Ill-fated flight MH370 and Asia Mario Rustan ; The writer teaches English and Australian cultural studies at Uni-Bridge, St. Aloysius High School, Bandung |
JAKARTA POST, 13 Maret 2014
| The disappearance of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 has caught the world’s attention for several reasons. The eerie disappearance without a trace (until the time of writing), the fact that the 14 nationalities of the 227 passengers were from the Asia-Pacific region and Europe, the intrigue surrounding the two passengers that boarded the plane using stolen passports and reports that some listed passengers did not board the plane. Media coverage and global conversations surrounding the missing airplane also paint a grim yet accurate picture of our continent, Asia. As adversaries show their true nature, sadly it also takes a tragedy to reflect on our national character and who we are. The Malaysia Airlines aircraft flew from Kuala Lumpur and was destined to reach Beijing the following morning. More than half of passengers on the plane were Chinese (and Taiwanese) nationals, and the rest were Chinese Americans, Australians, Malaysians and Indonesians. While non-Chinese come to China for various reasons — including study, work and leisure — the Middle Kingdom has a special place for Chinese people all over the world. Even in this globalized planet, a person of Chinese descent from any country is more likely to visit China and surrounding states/semi-autonomous regions (i.e. Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan) than their non-Chinese compatriots. They also are likely to have some form of association with the Chinese-speaking world. In comparison, many Italian-Australians and Indian-Malaysians may never visit Italy and India, respectively, in their lifetime and have minimal interest in news from those countries. Therefore, the reactions of friends and families of missing passengers in China dominate world news even more than the reactions in Malaysia. Unfortunately, this is where things have become unpleasant in several ways. First, translated statements from passengers’ relatives in China express harsh opinions about not only Malaysia Airlines, but also with regards to Malaysia. Eventually, the Chinese media itself began to adopt a critical view on Malaysia, while its government’s spokespeople shared their frustration and criticism on Malaysia, although the government later denied expressing such claims. In times of tragedy, our sense of community and our hope are strengthened by putting names and faces into stories. Unfortunately, the families and friends of the aforementioned ethnic Chinese passengers are in general more guarded and reserved in sharing their stories — regardless of their nationality. From example in Australia, the local media know that the Chinese-Australian couple who took the flight had just recently closed their gas station business in Sydney and went to China to visit their child. But the friends who provided the information refused to identify themselves, with the exception of their accountant, and provided no picture of the couple, compared to families and friends of Anglo-Irish Australian pensioners who shared everything about the couples. Similar to the Australian media, Indonesian television channels have achieved mixed results in getting statements and stories from families of Indonesian passengers, and have found the most difficulty in getting opinions and information from the families of Chinese descents. International journalists were bemused that families and friends of the passengers in China were willing to complain about Malaysia Airlines, but were reluctant to divulge personal information about those on board. That is, in a nutshell, how the world sees the Chinese: secretive, silent and selective, even in times of trouble. In China, perhaps it could be due to Communism. In Indonesia and Australia, perhaps it could be down to Confucianism and a long history of xenophobia. With all these attributes in mind, I must say I admire Chinese-Malaysians for their active participation in journalism and politics, despite the enormous challenges they have faced throughout the past. I still cannot comprehend why it is much harder for those of Chinese descent in any country, except in Malaysia, to open up. The search for flight MH370, concentrated in the South China Sea, is an international effort. This is not the first time the region has witnessed various navies from different countries work together to save lives. It makes the ongoing maritime disputes in Asia seem trivial and silly — to put it simply, the incentive for claiming those rocks or these reefs is purely based on national pride rather than securing natural resources. It is also puzzling that various parties in China have demanded that Malaysia work faster. After all, the airplane is missing on the high seas and the search for it is an international effort, which involves the Chinese navy. Certainly China wants its citizens to be found as soon as possible, but so does Malaysia, Indonesia, India, Australia and several other countries. Down south in Malaysia, interfaith prayers are being held, uniting Muslims, Christians, Hindus, Buddhists and other faiths in keeping hope alive, or for the worst case scenario to pray for the peaceful departure from this Earth. Malaysians, torn apart by religious and ethnic quarrels over the years, certainly need to hold hands together now. On the Internet, the international community showcase their pray and hope for the passengers and crews. Regardless of what the outcome of this saga will be, there is an important lesson for us. Asia is a big place and there is enough space for all us, if only we are willing to share our stories with our fellow Asians as well as understand them better. ● |
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