Indian weddings are joyful and prosperous occasions, full of colour, music, and blessings. Funerals, however, are mournful and somber, often considered to be unlucky for festivities to take place nearby. But in Malaysia’s Negeri Sembilan state town of Tampin, two families of different cultures shared the same road on July 5. One held an Indian wedding, and the other a Chinese funeral, showing the world what respect and unity are all about.
According to a report in The South China Morning Post, the funeral was for the mother of a Chinese ethnic local Democratic Action Party politician. On the opposite side of the street, an Indian family had rented a hall for a wedding reception. Rather than confrontation or grievances, both families reacted with benevolence. The politician, whose last name is Wong, said he did not want to ruin his neighbours’ joyous day. He even consoled them, saying his mother’s death was a peaceful one at 94, which is a “joyful funeral” in the Chinese culture.
He also told the Indian family that no religious ceremony would take place in the evening, so they could go on celebrating. In return, the Indian family turned down their music and requested visitors to park away from the funeral area, according to a report by Malaysian news outlet China Press. In most cultures, funerals are bad luck for the newlyweds, with the celebratory atmosphere of weddings being seen as incompatible with the subdued grief of a funeral. But at Tampin, all this was put into perspective that respect and empathy can transcend traditional beliefs.
According to the country’s official data, as of 2024, the official overall population of Malaysia is approximately 34 million. The country’s three largest ethnic groups mainly comprise of Malays, Chinese and Indians, accounting for 63%, 20% and 6% of the population respectively.
