other aspects we are in no way
better or worse.


Conclusion
No valid
comparison
Very relative
Reiterates the
opinion given in
the intro

























MIND-MAPPING
HOMEWORK


Part and parcel of learning process Mixed reactions from parents
Hated by students Enforced by schools



Work at school not sufficient
Not enough time to consolidate skills learned
Provides opportunities to better understanding
Complements in-class discussions
Indicates levels of understanding
Teachers yardstick to measure student progress
Occupies free time / no wastage on useless activities
Practice makes perfect
Helps develop and enhance skills
Prepares students for exam
Parents can keep track of childs progress
- Checking on homework

Keeps students out of mischief



A necessity
Vital element of learning
Make attempts to enjoy & reap the benefits

INTRODUCTION
BODY
CONCLUSION
MIND-MAPPING
HOMEWORK






Helps improve grades X diminishes interest in learning
Curriculum requirement X takes up too much time
Teaches self-discipline, responsibility X no time for play
Instils good time-management
Teaches life skills
Gets parents involved
Provides practice
Instills good habits / attitudes
|________________________________________________________________________|
CONCLUSION






Definition:
Teacher-assigned tasks
Completed outside school hours
An expected status quo
Part & parcel of school life
Provides vital feedback on teaching effectiveness
Consolidates & enriches knowledge
Trains creativity & resourcefulness
Develops intelligence
Reinforces skills
Provides continual learning outside school

Begin with a
definition


























Note use of
proverb
To create
counter
argument







Logical
connector







SAMPLE ESSAY: HOMEWORK
Homework is defined as tasks assigned to students by
school teachers that are meant to be carried out during non-
school hours. Every school day brings something new, but
there is one status quo most parents expect: homework.
The old adage that practice makes perfect seems to make
sense when it comes to schoolwork. But, while hunkering
down after dinner amongst books and worksheets might
seem like a natural part of childhood, there are more people
now than ever suggesting that it shouldn't be so.
Homework has been around for a very long time. Parents
say that teachers require it; teachers say that parents
demand more of it. Teachers assign homework to help
some students improve their grade and pass the course for
those of who do not do well on tests or standardized
examinations. Schools require a certain amount of hours of
homework to be assigned to each student. When students
bring back work to be done at home, many controversies
arise.
Homework is all pain and no gain. Most students believe
there is little reason to believe that homework is necessary
in school. In fact, it may even diminish interest in learning
and be directly responsible for total disinterest in learning.
Most of my friends personally think that homework has
occupied much of their leisure time, and leaves them hardly
any extra time to enjoy life or other leisure pursuits.
However, many would argue that life is filled with things we
don't like to do, and that homework teaches self-discipline,
time management and other nonacademic life skills.
Homework can help students learn and can help parents be
involved in their children's education. When parents show an
interest in their child's schoolwork, they teach an important
lesson--that learning is fun and worth the effort.
Children who do more homework, on average, do better in












Yes!


Yes!






NO!


NO!
NO!


YES!

YES!





school. And, as children move up through the grades,
homework becomes even more important to school
success. Teachers assign homework for many reasons. It
can help children practice what they have learned in school;
get ready for the next day's class; use resources, such as
libraries and encyclopaedias; and learn things they don't
have time to learn in school. Homework can also help
children learn good habits and attitudes. It can teach
children to work by themselves and encourage discipline
and responsibility.
In my opinion, homework is one of the important means of
feedback for a teacher's teaching result. It can consolidate
the knowledge that students have already studied, train
students' creativity and resourcefulness, and develop
students' intelligence. Taking time each night to do
homework is a chance for students to catch up on missed
class and further reinforces the day's lessons so it is
permanently etched in the student's mind where the
information is stored and used when called upon.





YES!



YES!



Conclude
with
justifications
on why
homework is
necessary















MIND-MAPPING
PLASTIC BAGS SHOULD BE BANNED
INTRO
The use of baskets before the 1960s
1960s onwards PLASTIC BAGS


BODY

Realised the harmful potential

Environmental not Full landfill sites
Impact biodegradable
Not reusable

Cannot decompose
Plastic litter


Snagged on trees death trap disastrous
Scattered on roads, parks to to
wildlife endangered species

a move / shift

retailers charge for plastic bags recycle
degradable bags paper bags/boxes/ wooden crates
{________________________________________________________________________}
CONCLUSION
Reusable carrier bags baskets / cloth bags
The best / only solution
YES!!!! BAN PLASTIC BAGS
WHY?
cleaner
hygienic
waterproof
light
disposable



Begins with why
we started using
plastic bags










Introduces the
reasons for
concern












Talks about the
reality / urgency
of the problem










Threat to wildlife










SAMPLE ESSAY: PLASTIC BAGS SHOULD BE
BANNED
In the time of most of our great grandmothers, no-
one ever used a plastic bag for carrying their
shopping. People used baskets or cotton bags or
paper bags. The development of thin plastics in the
1960s and 1970s led to our increasing dependence
on putting everything in plastic, which seemed to
offer several advantages. They were cleaner, more
hygienic, waterproof, light and disposable.
For years now, we have all taken plastic bags for
granted and have thought very little about their
environmental impact. But there are now signs that
people are realising the harmful potential of plastic
bags and they are becoming increasingly unpopular
for several reasons, not least the environmental
concerns over landfill sites. Older types of plastic
bag are not biodegradable and they can persist in
the environment for around 1000 years, which
means that landfill sites become full and cannot be
reused. Even some of the biodegradable bags take
about 200 years to decompose. Choking our
landscape with plastic is not a good way to take
care of the planet for future generations.
A short drive through any stretch of countryside and
a quick glance at the trees and hedgerows will
quickly draw your attention to the many torn plastic
bags that litter our environment. Even a walk
through parks or a stroll along the road will highlight
the urgent need to stop using plastic. Once you start
to become aware of them, you start to realise how
bad the problem is. The very thinnest, cheapest
bags become easily dislodged from rubbish in bins
and blow easily in the wind and snag on branches
and twigs. This looks unsightly but can also be
dangerous to wildlife.

People dump rubbish by the shoreline and many
plastic bags are blown into the sea. Once afloat,
every plastic bag becomes a death trap to marine
wildlife. Plastic bags pose a danger to any marine
mammal, but if the species is endangered, the
results of plastic pollution could be really
disastrous. There are posters that pose this
question: What do you get when you cross a turtle
with a plastic bag? The answer is obviously a dead
turtle!



















































The move / shift
away from
plastic bags






The best / only
solution
Very recently, there has been a move away from
using plastic bags. Some retailers now charge for
plastic bags, to discourage people from taking new
ones each time. Major supermarkets recycle plastic
bags and there are now more bag manufacturers
that produce bags that degrade very quickly - some
within only a few months. This may help but it would
not save the life of a whale.
Supermarkets now often offer their own branded
reusable carrier bag, which is made to last and can
be reused many times. However, to end our
reliance on plastic bags completely, we must go
back to the days of our great grandmothers. But
would using baskets and cloth bags really be that
bad? The time seems right to move on and finally
ban the plastic bag completely. It is the best and
only solution!





















MIND-MAPPING
LOVE
"Love is the master key that opens the gates of happiness." (P Strategy)
A difficult question to answer
Is it
Friendship? Luck? Truth?






ties 2 or more people together builds trust /
intimacy / interdependence
enhances relationships focuses on
the good

*patient *kind *generous *humble

*rejoice *truth seeker *dreamy


[________________________________________________________________________]



Romantic love Religious love


Familial love Patriotic love







Opens with a
popular saying
P Strategy













Qualities of love






























Categories of
love



SAMPLE ESSAY: LOVE
"Love is the master key that opens the gates of
happiness." So goes a famous saying. What is love?
It is one of the most difficult questions for the
mankind. Centuries have passed by, relationships
have bloomed and so has love. But no one can give
the proper definition of love. To some love is
friendship set on fire for others maybe love is like
luck. You have to go all the way to find it. No matter
how you define it or feel it, love is the eternal truth in
the history of mankind.
Love is patient, love is kind. It has no envy, nor it
boasts itself and it is never proud. It rejoices over the
evil and is the truth seeker. Love protects; preserves
and hopes for the positive aspect of life. Always stand
steadfast in love, not fall into it. It is like the dream of
your matter of affection coming true.
Love can occur between two or more individuals. It
bonds them and connects them in a unified link of
trust, intimacy and interdependence. It enhances the
relationship and comforts the soul. Love should be
experienced and not just felt. The depth of love
cannot be measured. Look at the relationship
between a mother and a child. The mother loves the
child unconditionally and it cannot be measured at all.
Love can be created. You just need to focus on the
goodness of the other person. If this can be done
easily, then you can also love easily. And remember
we all have some positive aspect in us, no matter how
bad our deeds may be.
Depending on context, love can be of different
varieties. Romantic love is a deep, intense and
unending. It shared on a very intimate and

























Strengths of
love
interpersonal relationship. Familial love and religious
love are also matter of great affection. It is more of
desire, preference and feelings. The meaning of love
will change with each different relationship. But at
times the very existence of love is questioned. Some
say it is false and meaningless. It says that it never
exist, because there has been many instances of
hatred and brutality in relationships. The history of our
world has witnessed many such events. There has
been hatred between brothers, parents and children,
sibling rivalry and spouses have failed each other.
Friends have betrayed each other; the son has killed
his parents for the money, the count is endless. But
love is not responsible for that. It is us, the people,
who have forgotten the meaning of love.
Be together, share your joy and sorrow, understand
each other, provide space to each other, but always
be there for each others needs. And surely love will
blossom to strengthen your relationship with your
matter of affection. Without love, we would live an
empty life, a life without joy and the comfort of
security and that would be very sad indeed.









MIND-MAPPING
RAINFOREST
ECOSYSTEM

Biological diversity Life resources for herbs
& forest products

Animal/plant species Indigenous cultures

WHAT IS A RAINFOREST?

ITS IN DANGER!
Life destroyed HOW? Depletion

Extinction Felling of trees

Destruction of Habitat Deforestation

Less rainfall soil erosion


SOLUTION
T
S
Teach Support
R E
Restore Establish
E
Encourage


F Strategy
SAMPLE ESSAY: FORESTS
Rainforests are one of the most important
ecosystems in the world, and their importance to the
well being of our planet is an established scientific fact.
Extraordinary in terms of their biological diversity,
tropical rainforests are a major resource for medicinal
plants and thousands of forest products. They are home
to countless species and many unique indigenous
cultures, and play a key role in the global ecosystem in
regulating weather and producing significant amounts of
the world's oxygen.
The rainforest is a thick forest that is found in the
tropical regions of the world such as Malaysia,
Indonesia, South Africa, South America and many
tropical regions in the world. This thick forest grows in
hot and wet climatic conditions where it rains almost
daily. Tropical rain forests have a characteristic structure
that is made up of a number of vertical layers that reach
up from the forest floor to the very tops of the tallest
trees. The top is called the canopy. It comprises tall,
huge trees of 120 feet and more. They block the
sunshine and rain, thus forming a dark, damp area at the
bottom. Below the canopy are a few layers of luxuriant
growth that forms the dense jungle.
The rainforest is an attraction to many people because
it homes hundreds of different kinds of plants and
animals. It is estimated that over 50 % of all life on earth
is found in the rainforests. The number of species is
staggering and may go as high as 50 million. In the
Malaysian tropical rainforest itself more than 300
varieties of animals and plants are found. The Amazon
rainforest is the biggest with most of the forest
unexplored due to its density.
Animals that live in the rainforest are wild and are
protected from human disturbance. Some of the

Note use of
vocab. particular
to environmental
issues
occupants of the rainforest are gorillas, chimpanzees,
orangutans, exotic birds such as parrots, toucans,
hornbills and reptilians, amphibians and insects.
However, in the name of development many rainforest
trees have been felled thus leaving these animals
homeless. There is no doubt that the tropical rainforests
of the world are in danger. Every hour approximately six
species of life in our tropical rainforests are destroyed.
Experts agree that the number one cause of extinction
in the tropical rainforest is due to the destruction of the
tropical rainforest environment.
Environmentalists, scientists, botanists, zoologists and
the gatekeepers of nature are very concerned over the
depletion of the rainforest. The felling of trees not only
destroys the natural habitat for animals but it also results
in us losing the valuable plants which are sources of
medicine and food for us human. Deforestation also
affects the pattern of rainfall as lesser trees mean there
is less rainfall for us. It also leaves the earth exposed to
rain and wind, thus taking away the soil to the rivers. The
slit in the river causes flood and flash floods. The roots
of the plants and trees in the rainforest trap water,
forming water catchment areas for people.
If there are problems in the world and with our
environment, then there has to be solutions. The
enormous benefit of rainforest must be advocated to
people if we want to save the rainforest. More and more
rainforest are being cleared because these rainforest are
in the under-developed countries which are going
through rapid economic development. This involves
felling of trees. Therefore it is important to raise
awareness among the people on the importance of
rainforest if we want our future generations to enjoy the
benefits of the forest.
TREES is a concept that was originally developed for
use in elementary school education but is an excellent
slogan in the fight to save rain forests, and endangered
ecosystems in general. Teach others about the
importance of the environment and how they can help
save rainforests. Restore damaged ecosystems by
planting trees on land where forests have been cut
down. Encourage people to live in a way that doesn't
hurt the environment. Establish parks to protect
rainforests and wildlife. Support companies that operate
in ways that minimize damage to the environment.



D Strategy
Starts with a
dialogue
SAMPLE ESSAY: A TRIP I ENJOYED
Hey baby girl, how would you feel about a trip to
India after your SPM examinations? asked my father.
Imagine my excitement and joy. I could not sit still and
neither could I sleep without dreams of meeting a
Bollywood hero, doing a Jai Ho dance number, and
flying off into the air kicking a crook or villain down.
Thus, I eagerly passed each day of the exam, waiting
for the day. This would be my first overseas trip.
Father had booked us on a package tour of North
India. Our flight landed in Delhi where our tour guide
met us. He booked us into a hotel and said we would
be joining the other 10 people on a package tour. He
told us to be ready by 5.00 a.m. as our journey to Agra
would be three hours. So the next morning, we woke in
the wee hours of the morning and got ready. On the
tour, we met people of other nationalities. The bus
then set off to Agra. What is in Agra? I asked my
father, Theres a monument, he said. I didnt ask him
further as I was rather sleepy and fell asleep minutes
later. Suddenly I felt my mother nudging me Wake up,
we are almost there.
Where? I mumbled, half asleep. Agra. It was
around 8.30 a.m. and I could see the locals, already

starting their day. The bus drove into Agra. Buildings of
sandy pink and forts of crimson pink surrounded the
city. This is the pink city, the tour guide announced.
These buildings were built three hundred years ago.
After half an hour the bus pulled side near a village
which looked like a squatter area.
What could be here? I thought to myself.
The tour guide then told us that we were about to
see one of the wonders of the world. As he let us into
the heavily guarded gate, I stood in awe looking at the
white monument of Taj Mahal. It was as if I was
looking at a picture on a screen or a photograph but
no, I was standing on the ground of the monuments
itself as it stood tall and mighty. My eyes were glued to
the Taj Mahal, and my jaw dropped in sheer wonder.
The magnificent white marble mausoleum was about a
kilometre away from where I stood. The long pathway
was graced with fountains, flowers, statues and plants.
People seemed to be trailing mesmerized towards the
building.
The moment I reached the magnificent monument, I
gently touched the cold marble pillar, feeling it with my
bare fingers. The tour guide was rattling the details of
the buildings. According to the tour guide, the
monument was built by Shah Jahan for his beloved
wife Mumtaz. We then admired the intricate
architecture, the artistic carvings on the marble wall,
the fabulous designs and motifs that adorned the
walls. The mirrors that were embedded in the walls
reflected and enlarged the designs, thus accentuating
the tiny works of art that the naked eye could not see. I
searched for my camera but realised that it was taken
by the guards as a precautionary measure. So I could
only record the magnificent building in my memory.
We went on to visit many other wondrous monuments
and palaces in North India which now mainly serve as
museums and even governmental offices. Mom and I
enjoyed the shopping at the road side bazaars where
we got to buy exquisite sari materials, shawls and
handloom bed linen. In Mumbai we got a guided tour
of the Filmistan Studio, where I took some
photographs with a few heart throbs like Vivek Oberoi,
Ranbir Kapoor and my hero, Imran Khan. My father
had a gala time taking pictures with the female film
stars, much to the discomfort of my mother. Looking at
the pictures, you can see a permanent scowl on her
face whereas father is beaming like a beacon.
The trip was truly awesome and I enjoyed every
minute of it. However, it was the trip to the Taj Mahal
that proved most memorable. Whether it truly is a
symbol of love or more of a kings vanity, it is a
magnificent monument to human ingenuity and
imagination.

























SAMPLE ESSAY: MY FAVOURITE BOOK
It was times like these when I thought my father, who
hated guns and had never been to any wars, was the
bravest man who ever lived.
These lines are from my all time favourite book To Kill
a Mockingbird written by Harper Lee. As a girl myself, I
have come to share Scouts growing respect for her
father. I share a similar bond with my father. My father
remains the bravest soul I have ever known. In fact it
was my father who gave me this book as a birthday gift
when I was twelve and I reread this book every year as
a tribute to my father who tragically passed away a
week before my fifteenth birthday.
The novel revolves around a young girl named Jean
Louise Finch who goes by the nicknamed "Scout".
Scout experiences different events in her life that
dramatically change her life. Scout and her brother Jem
are raised by their father, a lawyer named Atticus. The
children become fascinated with a man named "Boo"
Radley, a man who has not been seen outside of his
home in years, mainly because of his suppressed
upbringing. They have an impression of Mr. Radley as
being this large ugly and evil man. Scout's father
becomes a defense attorney for a black man, Tom
Robinson, who is falsely accused of a crime against a
white woman. During this trial she gets teased by
friends because her father was helping this black man.
Scout starts to see the racism that exists. Even though
Mr. Robinson's innocence was clear even in the eyes of
kids, Mr. Robinson was still found guilty. Later in an
attempt to escape, Mr. Robinson is shot dead. Scout is
extremely disappointed at the verdict and even more at
the death of Mr. Robinson.
With all the negative points that can be found in the
story in respect to prejudice, there was a bright spot
when it came to the prejudice issue. This ray of light
came in the form of Scout's father Atticus. Atticus
represented hope. Hope that good people still exist.
Even in a society filled with hate. Atticus represented
the hope that one day things can change, Change we
can believe in. I suppose that hope has come true, at
least in America where a black man is president of the
nation. My father would have jumped in joy. Father was
very much like Atticus. He always told me never to
choose friends based on colour, race, creed or status.
At his funeral people from all walks of life paid tribute to
a man I sadly got to know better after he was gone.

I did watch the movie version with my father. The actor
who played Atticus, Gregory Peck was my fathers
favourite movie star. I believe we watched the movie at
least four times. It was a VCD and although it cannot be
played now, I still keep it beside the book, a shrine to
the best values a father could instil in his daughter.

Every word in this book is a gentle whisper of my
fathers voice. When I hold the aged book onto my face,
I still get whiffs of my fathers Old Spice aftershave.
Therefore, rereading it every year is in honour of his
legacy. As my father firmly believed, I too advocate this
book as compulsory reading for all fathers and
daughters. If only people saw this world with the eyes of
a child who is accepting of all diversities and
differences that make us people of the world, we would
be better off.








































MIND MAPPING
WHY I LOVE MY COUNTRY
To know Malaysia is to love Malaysia.












huge variety
affordable
Food
roads / highways
world-class banking
low cost of living
Infrastructure
harmony
tolerance
festivals
holidays
unity in diversity
Culture
SAMPLE ESSAY: WHY I LOVE MY COUNTRY
To know Malaysia is to love Malaysia.
This is the first line of a song made popular by a
Malaysian icon, Sudirman Haji Arshad. What is there that
is not to love about my country Malaysia? Having been to
a few other countries on holiday trips with my family, I can
pride myself on being Malaysia. This country is the best
place to live in. This is a country where people from
varied walks of life get together paying no heed to
ethnicity or religion when it comes to cheering for the
national football team, or supporting a charity drive.
First of all is the food. Tell me, which Malaysian doesn't
crave for food all the time? Malaysia offers a huge variety
of food, from our local cuisine to Western cuisine. We
have it all. I like going to my favourite mamak stall after
school with my friends, hanging out there eating a plate of
fried noodles and sipping a glass of teh tarik. Every year
without fail, my family and I will make our way to Penang
to enjoy food. We always frequent the cendol stall on
Penang Road. On Sunday mornings, my father would
usually buy nasi lemak or yam cake from our nearby
market. Heaven I tell you, heaven. Malaysian cuisine is
simply delicious yet so affordable, burning no holes into
your pockets.
Besides that, I also love travelling around Malaysia. I
have been on road trips to places like Sekinchan and Ulu
Yam and also to other states like Penang, Perak, Kedah,
Pahang and Terengganu. I also have been to Sabah
twice. Although all we see is plenty of oil palm and rubber
plantations during road trips, I do enjoy them. I feel very
lucky compared to other people who haven't been to such
places.
The roads and highways are wonderful. The world-class
banking system offers all sorts of perks and services
internet banking, cash deposit machines, debit cards,
Islamic financing, among a few. The ports are efficient
it only takes 2 to 3 days to clear a container in Port Klang.

True, theres still some red tape in Malaysian government
offices, but the Immigration Department can issue a
passport within just an hour. Hows that for efficiency?
Despite a few grouses or two, things still get done most of
the time in Malaysiayet the cost of living remains
relatively low. Singapore, for instance, may have a
superior public transport system, but I wince at the cost of
living there. Everything works like Swiss clockwork in
Europe but its too expensive. Thus, for me, Malaysia is
the place to live in, invest in and do business in.
Malaysia has cultural and religious harmony. Yes, it
sounds so trite by now, after reading and hearing about it
all the time. But its not just hype. Its the reality. Three
cultures, Malay, Chinese, and Indian live and co-exist
under one nationality: Malaysian. The result is a more
tolerant society. All types of glorious food from the
Malay nasi lemak to the Indian roti canai to the Chinese
char kway teow. National holidays cover everything from
Chinese New Year to Eid ul Fitr to Thaipusam to
Christmas Day. Chinese customers maintain Islamic bank
accounts, a Malay nasyid group performs an Islamic song
in Mandarin, Indian and Chinese ladies wearing baju
kurung to the office. Its amazing. Its refreshing. Its
something that most Malaysians may have taken for
granted but that is why I just adore this nation I call home.