On a recent visit to the Tun Hussein Onn Eye Hospital in Petaling Jaya, I asked if someone at the desk would fill in the details for me. I was asked if I spoke Bahasa Malaysia to which I said 'yes'. After producing my MyKad, the person proceeded to speak in English. It went like this:

Person: Are you Chinese?

Me: No, I'm not Chinese, I'm English

Person: No, no, no. Are you Chinese, Malay, Indian or 'Others'?

This hospital is not the only place with such documentation requirement. Yet, one would think after 50 years of independence, to state one's nationality would suffice. Having lived in this land for 50 years, I felt offended.

What is the point of being 'Proud to be Malaysian' but when it comes to officialdom one has to state ones ethnicity or is reduced to 'Others'?

Many of these 'Others' have dedicated and lost their life in the service of this country.