Kuala Lampur, Aug. 27 -- Every year, Malaysians celebrate Independence Day on August 31st. Not long after, Malaysia Day is commemorated on September 16th. While the former marks the birth of a sovereign nation free from colonial rule, the latter celebrates the formation of the broader Malaysian Federation in 1963, when Malaya, Sabah, and Sarawak came together.

Since achieving independence in 1957, incidents of racial tension have, unfortunately, never been unfamiliar to Malaysians. Almost every week, there seems to be a new headline or commentary highlighting how certain issues are framed through the lens of race.

What is striking, however, is how something so seemingly simple - a mistake in advertising, a slip of the tongue, or even a ...