Entry 01: Why Words Matter

                                                           Arriving by KS Maniam

Name: A’aisyah Sumayyah binti Muhammad Nahar

Matric Number: A212766

Set: Set 1

Dr’s Name: Dr. Hanita Hanim binti Ismail

First Entry: Why Words Matter

The Arriving by K.S. Maniam, one way or another we can look at it as Krishnan’s journey of self-acceptance as a Malaysian, challenging the question: Is he truly a part of this country, or merely a pendatang, as Mat suggests? 

In the story, we can see how Krishnan’s past and present memories intertwined with one another. One second he remembers how they jabbed one another under the pretense of a joke, the next second he bites back his lips from leaving things left unsaid. Mat’s death and his last words to Krishnan ‘pendatang!’, Did he really mean that or did he say it out of spite and anger? 

Living in a diverse yet often divided nation like Malaysia, with its array of ethnic identities—Malay, Chinese, Indian, and others—Krishnan himself struggles with his place within it. To feel like he belongs somewhere, even way before Mat’s death— he had always felt like he is not truly Malaysian. His past memories for his father seems to show a bitter lingering. Stereotypes and labels can make it difficult for anyone, even for someone like Krishnan, to feel truly accepted.

In the closing lines, we see Krishnan questioning his sense of belonging and it is largely shaped by his experience as the son of immigrants. 

“Yes, I’m always arriving, arriving. I’ll never reach. Reaching is dying. Reaching is not arriving. Arriving at what? I don’t know. Only arriving. Never getting there. Arriving.” 

As a teacher, I want to emphasise my students that words carry weight. How we label others shapes their self-perception and can either reinforce or dismantle their confidence in who they are. By understanding the impact of our words, I believe that we can foster a classroom; a safe space that embraces each individual’s identity to allowing them to feel like they belong.