You must not lose faith in humanity. Humanity is an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean does not become dirty.
– Mahatma Gandhi (1869 – 1948). A prominent political and spiritual leader of India during the Indian independence movement, he is widely revered for his nonviolent philosophy and principles of civil disobedience.
AS I enter the sixth month of my career as a reporter, I find myself reflecting on the numerous opportunities that have come my way — too many to even name.
However, one profound realisation that has struck me and continues to stir my soul is my perspective on humanity.
Let’s take hypocrisy, for example. Aren’t we all, in some way, guilty of it?
Greetings! You’re welcome to join my journey and see the world through my lens as a video reporter at New Sarawak Tribune. At 22 years old, I’m still trying to find my footing in this crazy yet beautiful world.
One question that has been thrown at me many times is: Why did I choose to be a reporter? Why not pursue a higher-paying job? Why not become a lawyer or doctor?
As I ponder this question, I am reminded of what I wrote in my ‘About’ section on LinkedIn: “An independent, confident, and open storyteller, eager to learn, love, entertain, and be a light in a sea of darkness throughout generations through storytelling.”
Throughout my ongoing journey as a junior journalist, I have found fulfilment in living up to this statement, and I can confidently say that I have learned a great deal in this short period.
Why do I say this?
I am grateful to have the privilege to work and witness firsthand the lives of many high-ranking public figures, be they politicians, ministers, and so on.
I understand this may be controversial, but as a member of Gen-Z, I know that many of my fellow peers have little respect for our government — or any government, for that matter.
Honestly, before entering the working world, I couldn’t care less either. The only things I knew about these public figures were how wealthy and corrupt they appeared to be.
But again, aren’t we all, ultimately, hypocrites?
All of this changed during one of the first events I covered — the launch of a new Habib branch in the Spring shopping centre.
I walked into the mall at around 8am, unsure of what to expect. The extroverted side of me seemed to have withered away as I noticed other reporters heading the same way.
As guests began to arrive, I regained my strength, allowing my extroverted side to emerge, and switched into work mode.
A few minutes later, the Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry, and Performing Arts, Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, arrived with his wife to officiate the opening.
However, it was when I saw his wife that something struck me — a mix of happiness, awe, and guilt.
“A strange feeling,” I thought to myself.
I vividly remember her wearing a green ‘baju kurung’, with minimal to no makeup, and greeting everyone with a warm smile.
She wasn’t what I had expected a minister’s wife to look like. Her demeanour, humility, and genuine smile captivated my attention.
As the event progressed, there was a moment when all the VIPs strolled around the store, examining the exclusive jewellery on display.
I set up my microphone, DJI Osmo Gimbal, and smartphone to follow Abdul Karim and his wife. They stopped at various junctures to admire the jewellery while the salesperson explained the quality and origin of each piece.
During this serendipitous moment, while I was filming, Abdul Karim and his wife shared a lighthearted, humorous exchange. He pointed to one of the showcased jewellery and said, “If I point here, she might want to buy that!”
Laughter erupted, especially from Abdul Karim’s wife, who playfully responded, “Hint, hint, hint!”
That humanising moment between them struck me, and suddenly, I felt guilty.
“I suppose, at the end of the day, we are all just human,” my mind whispered.
During Abdul Karim’s speech, he mentioned that he dislikes accompanying his wife to jewellery stores.
“I don’t like taking my wife to jewellery shops because I have to wait for so long. I’d rather have her go on her own,” he said with a mischievous smile on his face.
At that moment, another thought struck me: “He is not only a minister, but also a husband and a father.”
The interaction between Abdul Karim and his wife at that moment made me feel like I had glimpsed into their world.
This experience sparked a paradigm shift within me, and I even turned it into a video for our social media pages. (Ad break: You can check out the video here https://vt.tiktok.com/ZSFkyHELH/.)
Since that day, I have started to view different ministers, public figures, politicians, and so on, with a more empathetic lens, realising how hypocritical I am, and we all are.
As I type this on my laptop, I am reminded of the many subjectively ‘bad’ things I have done, yet people continue to show me grace and provide me with opportunities to try again — so why am I not doing the same?
Out of the 101 things these individuals have done for the state, the country, and so on, I tend to focus on the negative aspects. What happened to the age-old saying that “the good always outweighs the bad”?
Although I believe that every wrongdoing has consequences and justice must be served, and I don’t condone the many corrupt actions that have disrupted our community, we are all merely humans trying to navigate this battle called life and stay afloat while giving our best to those around us.
As the famous major political and spiritual leader of India Mahatma Gandhi once said, “You must not lose faith in humanity. Humanity is an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean does not become dirty.”
So, going back to why I chose to become a reporter — a job that seems to be frowned upon — this piece encapsulates the reasons.
Though I am just a small fragment on this Earth, and I may not have the power to change the entire world, thanks to Abdul Karim and his wife, I will choose to say, “I will not lose faith in humanity until the day I die.”
To sum up, I quote again what Costa Ronin said, “At the end of the day, we are all humans.”
Ronin is an Australian actor known for his various roles in television and film. This quote attributed to him is a sentiment expressing the commonality and shared humanity among people, regardless of their backgrounds or differences.
In closing, I hope this introductory article serves as a humble attempt to be a beacon of optimism, with the hope of many more columns to come!
The views expressed here are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of New Sarawak Tribune.
