Cracking Malaysia

“In two weeks we’ve had more contact with our neighbours than the last four years in China and Kazakhstan” observed Liz as she sampled a coconut coated gelatinous confection that had been handed over the wall by one of the young girls next door.

The Chinese, perhaps because of the enormous scale of their country and its population, treat those outside their immediate group of family, friends or colleagues as of no consequence and not worthy of even the most basic consideration. As individuals the people are invariably polite and helpful, but there is no social mechanism to feel any kind of empathy for strangers, and foreigners are often viewed with the kind of interest that would be accorded to a zoo animal.

In contrast to China Kazakhstan is one of the most sparsely populated countries in the world and where we lived, with half the citizens of Russian descent, we were not obviously aliens until we tried to speak. Again we found that individuals were generally kind and considerate but there was very little of any noticeable community spirit. The British have a reputation for being reserved but as nothing compared to living in Siberia. Perhaps the old Soviet days of not knowing who may shop you to the KGB has instilled a habit of fear and insularity, but coming in and out of our apartment block I could not even get a nod of acknowledgement from any neighbour, and I would stare at a walker coming towards me for a good hundred yards on a deserted path and still fail to make eye contact.

Malaysians seem to exude warmth and friendship as a reflection of a settled and comfortable lifestyle. The country has had its difficulties but it is a rich and fertile land and the people haven’t suffered the horrendous famines that, mainly due to inept or uncaring governance, have killed so many millions of Chinese and decimated the Kazakh population; and I’m talking about in my lifetime, not ancient history.

In New Zealand, where life has been pretty good for most of the country’s history, people like to say that hardship that doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. I disagree. It seems to me that not just individuals but whole communities and national identities can be irreparably damaged by the trauma wrought from wars and pestilence.

In the 30 years I worked in social services I saw many changes in practice, most of which (as a grumpy old man) I view negatively. A major one is the abandonment of any attempt at social work being involved in society or communities. This total concentration on the individual client has pulled the claws on what may have been described as political activity and it has also led to a denial of the reality that communities do suffer; Mrs Thatcher’s notion that ‘there is no such thing as society’ is dangerous nonsense. Throughout the world people want to live in peace and harmony with food, shelter and companionship. Where this is denied it is not just the individuals adrift on leaky boats in the Indian Ocean that suffer, but whole communities are marred from the abuse they have been subjected to for generations to come.

So in Malaysia we are enjoying living in a society which is by and large open and trusting. Most days I can go to the golf club, where they call me Mr Philip, and be invited to join with a group of players who are welcoming and inclusive and who look genuinely sorry for me when I find that I still can’t hit the bloody ball properly!