Q: Is there any similarity between the psychological states of the Han Chinese and the Malays in Malaysia?

A: They are all emotionally too vulnerable!

This week, Hong Kong's "cultural superman" Liang Wendao and renowned Chinese critic Chang Ping came to Malaysia together to deliver their speeches, and I was the moderator and dialogue partner in the three talks (one each in PJ, JB and Penang) on "ethnic integration and political polarisation."

The three of us, along with the brainstorming on the audience, brought up interesting comparisons of different ethnic groups.

The recent racial conflicts in mainland China and the endless racial controversies back here in Malaysia invariably drew a lot of attention.

Both the Hans in China and the Malays in Malaysia are the mainstream ethnic groups in their respective countries. However, these two races have not been endowed with their deserved confidence and sense of security which should come with their majority advantages.

Whenever the country comes under any outside provocation, for example foreign criticisms, the typical response from China would sound like this: "The feelings of the Chinese people have been hurt... They (the foreigners) must bear the brunt of the consequences!"

This is done with totally no regard to whether the criticisms have been justifiable or baseless, or are from public or civilian institutions.

Outsiders' views and attitudes on Tibet, Xinjiang and Taiwan are often labelled as acts hurting the feelings of the Chinese people, so long as Beijing is unhappy with them.

Dalai Lama's visit to Taiwan, and the screening of Rebiya Kadeer's movie in Australia, are potentially destructive.

As such, China's foreign ministry spokesperson declared solemnly with a tinge of sorrow on the TV: "Such acts have badly hurt the feelings of all Chinese people..."

And this was echoed by millions of Chinese Netizens letting loose their wrath as if they had been slapped with enormous humiliation.

Zhao Wei wrongly putting on apparel sporting a big sun design reminiscent of the Japanese Imperial Army; Zhang Ziyi having some intimate scenes with a Japanese man in the Memoirs of a Geisha; and Gong Li's aunt applying for resident status in Singapore... While these are nothing more than the women's own businesses, they are construed by the public as having hurt the feelings of the masses, hence the merciless bashings from the Chinese Net community.

The feelings of the Chinese people are indeed too vulnerable and frail.

Meanwhile, the Malays in Malaysia are equally sensitive to emotional offence.

Anything--big or small, or even nothing--could be associated with racial emotions.

"Do not hurt the feelings of the Malays," politicians and newspapers have kept warning.

While one side appears to be emotionally vulnerable, the other side has to act very carefully in order not to tread on the sensitive zone.

For safety sake, a decent distance has to be kept.

After some time, the rift will get wider and wider.

Emotional vulnerability stems from a deficit of self confidence which has slowly evolved into a form of collective angst.

In this way, we have allowed suspicions and misgivings to impregnate every nook and corner within the self-confined space of a race, spawning unnecessary defensive and enmity towards the outside world.

The issue partially revolves around our historical perspectives.

The Hans in China and the Malays in Malaysia have all experienced external interventions and intrusions during the past several centuries.

Such distressful experiences have generated a chronic sense of defeat, in a way that they are no longer able to build up a healthy and intact ethnic psyche.

A history education that is excessively narrow-minded, xenophobic and disparaging has only accentuated such a mindset.

Both the Han Chinese and Malays must courageously walk out of the shadows cast by their histories and confront the outside world with renewed confidence! (By TAY TIAN YAN/Translated by DOMINIC LOH/Sin Chew Daily)