To Build This Nation Sorry Must Be The Cure

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Recently, a hawker in Sepang sparked controversy by putting up a signboard claiming that he would not sell corn to Indians, whom he referred to using a derogatory word.
The controversy caught the eye of a young politician, one who has himself in the past resorted to insults, threats and abusive language, who responded with an  infamous colloquial phrase he uses regularly: “Sorry no cure”.
It’s a phrase I remember back in the day as a student at St Marks Primary School, when bullies would justify starting a fight by saying: “Sorry no cure”.
This phrase is simply childish and extremely undiplomatic. If used at home, it is bound to wreck marriages and tear families apart.
But fortunately, most of us are more compassionate, unlike some of our brash young politicians who resort to cheap stunts to make a name for themselves.
To me, the phrase has no application in Islam. According to Prophet Muhammad, sorry is indeed a cure, as he showed repeatedly in his dealings with Muslims and non-Muslims alike.
In a famous incident, the Prophet went to meet the elders of the tribes in Taif to ask that they follow the teachings of Islam. Not only did they reject his message, they pelted him with stones mercilessly to the point that the Prophet’s shoes were filled with blood oozing from his body.
As he rested in the shade, he made a supplication to God to seek forgiveness for the weak manner in which he had proclaimed the message of Islam.
At that point, the Angel Gabriel appeared on the horizon with what looked like a host of armies ready to destroy the people of Taif.
The Prophet pleaded with God to be merciful and compassionate and asked for his assailants to be forgiven. That story inspired me during my early days of Islamic Reform where I learned a lot about strife, sacrifice and forgiveness.
Another great example of the Prophet’s forgiving nature occurred during the conquest of Mecca. After suffering great hardship and punishment from his own Quraish kin, the Prophet left for Madinah and returned 10 years later at the head of a large army.
On entering Mecca as victor, he forgave all those who had caused him hardship. It was no easy task as the Prophet had suffered years of abuse and persecution. Despite this, he manifested the mercy and compassion of God. The Prophet exemplified the mercy of Allah.
From these two great teachings, I conclude that “sorry” is the best cure in our efforts to build this nation.
First time offenders, especially those who insult the race and religion of others, intentionally or otherwise, should be given the opportunity to seek forgiveness via an apology.
To me it is irrelevant whether the person saying sorry is truly remorseful or not. That is something between God and the individual. However, a repeat offender may require a more severe response.
Police reports over incidents such as this should not become commonplace. Malaysians should learn to use them more sparingly. To me, this country fails if hundreds of reports are made in a year about insults to race and religion. We should all learn to accept an apology and move on.
There are some politicians who have insulted the race and religion of their fellow Malaysians and have got off the hook without even saying sorry. Some even appear willing to pay close to a million ringgit in damages for defaming others, so long as they do not have to apologise.
These politicians are quite happy to insult and threaten others. They always insist that others say sorry, and still want their pound of flesh after the apology is given. But they themselves do not practice what they preach.
The key to building a good marriage is for the offending partner to quickly say sorry and for the other to accept it quickly. Once that is done, the couple must move on and not look back. Of course, if the offence repeats itself, a different response may be necessary.
It is no different with nation-building. “Sorry” must be able to cure past wrongs. That will allow all Malaysians to move forward together. Without it, the hatred remains and simply emboldens others.
We don’t want that. - FMT
The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of MMKtT.

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