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YOUR OPINION | ‘This is our land. Claim it no matter what, and rule out the bigots and the racists. ‘
COMMENT | 63 years later, where is Malaysia going?
Goliath: It is sad and disappointing that the writer Phlip Rodrigues is right about our beloved nation.
You can see very clearly that none of our politicians, be it from Pakatan Harapan, Perikatan Nasional, Muafakat Nasional or BN, have committed to improving the nation and the country.
Bersatu is all about Muslims, Muafakat, who understands Umno and PAS, is almost the same, if not worse, while MCA and MIC take a back seat to being happy and content to even have a deputy cabinet post.
We have a convicted criminal who sows hatred against the Chinese and the DAP, causing deep wounds to a nation and a party so extreme that they believe the hudud will be the law of the day.
We have a government so fragile and led by individuals who have betrayed the country’s democratic electoral system and call themselves saviors, knowing full well that they are nothing more than lies and deceptions to ensure that power is within their grasp.
What has become of this nation, once so proud and prosperous?
Today, the country has no innovation to claim, not a single prominent individual, not a single sports figure to make our battle cry, not a single new product for which we are known globally, not a single moment of pride that the world can see us for.
All we have is news of kleptocratic leaders chanting racial comments to make sure they don’t go to prison, young leaders calling for the abolition of vernacular schools but offering no deeper suggestions on how to preserve the cultures of other races.
Smart voter: There are not many countries without social challenges. Even in the most diverse societies, racial tensions are seen all the time. At age 63, the country struggles to find a middle ground, where compromises and reconciliation are preferred.
But before one becomes too obsessed with the issue of race, we must remind ourselves of the universal values that our leaders in government must embrace. It is wrong to steal, cheat, misrepresent, mismanage, or simply promote one’s own interests.
The world has seen many corrupt leaders come and go; it is unlikely that we will see the last of these. Even if former Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak has his way with his alleged crimes, there will be another to take his place.
Only less than 10 percent of the world government can be trusted or considered relatively clean. While we can ensure that things could get worse, it is necessary to ask whether we could do better. The answer is yes.
RedSinga9751: I still vividly remember the day when I took a bus from Sitiawan to Lumut to catch a glimpse of Tunku Abdul Rahman when he took the Lumut ferry to open the Perak flour mill.
I was in Standard Six. I was so happy to see him as he greeted those who had gathered to watch him board the ferry.
The funny thing was that I did not have enough money to take the bus back to Sitiawan, which is about 10 km away, and I had to walk home. I even drank some sea water because I was thirsty and hungry; It was then that I discovered how salty sea water was.
I saw Tunku again in Penang many years later when he joined DAP after being kicked out of Umno while delivering his speech at the Island Glade market building. I adored him because he fought for our independence.
Every Merdeka day, I still think of Tunku, the great statesman who was truly the father of all Malaysians.
Terminator: @ RedSinga9751 Who can forget the great Tunku? I also remember when my dad took me to hear him speak in a ceramah during an election year in Kota Bahru in the 1960s one night. I was only 13 years old.
He and Hussein Onn were the only sincere PM we’ve ever had.
EM: Merdeka Day should be a day of remembrance … not just to remember the sacrifices of those who have always been officially remembered, but those who have reportedly been victims of the state.
We know who they are. We have seen photographs of their grieving families, we have read published reports and observed investigations, and we have noted the deliberate refusal of the accused to act as their masters and supporters such as Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, Najib Abdul Razak, Muhyiddin Yassin, Anwar Ibrahim and his supporters just look the other way.
This is not a Merdeka for those wronged by the state (activists Pastor Raymond Koh, Amri Che Mat, Joshua Hilmy, et al), and it cannot be a Merdeka for those with a conscience.
Illustrated Globalist: It is an accepted fact that Malays are the dominant race in both numbers and political influence. In a decade or so, they could also become the main force in the economy. After all, Malaysians today are the biggest consumers.
Those non-Malays who are not satisfied with this arrangement have two options:
1. Accept reality on the grounds that this country essentially belongs to Malays who profess Islam. Little by little, the country will become more Islamic and conservative. That the final destiny of the country is in the hands of the Malays. May you, at best, be a bystander with little or no say in the fate of the nation.
But remember that you now enjoy freedom of speech (to some extent), freedom of economic activity, vernacular language schools, and freedom to vote. This is much more than some minorities in many African and Middle Eastern countries get.
2. Migrate to another country where you can perceive that you have more rights and a better future. It is estimated that almost two million Malaysians have migrated in recent decades.
Non-Malays feel that their insecurity increases in a country that we were all so proud of and called our home and Malaysian leaders have a singular goal: to hold on to power in Putrajaya by getting votes from the Malays and therefore only to pursue this singular objective focusing on one race.
With each passing day, we slowly wither and die. Despite this freak show, we will be united again and celebrate Hari Merdeka with all our might. We wish for a brighter tomorrow for all Malaysians, and not just one race dominating the others.
IndigoKucing8924: There is no point crying over spilled milk. The so-called glamorous nations are also in crisis. The grass is not greener on the other side.
This is our land. Claim it no matter what, and rule out the bigots and the racists. Don’t let a few barbarians appropriate this nation’s silk cloth that has been woven by our ancestors … at least it has turned to ruin and rust. Let us defend the Constitution and the Rukun Negara.
Be stoic. Bear oneself well. Be respectful. Consider. Be patient.
Most of us are peace lovers. So get up and count when the time comes. Discard the burning buckets of past politicians who are serpentine. You know who they are. If you don’t, you deserve the government you choose.
Thank the Almighty that we do not live in the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, India, China, South America, Africa, or the Middle East, which are plagued with problems. Even in those countries where populations are homogeneous and there are no conflicts due to different religions, we are still blessed.
So be amazed and keep going. Work hard and plan for our future generations. Humanity thrives on hope. God bless Malaysia. God bless the King.
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