Malaysia is made up of three primary ethnic groups: Malays (60%), Chinese (20%), and Indians (10%).  

 

Scene One: Sara and I are huddled together in the back of a taxi cab.  We are driving home from the bar in which we were trapped by the bouncers.  Our Malay taxi cab driver, Shah, is concerned.  He drives us around town, trying to be a tour guide at two AM, desperate to ensure that our impression of Malaysia is not ruined.  “Indians,” he says, shaking his head, “These things always happen with Indians.”

 

Scene Two: I am waiting for my train to Singapore in a massive train station in Kuala Lumpur.  I am sitting next to an Indian woman with a lazy eye who is traveling with her three children.  Her children are precocious; they ask me questions about my life, pretend to read a newspaper with great interest, and call me friend.  The woman, Shoba, gives me advice on touristy things to do in Singapore.  She lives in Kuala Lumpur, but she often travels to Singapore.  “Be careful, though,” she says seriously, “There are a lot of Chinese people in Singapore.”

 

It would make a better post to have an anecdote of a Chinese person saying something hurtful about Malays.  Frankly, I’m glad I don’t.