I had a casual chat with a church friend last Sunday, and was pleasantly surprised when he said that Malaysians should ditch our decades-old obsession with race.

“There are more than two million foreign workers in our midst. Like it or not, many of them are here to stay. They are doing the jobs that most Malaysians are disdainful of. What makes us think this country is only for the so-called three races? I think every hardworking and decent foreign worker deserves a place in Malaysia.”

It is indeed unusual to come across an average Christian whose concern over the increasing number of migrant workers in the country is not driven by fear, but genuine compassion. I am proud of this friend who sees things very differently from other Malaysians - Christian or non-Christian alike.