Sunni Dawson

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My biggest impressions of KL?

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Hospitality and religion. The hospitality I received and overt religious diversity are two things that captivated me the most in Kuala Lumpur (or KL, as is its affectionately known by locals). These two themes are distinctly intertwined in KL life.

Hindu temple at the top of the Batu Caves


The generosity of people in Kuala Lumpur amazed me.  In the 5 days I was there, I was treated to lunch on no less than three separate occasions by three different sets of people I had just met (in all three incidences, no amount of my resistance at this suggestion would dissuade them). At other times when I was eating by myself or confusing waiters with my eating requirements, random locals would interrupt making helpful suggestions for me. On visiting a beautiful mosque, a mosque volunteer insisted on giving me her contact details for future travel and to have my photo taken with her. Me all flustered with hair like an electrocuted palm tree and her, neatly groomed and hidden away under her Hijab.

Me inside the Jamek Mosque



After spending a day wandering the colourful, disheveled streets, trying not to breathe too deeply the stench of the drains in every alleyway, I found my fourth vegetarian Indian restaurant (yes, Indian food makes my body, heart and soul sing together in magical holy communion). I deliberated over the menu for a good 20 minutes, having options endlessly confuses me. Sometime later a family came into a restaurant, sitting on a table next to mine. They looked at me several times and I smiled warmly at them and their three lively girls. 

Famous ‘pulled tea’ in KL

They kept on looking over at me and eventually asked me to join them. I swaddled my dirty, tired body over to their table where introductions immediately commenced. The father circled the whole table which included his wife, his three young daughters, his wife’s sister, and his mother. After names and origins, the conversation went as follows:


‘So what is your religion?’ 

‘I don’t have a religion.’

Shocked, ‘Really? That is not possible.’

Smiling, ‘Yes its true. I don’t have a religion.’

‘But what is your father’s religion?’

‘Christian.’

‘And your mother’s religion?’

‘Christian. I was brought up in a Christian household early on, but I do not have a religion. It is hard to explain, but its very common in my country.’

‘Something very bad must have happened to you then.’

‘Umm, no. Its a little difficult to explain, but its common in Australia, parts of Europe and the United States not to have a religion. In fact its more common not to have a religion, that to have a religion or go to church or pray at a temple.’

Curious, puzzled looks ensued.

‘We are christian.’

‘Oh, wow. I thought most people from Pakistan were Muslim.’

‘25% of Pakistani people are christian.’ 
(note: an online check on religious statistics is that only about 1.6% of the Pakistani population is Christian – which is about 2.8 million people – this is still a lot of people despite the small percentage).

‘I didn’t know that, wow, I’ve learnt something, thank you.’

‘Yes, we are here today to buy Christmas presents for the children.’

The conversation meandered on a whole manner of subjects for the next hour. The cultural exchange blossomed and they bought syrupy sacchariferous (such a great word!) Indian sweets they thought I would like. I gratefully sampled them as my oesophagus carved new internal paths from the intensity of it all.

They then insisted on paying for my meal before I left. I was so surprised by this. A family inviting me to their table, sharing with me and then paying for my meal! They also invited me to come to their home for dinner that coming weekend and to go to church with them.


The 3 Religions 


These 3 bowls represent the 3 biggest religions /ethnic groups

There are three main religions in Malaysia: Malay-Muslim, Chinese-Buddhist and Hindu. There are also many indigenous groups, the Orang Asli, that practice their own culture and religious practices. The ruling party in government is Malay-Muslim which has been in power since 1957 when Malaysia obtained independence from the British. The visual appearance and practices of each of these religions couldn’t be more different.



Hindu Temple

Within a few streets, I walked past a dragon adorned red Chinese temple, an ornately engraved colourful peak Hindu temple and a simple, Arabic inspired mosque. Patchwork displays to the divine fed my eyes. Watching people practice prayer with sincerity and peacefulness, filled my heart with warmth.


Chinese Buddhist Temple


I could have watched people in prayer and in their devotional practices for hours on end. Mesmerising and endlessly fascinating.


I wondered what the world would be like if all religious people imbued their lives like they acted out their religious practices: carefully approaching others like their god/s; emptying their heart with truth, reverence, respect and peace; prayerfully approaching each moment, each interaction.


Islamic Art

I fell in love with Islamic art in Istanbul and the passion grew further in Granada, Spain. The Islamic Art Museum in KL tells tales of mosque development around the world. I was fascinated by the archictectural development of the mosque since about 600 AD, and the form and design influences on mosques from various cultures and at different ages. The Japanese mosque could not be from any other part of the globe. By far, the influence of the Ottoman empire inspired art, architecture and tiles was profound in the Islamic world.


Islamic calligraphy is the sweetest music to the eyes. Devotionally inspired, perfectly crafted beauty. I could have gazed at the pages for hours, the balance of art and form blended in embryonic harmony.




Religious exchanges


Glitzy Santa consumerism celebrated by all

I observed people from various religious practices visiting the places of worship of other religions. Every key religious event / festival is celebrated in KL. Including christian dates. The Christmas displays in the high end shopping malls were almost overwhelming in their glitzy Santa inspired consumerism, and the odd juxtapositions of Yule-tide tunes of snow and ice with the hot, humid heat outside.


I was fortunate to have lunch one day with an older Chinese-Malaysian man who told me that there is still more racial harmonisation needed in Malaysia. Although there is no overt fighting in the streets and people are civil to each other, people predominantly stay in their own groups. His first suggestion would be to call everyone born in Malaysia, Malaysians. Not Indian- Malaysian, Malay-Muslims or Chinese-Malaysian, but just Malaysian.

Jamek Mosque
Malaysia has a rich, culturally diverse history of trade and takeovers. Chinese and Indian peoples migrated to the islands bringing trade, Buddhism and Hinduism to the Islands over 1500 years ago. Indigenous peoples continued to practice Animism, eventually most converting to Christianity or Islam with the imperialist appropriations. In the 15th century the rulers converted to Islam and traded with Muslim merchants. The Portuguese and the Dutch both had turns in overtaking the country, with the British finally colonising all the Malaysian states in the 18th Century. All of these influences brought further mixes of religions and cultural norms. In understanding this history, my aged friend’s comment of ‘we are all just Malaysians’ makes a great deal of sense.


Malaysia is a rainbow swirl ice-cream of distinct yet blended flavours of cultural traditions, food and religion. Its a treat for lovers of people, practices and politics. 

Outside the Batu Caves

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