My Malaysia
The biggest gotong-royong I've every been for happened on November 10, 2007. I've never seen such a multiracial crowd in Malaysia so united and set on cleaning up the country. 40,000 over people marched the streets of Kuala Lumpur to send a memo to the King, and a message to the country that "We want cleaner elections".
As a country that is boasting 50 years of independence, we are unable to deal with very basic issues of governance. We have an adulterated democracy where freedom is not fairly controlled. We honour the federal constitution, but wrestle with our confidence in the judiciary. We showcase our multicultural society to the world while racism is practiced through favoritism, legally. We encourage the rakyat to be truthful, but offer half truths through the media.
We've built tall towers. Torn down squatters. Sent someone into space for being smart. Some into detention for being wise. Brought the FBI to solve the murder of a little girl. And our police force on trial for the unsolved murder of a Mongolian girl.
The economy dominated by one race. Allowances given to another. Gangsterism and rubber trees to the other.
The ones who suffer transcend race, religion and creed. They are the hungry, the homeless, the fatherless, the disabled, the foreigners, the oppressed.
My Malaysia is still my home. Though not perfect, I can't see myself living in any other place. I have the option to gripe and be idealistic or pick my broomstick and get realistic. We have to talk less, act more. Grounded in Word, Active in Deed.
As a country that is boasting 50 years of independence, we are unable to deal with very basic issues of governance. We have an adulterated democracy where freedom is not fairly controlled. We honour the federal constitution, but wrestle with our confidence in the judiciary. We showcase our multicultural society to the world while racism is practiced through favoritism, legally. We encourage the rakyat to be truthful, but offer half truths through the media.
We've built tall towers. Torn down squatters. Sent someone into space for being smart. Some into detention for being wise. Brought the FBI to solve the murder of a little girl. And our police force on trial for the unsolved murder of a Mongolian girl.
The economy dominated by one race. Allowances given to another. Gangsterism and rubber trees to the other.
The ones who suffer transcend race, religion and creed. They are the hungry, the homeless, the fatherless, the disabled, the foreigners, the oppressed.
My Malaysia is still my home. Though not perfect, I can't see myself living in any other place. I have the option to gripe and be idealistic or pick my broomstick and get realistic. We have to talk less, act more. Grounded in Word, Active in Deed.
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