Why?
“Are you… Malay?”
“No,”
“No? You look like Malay,”
“I’m dark, but not so dark to be Indian. But not that fair to be Chinese. But no. I’m Muslim. I like to be known as a muslim,”
Smiling.
“If it is okay, why?”
“Muslim can be Malay. But Malay, there’s no guarantee they’re Muslim,”
Smiling.
“I’d really like to talk to you, but I have to go right now. I’m sorry,”
“When?”
Kataba. Maktabun.
Darosa. Madrosun.
‘Allimu. Mu’allim.
Islam. Muslimun.
Iman. Mu’minun.
Those stigmas, attitude, belief, hatred, no, I’m not.
I’ve been trying not to be.
“When?”
Smiling. KTM stopped. Destination has just arrived.
“Someday…”
