A wish for ONE and ALL

‘In recent weeks, Their Royal Highnesses the Rulers and their heirs have made several comments reflecting the common perception of the country’s people that corrections need to be made in the administration of this country. Other than making remarks to signify their concerns over pressing current issues, Their Royal Highnesses have also raised directly to the Prime Minister issues such as the promotion of suitable judges and the tenure of key administrative officials such as the IGP. All of this is being done largely behind closed doors of course as the constitutional role of royalty does not often lead them to make their concerns public.

Nevertheless, it is important that in the effort to correct the problems of the country, Their Royal Highnesses are given full support by the people. Many readers have expressed their intention to show Their Royal Highnesses that they are fully behind the efforts to reform the country. But how do we show our support in a world where the media has deliberately misled the people and crushed any show of displeasure expressed by Their Royal Highnesses?

Some readers have suggested that we fly a royal flag. The most important ‘royal flag’ is the Standard of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, a yellow field bearing the crest of Malaysia between two sheaths of golden paddy. The correct protocol is that the Standard is flown in the presence of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong. Though this is the most important outward display of royalty, it is quite understandable that most ordinary Malaysians would neither have access to it nor seen it flown. So how do we otherwise show our support?

One suggestion is that on Merdeka Day (31st August 2007) and again on Malaysia Day (16th September 2007), Malaysians of all races fly the National Flag (which is easily accessible) with a yellow strip of cloth above it. This is a common expression of support for royalty in countries such as Japan and Thailand. The strip of cloth should be about two inches wide and the same length as the National Flag. It is flown immediately above the National Flag on the same pole or hoist.

Again, another way to show support has been suggested. This is that on those two days, Malaysians wear yellow. Yellow is not only the royal colour of all the rulers (including the Yang di-Pertuan Agong) but also the sovereign colour representing People’s Power in many ASEAN countries. The Thais and the Filipinos have all previously used the colour yellow to signify protest.

By wearing yellow on Merdeka Day and Malaysia Day, we hope to send a signal to the government of Abdullah Badawi that there is a limit to the people’s patience. This is a peaceful and non-violent show of support for his Majesty The Yang di-Pertuan Agong and his brother rulers to uphold the constitutional oath to defend the people of Malaysia, the sanctity of its government and our laws. This is a not a rebellion but a reassertion of our rights as the citizens of this country. We want to show the Prime Minister, his family, and cronies, that the country is not for sale. We stand united in believing that it is still not too late to save ourhere. country.

Please circulate this message if you believe in making a difference. Tell everyone that Malaysians will demonstrate Civil Disobedience by flying the flag, the first in the history of Civil Disobedience’.

Read the rest of RPK’s post here .

And the The Star reports on the ex-IGP's wish for one race, Malaysian, read more here.

Royal Awareness

Daulat Tuanku! Daulat Tuanku! Daulat Tuanku!

I am now proud indeed to live in a state where the Sultan is aware of all the happenings around the country and there to make a change. To acknowledge the problem and set things right. The ONE, whom understands the history of the "making" of Malaysia to what it is today.

As in my previous post, "A Call To All Malaysian Youth" whereby I expressed my feeling of disappointment where most top scholars by the government, namely the ever prestigious JPA scholarship which most of them disappear like the mist. They, ungratefully, forget their roots and the person whom helped them in persuading this dream of studying abroad with all expenditure taken care of. It goes by the Malay proverb,

“Lembu yang bagi susu TAPI sapi yang dapat nama”

The Sultan, HRH Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah said,

“….. he wanted Malaysians to understand that the country's independence was achieved through the unity of all the major races. He said that unity, through the sharing of political power, had continued until today and that it should be emphasised by the politicians. “National unity, involving the Malays, Chinese and Indians, brought us independence and subsequently, through the unity of the other ethnic groups, helped us form Malaysia. “Let no one forget that we achieved independence because of that. No one race could have brought Malaysia to what it is today,…..”

he said in an interview.

The Star's coverage of the Sultan of Selangor's interview gives a breath of air, a breath of hope that now is not the end but the beginning of a new revolution, a new Malaysia.

It’s a good feeling to know that all the Royalty are becoming aware of the sad state of the country and to imagine what could or might happened in the near future. And, I'm glad the rulers are staring to step up and voice the people's grievances

First, His Royal Highness the Regent of Perak, Raja Nazrin and now His Royal Highness the Regent of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah. They set an example by taking ownership over the well-being of the country to show that they care.

May god bless you your royal highness and your family and the whole of Malaysia.

Merdeka! Merdeka! Merdeka!

A Call To All Malaysian Youth

If you take the time to trawl through our very own “blog-tal” you would certainly stumble across many rants and raves about various issues affecting Malaysians.

Blogs have blossomed, replacing tattered old diaries, and one of the most popular subjects seems to be the state of the nation. This phenomenon has become so popular even MP’s have jumped on the bandwagon, although any MP that has time to blog is probably not spending enough time in his constituency, but that’s just being cynical.

From the effects of the petrol price hikes on the cost of teh tarik to downright serious observations on the independence of the judiciary, nothing seems to have escaped the attention of everyday Malaysians. And since staid and sombre people are more prone to be irritated, this writer spends a fair few hours everyday trawling through their articles looking for bones to pick. After leaving many anonymous comments and feeling smug about himself, this writer has noticed that a fair few of these political commentaries come from writers/groups of writers who have had/are still pursuing an overseas education.

So what, one might ask…

Well, it just begs the question of what our rakyat, especially the younger generation, are doing at home. All through our school years we have heard the oft-repeated phrase that we will one day be “tunggak negara (the foundation of the country)” and “pemimpin berkaliber masa depan (our future leaders),” but why has this enthusiasm apparently waned? Could it be that they are aspiring to be the next AF/Malaysian Idol/One In A Million/Mentor/goodness-knows-what reality TV programme star? Or too busy sending SMS’s for their AF/Malaysian Idol/One In A Million/Mentor contestant?

Before we get too carried away attacking Mawi, Stiti or Datuk K and co., let’s take time to look at the other side of the coin. It could very well be that it is the youths educated abroad who are stealing the limelight. By producing articles on the country against a yardstick of a more international and global nature, there is the very real possibility that these writers may be taking centre stage, simply because the style of the piece seems more contemporary and worldly-wise.

Therein lays the rub. We get a generation of youths expounding upon the supposed virtues of the country/countries they have been educated in, firmly believing that adopting these “international” standards would automatically make Malaysia on par with these nations. Instead of dissecting issues and finding solutions, they prescribe a one-size-fits-all cure; all in the name of “development.”

So we get a barrage of ideals: of “democracy,” “freedom of expression and speech,” “autonomy of the media” and “the right to demonstrate,” all being preached as if they will be the saviour of the nation.

There is no doubting that these qualities could be ones to aspire to, and are definitely the attributes of established nations like the United Kingdom and the United States. But just because it works somewhere else does not mean that they will work at home. And this acceptance and adulation of all qualities foreign could be called the “beban luar negara (foreign burden).”

Just like the “beban (burden)” of old days, where the colonial masters would feel the “need” to clothe and put shoes on the bare feet of the natives of a new land and presume an onset of “civilisation” to the colony. It was felt that there was an obligation to educate and reform the minds of such “savages,” and we are only too familiar with faded pictures of kampung people in top hats and tails, assuming such measures would bring them closer to their supposed “ideals.”

See the similarity? Top hats and tails take the guise of “basic rights” these days, the same ones we so often hear being thrown about in many of our blogs these days.

The modern-day version of the “beban” has now come in the form of the ideals aforementioned, gleaned from nations abroad and plastered as the panacea to all that ails the nation today. It is this that is worrisome, a lack of understanding of the intricacies of Malaysia coupled with the obvious benefits displayed in the policies of more developed countries.

Modern-day Malaysia has no parallel. Her politics are complicated, yet almost pedantic. No Lefts, Rights, Liberals, Republicans or Democrats. Just Barisan Nasional and the Opposition (a variable entity, willing bedfellows as long as they smell a chance to topple B.N.) Her society is passionate yet forgetful: a huge public outcry on snatch-thefts fizzles out in a month-long campaign of snazzy TV ads - problem solved! Her people are simple yet demanding: we crave economic growth, but not at the expense of a rise in prices of our favourite roti canai.

Hoping for an elegant parliamentary session with debates centred around the suave oratory skills of Mr. Blair?

Sorry, this is Malaysia. Name-calling and derogatory remarks are a mainstay, intellectual discourse is optional. And the biggest irony is, it works. It may not be brilliant, but it would take a very stubborn fool to deny the progress we have savoured in the past four decades.

But no, this piece will not deteriorate into a conspiracy theory about neo-colonialism or how the West is trying to invade us once again. Nor would it be one slamming the local education system or those with overseas education. Treat this as a piece from someone who feels that we have much to learn from more developed nations, but the end-product would definitely have to be something uniquely “Made in Malaysia.”

Treat this as a call-to-arms for all youths, from abroad and from here at home to come together and pick the best out of all that we have experienced. There are a number of very eloquent bloggers who are based back home, and surely a site like this one can benefit much from collaborating with our anak-anak watan.

Similarly, the editorial teams of sites such as the political parties today should boast of alma maters which reflect every good student’s wet dream can offer an insight on how life is like once the plane leaves K.L.I.A. But it takes a mix of the best of these two worlds to come up with a solution for the troubled toddler that is Malaysia. And let’s not be in denial. We do indeed have quite a few of these troubles to solve.

So to all students feeling smug about their “ang-moh” education, get off your high horse, throw away your self-inflicted “beban” and get down to the ground. To all those here at home, stop feeling indifferent and helpless; if the people at home don’t care, who will?

This is an IMPORTANT time for the country. Discourse is rife, opinions are in abundance. We need personalities who have heads in the clouds, yet feet firmly on the ground. Moderation is overrated, ambition is not a sin. Go on, dream. Be creative, think outside the box, heck, don’t even believe that there is a box in the first place! But always take a good, hard look at yourself first, and ensure that your ideals are for the benefit of the majority. And then we will, hopefully, be able to live up to all that we aspire to be.

One Country, One Race, Malaysians

Mob's Crib: People's Parliament: Saya Anak Bangsa Malaysia!

I hail upon Mob1900’s efforts to promote the start of a new revolution, a new race, of “Satu Negara, Satu Bangsa, Bangsa Malaysia”. And for that I acknowledge his great effort and support with all my heart and soul for a better tomorrow by this badge “Saya Anak Bangsa Malaysia" and proud of it. Cheer.

Mob has created many fantastic types of banners, posters and side banners for your blog. Let's start a revolution by downloading it and proudly display it. Whereby, this should be a strong message to the corrupt politicians out there that enough is enough – stop destroying this beautiful country!

Merdeka On MY Mind

As a young boy, I was always excited about Merdeka. There was something about the yards and yards of flags, the pageantry and black-and-white images of Tunku Abdul Rahman that got me extra hyper.

I would get up early, jump around the house, scream “MERDEKA” three times and sing the Sudirman song. This was my ritual every year on 31 August.

I will probably be jumping around my house yelling like a maniac despite my family’s disapproval.

In contrast to my youthful enthusiasm, I know and have heard of Malaysians who do not honour 31 August. To them, Merdeka Day should be spent sleeping or wandering around shopping complexes.

Some people would even find celebrating our “independence” repugnant, seeing this day as a tasteless acclamation of all that is objectionable about Malaysia.

I am not making these comparisons to boost my patriotic credentials or to condemn the people from the latter group. I have listed them simply to illustrate the great disparity that exists between Malaysians when it comes to things like this. You can be sure that all Malaysians, despite our reputation for apathy, have a wide range of opinions on whatever issues that confront our nation. It is just that those opinions are so conflicted and differing from each other that they make the public anxious.

I am a member of probably the most fractured and contentious generation that has ever existed in any country of the world in history. My fellow young Malaysians are divided, some say irreparably so. The future for unity is bleak.

We are divided by race. We are divided by religion. We are divided by education, socio-economic status and cultural differences. Yet we are, have been, and will continue to be one nation.

All of this has led to Malaysians being the wonderfully, tragically complex people that they are. My fellow Malaysians are hardcore liberals and ultra-conservatives. They are socially progressive and total reactionaries. The utterly colour-blind exist side-by-side with the most irredeemable bigots. The virulent atheists live and work with the religious fundamentalists. Dyed-in-wool idealists and the bitterest cynics pass each other on the street. Government propaganda hails Malaysia’s diversity because several ethnic groups are supposedly able to live together in harmony. But I think what is truly remarkable about our country is that it has been able to produce such a wide range of ideological orientations in our citizens, and still maintain (perhaps against our will) some consensus of sorts.

It is because of these disparities that many people are pessimistic about Malaysians achieving unity.

No country in the world is totally sure of its identity or confident of its destiny. Celebrations around the world, like Australia Day, Waitangi Day in New Zealand and Independence Day in the United States, are contested and sometimes controversial.

Nations are imagined communities, and what constitutes a “nation” is determined by various states and provinces.

What is Malaysia? What makes us a country? No one can say that he or she has the absolute definition. But is that really such a bad thing?

It irritates me that Malaysians have a love affair with an absolute definition – one answer, one truth.

We want everyone to think like us and act like us. Woe to anyone who should disagree with us!

Malaysians are always afraid of something.

We fear change and leaving our comfort zones. We fear seeing others as equals.

I am not writing this to insult Malaysians. The simple fact is that we are unable to accept different opinions. If we want to move forward as a nation, we need to break free from this fear.

Hence I would like to propose a new discourse.

As for this to celebrate this 50 years of independence, nationhood, I hail upon the call of His Royal Highness the Regent of Perak, Raja Nazrin and The People’s Parliament by Mr. Haris Ibrahim to not disdain differences, but accept and celebrate them. We should recognise all forms of diversity and stop making people change against their will. We need to understand that conformity is not unity. There is no single vision, master plan for Malaysia’s future. Our success as a nation depends on various opinions and ideas.

I hail upon Mob1900’s efforts to promote the start of a new revolution, a new race, of “Satu Negara, Satu Bangsa, Bangsa Malaysia”. And for that I acknowledge his great effort and support with all my heart and soul for a better tomorrow by this badge “Saya Anak Bangsa Malaysia. Cheers.

I hail upon kickdefella’s effort in promoting a unity among bloggers in honour of the heroes, i.e.: with respect dearest Rock’s Bru, Jeff Ooi, and all other Malaysian bloggers. Let the truth prevail. Towards this holy war, my salutation by supporting this badge of bloggers unites.

We shall rise upon the challenge as done by the Spartans in their Battle of Thermopylae.

At length, the preponderance of Spartan opinion elected to send an advance guard to the Pass to be followed by a larger army when the religious festival of Karneia was over. Leonidas selected 300 citizen warriors, a customary number when embarking on a special mission, but he only chose among the best who had sons so that no family line would become extinct through the death of the father. In all, 4,000 troops from the Peloponnesian states accompanied Leonidas north in that fateful August of 480 B.C.

And last but not least, where Leonidas orders only one man, Dilios, to retreat and use his rhetorical skills to tell the story of the 300 to the Spartan people, ensuring that they be remembered.

Let’s unite towards a better tomorrow in a nation-building and let our story of the great Bloggers to be told to our young. Let’s prepare for glory. We shall be remembered. Bloggers Unite.