Calamities or disasters can happen to anyone and at any time. It is disheartening to see the occurrence of such episodes especially in our own homeland. We must, however, avoid a fatalistic attitude towards the calamities that befall upon us. Fatalistic thinking holds that everything that happens, has been ill fated upon us and that there is nothing we could or should do to avoid it. A fatalistic mentality also leads to a lack of catastrophe preparedness as we believe that God has fated the particular condition upon us and human efforts and struggles are meaningless. The higher the level or the stronger the belief in fatalism in disasters, the lower the level of preparedness and actions taken in disaster management. So, when a disaster or calamity strikes, only then we realize that we are a little too late in our actions and the blame game begins.
However, amidst all of the sadness that come with the calamity of the recent floods in the country, beautiful stories start to emerge. We see and read numerous good stories of how people of different races and religions come together to help those who have been adversely affected. Mosques and Gudhwaras offered food, shelters and various Religious Associations assisted in the distributions of food, clothing, and personal hygiene kits, cleaning of homes and places of worships as well as fund raisings. Individuals and organisations made up of people of different races, cultures and religious beliefs rescued those who were stranded in their houses by the floodwaters. There were no conditions attached to their assistance, such as ethnicity or religion, as long as these were lives that needed to be saved. Those are all stories about mankind and humanity.
As Malaysians, this is an exceptional depiction of unity and togetherness. The nation’s and country’s character must be one of unity. We must not allow other aspects, whether groups or individuals, to exploit our differences; instead, we must send a strong message that we are united even if we are not in the midst of a disaster. On the basis of humanity, our love for the country and its people must triumph over our differences. This country and its people value unity above all else. History has shown how disharmony, hostility and hatred caused society to devolve into chaos and conflict. We can also see the costs of social conflicts in other countries. Such conflicts would leave deep wounds that would take a long time to heal. As a result, we must actually realise that the obligation for enhancing and preserving unity rests on the shoulders of every Malaysian.
During this time of calamity, all Malaysians can render our help to those who are in need. To do this, we need to first identify the capacities that we are able to best contribute. Not all people are able to contribute the same, but we need to appreciate every single help rendered to those who are facing the calamities. There are those who have the physical strength to go to the ground and contribute their assistance to clean houses and areas from mud, flood water and rubbish. On the other hand, there are others who contribute money and other forms of donation. There are also those who have the ability and expertise to provide counselling and motivation. There are even child educators who provide emotional and psychological support to small children who were traumatised by the whole occurrence. Whatever help that we are able to provide, it is must be done with true sincerity.
Right now, it is time for community rebuilding. Lives have been lost, property and possessions have been destroyed, and the place that was once called home was either completely washed away by the force of the gushing water or inundated with mud and flood debris. We need to spread the positive messages of hope and perseverance to the victims. It is a life test not just for them but for the rest of us as well. It is how we pull through together as a nation that matters. Allah the Almighty says in the Holy Quran:
“Do the people think that they will be left to say, “We believe” and they will not be tried? We certainly tested those before them. And ˹in this way˺ Allah will clearly distinguish between those who are truthful and those who are liars.” (Surah Al-Ankabut, 29: 2–3)
Most importantly, we must not allow the sentiments and deeds of solidarity and camaraderie to be something seasonal. We must also avoid allowing natural disasters to be the catalyst for Malaysians to come together. The disaster that we are presently experiencing as a society demonstrates that ordinary Malaysians are capable of bringing our own narratives that encourage mutual understanding and tolerance. In addition, unity should be an agenda which is above politics. For unity to actually work, we must learn to push aside our egos. If we fail to do so, this in itself is a true calamity for all of us.