We are all Malaysians and the country belongs to all of us and not UMNO or BN

I don’t know why people write, say and do what they write. I can only speak for myself. I didn’t want to be partisan. I didn’t want to care about people who don’t care. I didn’t want to tempt fate.  If you know me, you will know that I cannot live a lie. I find it rather hard to lie. Possibly, since young, I’ve earned scornful looks for being too outspoken.

I thought after being taught a few lessons, here and there, I should be able to hold my tongue. Yet, just the other day I told someone who has migrated that the biggest robber in Malaysia is our very own Big Brother. Bad habits do die hard, at least for me. (I’m forever tempting fate, I think, so help me, God!)

I could leave Malaysia, you know. Leave and lead a comfortable life elsewhere. However, it’s unthinkable to leave behind something in a mess. You can call me anything but irresponsible. And it would be irresponsible not to help unravel this mess. It would be irresponsible to muddle the situation any further.

That’s why when I tuned into Malaysia Chronicle yesterday and read what Ahmad Mustapha Hassan had to say about Kit Siang and May 13, I felt that this fight (no arms, please) is worth it. In his book, “The Unmaking of Malaysia”, AMH mentioned the incident and in Malaysia Chronicle, he says, “…..it was impossible for Lim Kit Siang to be there and did what he was purportedly accused of. If he did, he would have been killed by the mob…..”

There you go, that’s someone who can unravel the mess and contribute to the well-being of our beloved nation. I believe if all Malaysians are brave enough to embrace the truth, LKS will himself forgive those who see it fit to hurt him and his family again and again, and ask that we all move on. I must also mention here that each and every one of us should also read Zaid ibrahim’s latest book, “Ampun Tuanku”, another brave venture. You know, there are towering Malaysians in our midst!

Why, then, are there others who want to further muddle the already tense situation and inflict more pain? I just don’t get it. Aren’t we all Malaysians? Doesn’t Malaysia belong to all of us? Don’t we all want what’s good for our motherland?  Don’t we all want a true Malaysia, one where everyone can call Malaysia her own?

Aren’t we all tired of looking at each other with suspicion? Why continue to have this holier-than-thou attitude and think that others are less worthy than you? I hope to be less racist today than yesterday and lesser still, tomorrow. It doesn’t augur well for Malaysia for us to think in terms of creed and colour. For that, I think any party, society or grouping that fight solely for a particular race should “bungkus”.  Please, go affirm those who need it. Turn your back to his colour or creed and just listen to his pleas and help accordingly.

I’ve seen poverty though not experienced it. And it is because I know how blessed I am that I can’t bear to see such poverty in this land, originally plentiful. I’ve been impacted by some incidents I saw when I was with the SSVP.

This is one of them. Some years back, a Vincentian friend asked me to make a home visit with her. We belong to different teams, so I’ve never been to this home. We went to this shack where an old lady lived with her special daughter. The old lady was bedridden while the daughter was a mute. The old lady laid on a stack of mattresses, one after another, urine-soaked. Her daughter would just hide dirty linen, buried under the mattresses. She was this huge girl who like to “merayau”. Apparently she does have a brother, somewhere. The last I heard, the old lady has passed on.

There were five of us, I think, who went there to help spring-clean the shack. I remember how, because there was not much equipment there, I practically scooped up the dirt in the drain with my bare hands. It was faster that way, I thought. Now and then, I wanted to throw up. How I managed to hold what little I had inside of me, is a wonder! We were there the whole morning. I left before 2pm to pick my kids from school. At the car-park, a friend approached my car. (I used to teach in that school, so some teachers knew me.)

I came out of the car to talk to my friend. I had to tell her not to come too near. I didn’t know which was worse-the stink from my body or her throwing up at me! What came after my explanation as to why she had to keep her distance, blew me away. My dear friend, Lee Fay May, immediate gave me RM200 for this family. That’s why I always have hope in people. I know mercy, I’ve seen it often enough.

I believe, if someone does not rob his neighbor, there’s enough for everyone. I believe if each and every one of us embraces the truth about ourselves, we need not watch our backs and be afraid of our very own shadow.

May 13, 1969 is an ugly episode that robbed Malaysia of the democracy she set herself out to be. Nations, like men, have their infancy. Well, Malaysia is past half a century, 55 to be exact. Hey, guys, time to act your age! Can you imagine having 55 year-olds all over the floor, bawling and rubbing their legs, eyes, whatever, for attention?

Can you imagine, not knowing how to walk at 55? Never-mind, discard those crutches.  Let’s help each other journey on this democratic path our founding fathers set out for us, which somehow along the way, was hijacked by self-serving creatures. Let’s start anew.

So, let’s go back to those who are trying to unravel the mess for direction. In the spirit of the season, of “maaf, zahir dan batin”, let’s stand together as one to usher in our Independence Day. Malaysia was formed for each and every one of us and was founded on democratic principles.

So, let’s all together come in peace, wherever you may be, 10 pm at the designated location, Aug 30, 2012, to celebrate democracy and usher in a new dawn. Be part of “Janji Demokrasi”. The Malacca version will be held at the Queen Victoria Fountain, Clock Tower at the  Stadhuys  while the national version will be celebrated at Dataran Merdeka involving 49 NGOs – the Gabungan Janji.

NGOs do good, so you wouldn’t want to be left out of the chance to contribute to something good. So, let’s all wear yellow on the night of Aug 30, 2012, the eve of Merdeka Day, to celebrate democracy and usher in a true democracy for a true Malaysia. She’s ours, you know, this Malaysia, our very own.