PETALING JAYA: A personal experience and people’s response to a disaster have combined to strengthen a Briton’s faith in the country he now calls home.

Christopher James Syer, an octogenarian who has spent the past 60 years in Malaysia, recounted an experience that could have ended badly but for an honest man.

“It was a normal day when I went to a bank in Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur to deposit a cheque,” he recounted to the Sun.

“There was a bit of a hassle so when I left the bank I did not check to ensure I hadn’t left anything behind.”

Syer said that as he was walking back to his car, he heard someone call out to him. “I turned to look and there was this young man standing in front of me, telling ‘Sir, I think you lost this’,” he said.

It turned out that he had forgotten to take his wallet with him and the man, a young Sri Lankan named Tony, had picked it up and returned it to him, together with all the cash, credit cards, ATM cards and his identification document.

Syer realised that had it been someone with bad intentions, the day would have turned out quite badly for him.

“In today’s world, where we are always hearing bad news, it is worth acknowledging that there still is some kindness in our lives,” he said.

Syer, who is now the vice-president of the Malaysian British Society, sees the same good intentions in the people who have come together to help those affected by the recent floods.

“It is sad to see so much tragedy but it’s also fantastic that everyone is helping each other. This has brought people together,” he observed.

Syer noted that in today’s society, everyone is always in a hurry and as a result they become desensitised to everything happening around them. “Eventually, they stop caring about everything,” he said.

Nonetheless, he said, it was heartening to see young people step up to help others in a civic-conscious way.

For instance, he said, the outpouring of love and care during the floods showed that in times of crisis, people could still come together. “This must be one of the amazing qualities of Malaysians,” he said.

As someone who has spent time travelling to many nations, Syer believes the multiculturalism in Malaysia is still its greatest strength.

“There is no country in this world that has such a mix of different cultures,” he said.

On the other hand, he said, society is becoming more fragmented. “In this age of modern technology, people have drifted apart. There is a lot of misunderstanding among peoples as society becomes more fragmented,” he said.

He said this has led to the loss of a sense of belonging in the community, a quality that used to be the highlight of the good side of Malaysians.

Syer also worried about the emergence of those who were gaining attention with their stronger grip of what is happening in society and espousing the wrong ideas.

“If this continues to happen, we will be walking down the path to self-destruction.

He said it has become imperative for all, especially the young, to look back on history and take the good out of it and continue to build on the great things.

“We need more non-commercial things and to do that, we should bring back culture, art, sport and a civic culture that had made Malaysia a great country,” he added. (Sun Daily)