Message of unity in play
YOUTHS show respect and honour their parents in an hour-long multimedia stage drama demonstrating unity in diversity.
More than 1,500 people were moved by the performance.
In the Malaysian spirit, actors from Angkatan Belia Islam Malaysia (Abim), the Sikh Gurdwara, Malaysian Hindu Sangam, a Buddhist organisation and a Christian church participated in the drama supporting inter-faith understanding among the various races.
The play titled, “The Real Inheritance”, produced by the Friendship Group of Inter-religious Service (FGIS) shows five boys from five different religions growing up together.
From the age of six, they stayed united until adulthood, putting aside their personal interests and differences for the benefit of their parents and the community.
The stage drama was scripted and directed by Universiti Malaya Medical Centre’s Professor Dr Suresh Govind, who is also the president of the Sathya Sai Baba Central Council of Malaysia (SSBCCM).
“I tried to show how the different races can co-exist harmoniously, forging brotherhood through humility and gratitude for one another. One of the touching scenes shows a Sikh youth selling his dream new motorcycle to help his Chinese best friend who was in trouble with a loan shark.
“Then there is the Christian boy who was willing to sacrifice his love life to take care of his ailing Alzheimer father. In another scene, a Hindu son yields to his father’s wish of eventually to taking over the family business at the expense of his ambitious dream to study and become an animation cartoonist,” said Suresh.
Another moving scene is when a Malay boy’s father suffers a heart attack while the son was not at home and his friends rushed him to the hospital, saving his life.
The stage play comprising more than a 100-strong cast was held recently at the Sai National Convention in Port Dickson.
SSBCCM adviser J. Jagadeesan said despite the religious disturbances globally, Malaysia has continued to be a peace loving, caring and non-violent country because of the multi-racial understanding and the brotherhood practised among the various races.
“The drama depicts how we should do good, see good and be good to serve the community in the process of nation building. The youth actors show us how to be compassionate to everyone and this teaching is common to all religions.
“There are incidences in the drama that teach us that spiritual wisdom and maturity must confer courage and conviction to change and transform consciousness in society towards the expected ideals. Hence transforming consciousness is evident through inner peace and happiness the multi-racial cast experience in the stage-play,” Jagadeesan added.
Dr Suresh said they were planning to shoot a movie of this moving multimedia drama.
The stage play will go on a nationwide tour beginning with Penang and Pahang.
Originally published in The STAR: http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=%2F2012%2F8%2F17%2Fcentral%2F11856756&sec=central
