***“Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it.” ~~ Mark Twain (American Humorist, Writer and Lecturer. 1835-1910)****
LET US KEEP UP WITH CHANGING TIMES!
Desi actually began his thoughts for this Hari Merdeka sometime back with a post WISHING that our esteemed Prime Minister would do away with a classification for an applicant to state his/her Race, as in now required in all official Government forms. Just this one symbolic act alone would have been a hallmark of visionary leadership; it would be a giant leap towards steering NegaraKu towards a United Nation -- a process which Desi has deemed had not even started in our country for the past 49 years. We are in what many have termed a "poor state of affairs" in relation to our aspirations towards attaining Vision 2020, just 14 years away. Developed Nation status, NegaraKu? BY rdefining the criteria? Like what a state CEO had done?
I pray our National CEO acquit himself better. He has the potential. Does he have the daring and fervour?
He started his premiership about three years ago with much promise.
But so far, it had proven to be a leadership anchored on mere pronoucements, but Not Walking The Talk.My Wish is that Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi -- the spiritual mind that God begifted him -- will use his Wisdom and Courage to become that VISIONARY LEADER I THINK HE CAN BECOME.
Because no bold leaders dared to do What is Right by the nation, Many have done What's Expedient for narrow partisan, political survival. Will Pak Lah prove that he will be an exception? I am prepared to give him two to eight more years (basically, over two terms as our beloved Prime Minister).
Desi has always been American history-inspired, but he's no "banana" because he speaks some irreverential respectable Mandarin. Because he dabbles with paints, caligraphy became a drawing interest at one time. so I can getaway with B*S that I graduated from Peaking University by writing some Chinese prose, quoting Li Pai. I had one Coww for a sifu!
Today's ***quote above starting off my finale neighing has been echoed many times here because I believe it encapsulates a stance and spirit that rebuts all the sound and fury emitting so predictable from many mouths in Our Country year-in and year-out. I believe the MSM can just pull out the previous year's press cuttings and Re-cycle, and nobody would have noticed the diff. I don't know about Reduce-lah. I realised late yesterday on re-visiting xpyre@textfiend.net that his other Blog's identity is Reduced and Recycled -- I had minus-ed da d just I'm inclined to take off da d from Xpyred. So the d-minus is all mine, not the Guest hoRst's.
For other ER who misbehaved -- luckily, so far it has been just two! -- I not only minus-D, I completely erased to treat them as non-identity. Madness does sometimes visit Desi, especially ala-van Gogh (You know he cut off part of his ear in a fit?) on Stary, Starry Nights. This digression shows Desi's been much affected by the "shoot the bugger" episode involving Jeff Ooi and my impending move to activate Word Verification as a basic protective measure. So sad that Blogoshere has to come to this journalist-induced "always looking out for potential potholes" in our writings. And be extra alert against Agents Provocateuraka Agitators.
The American Conundrum
The issue of Americana features prominently today because I'm only spending time on one point -- Globalisation. We are "Americanised" in many ways though we may not be consciously aware. Just check the movies and entertainment you enjoy -- a ballpark estimate is that some 50% come from the great United States we deem the big, bad Brother. For only one reason, that since the Cold War ended, the USA has become the sole super-power remaining, though mainland China is doing a Hop, Step and Jump to catch up. Leave Russia and Fidel Castro alone -- reminds Desi of that mad Roman emperor strumming, or fiddling, a musical instrument while the city burned...
Malaysia has to learn from history. On which side is our bread buttered?
We want to trade more with western nations, led by the number one trading power, the US; simultaneously, Islamist voices are condeming anything "western" as decadent, devilish and ... (ER can fill in the blanks).
National leaders play to the gallery, often caught speaking with forked tongues. The Little Emperor/Napoleon as termed by our esteemed Prime Minister Pak Lah, wears no clothes on National Day parade, but he says he's one for Transparency. So many fellow Bloggers have recorded prime, naked? examples -- also equivalent to the proverbial "Seeing the speck in thy neighbour's eye, but not seeing the plank in one's own eye".
What our leaders can't deliver, then by default external forces would throw our country to the wild, wild winds of change. The Age of the Internet and information technology -- accompanied by the march of Globalisation -- will mean we ignore the external factors of power and influence on our nation's destiny at our own peril.
While short-sighted leaders fight for their loot or bounty, especially when the economic pie is getting squeezed and smaller, we find ourselves, many innocents among the silent majority, being pushed nearer and nearer to Doomsville. Let's try to prevent the flagship called NegaraKu being mis-directed by clueless pilots towards the Abyss.
Just a minor, but relevant diversion. I sought a Comment from a fellow Blogger friend now residing in UK, and besides sending her Merdeka greAtings on Tuesday, Mei0305 said:
"Chong:
While I am working here, I strongly feel that Malaysia is not
internationally competitive. The "Malaysia Boleh" slogan is merely
words. Indeed, Thailand and Vietnam are progressing more steadily than
Malaysia does.
Malaysia must get rid of its cronyism and racial politics for its
national development."
Here's reprising another Email "greAting" from (:dreamerI:)
received on Hari Merdeka eve:
"Dear Desi,
Hi! Just dropping by to wish you a good Merdeka break,
as much as there is little cause to celebrate... till
then, let us keep dreaming, and hoping that somehow,
someday some things will change for the better!
:
:
Yours sincerely,
eugene aka dreamer idiot"
As my Guest Bloggers have generously covered a good spectrum of the challenges confronting NegaraKu, there seems the air is fraught with much apprehension and guarded pessimism (witness emails from Mei0305 and dreamerI, and yes, comments with a constant refrain from sabrinawstan@LOTR!:). I have writ much about the concerns and woes the country faces, but today I shall elaborate on what I think is the greatest and foremost and immediate problem to overcome for the next decade. IT is the Economic War being constantly waged from many fronts.
And it's no more a local battle. It's regional. It is global.
I sighted media reports that say the US is the greatest debtor-nation in the www, yet most of the world's economies are tied to the American's. And not able to find any alternative path to move away from what clearly is a worldwide dilemma. Nobody has a concrete solution, despite an ocasional bark from ex-premiers like Tun Dr Mahathir Mohoamd to sus the gold dinar, not the Greenback, as the international currency for trade and commerce.
It's a peculiar conundrum -- quite alike the saying that when a bank lends a few million to a businessman, the corporate owes the bank. But when a bank lends a few billion to the customer, the customer is truly king. The Bank now owes him and must ensure his survival. Failure is not an option on either party. Pak Lah also avers that "failure is not an option for Malaysia".
China is fast gaining strength, and it has built up national reseves last reported a few weeks back nearing USD1trillion!Yet we have leaders who are so arrogant when questioned about "regressive" policies dismissing such queries with "You don't like our policies, Go elsewhere (like China)...!"
So are our leaders keeping up with fast and ever changing times, and new forces of change? The bumiputra-advantaged New Economic Policy, transformed later into National Economic Policy, or whatever attire, would be rendered irrelevant. It's just a matter of time. When policies deter the inflow of FDI -- foreign direct investments -- and free-market competition for the supply and demand of goods and services, the price to pay is economic failure. Visionary Developed Nation strategies must be anchored on sound economic policies, not just political expediency. And greed.
And among certain sections of the Malaysian populace, greed knows no bounds. While we are lucky to be blessed wit Black gold, and new oil field finds, there is a lot of leakages. My guestimate is rising to nigh 30-50 percentage.
Greed breeds corruption, from under to above the table, and like Cancr, if left unchecked and untreated with will and determination, soon bring NegaraKu to the terminal stage of sickness.
Hence, I have repeated asked of NegaraKu, the citizenry, especially its leaders, Quo Vadis?
What's next for the country?
Are we heading towards Vision 2020?
Or are we regressing?
My inherent optimism as a writer-poet-aspirant is often tempered by much "Doom and gloom" expressed in no uncertain terms by fellow Malaysians -- young, not-so-young, and advanced in age yet so discerning in thought and observation. I continue to find strength and inspiration learning, and perhaps guiding, some of the YoungOnes (like johnleemk and kyels, also sabrina and theels aborad), so that perhaps all our efforst to move NegaraKu forward can add up to something meaningful No one can then fault us for not trying, even striving, for My Country, Your Country, OUR COUNTRY.
And let not us, especially less-than-equipped YB Minister of any hue and political affiliation, question any of fellow Malaysians' loyalty and patriotic spirit. We prefer to be guided by wiser counsel like from Mr Twain, though sometimes, it's true that "Twist East and West, the Twain, may never meet"!
Till we meet again, I thank from the bottom of my heart AllMyEsteemedReaders, but especially the following "HORSTS" for their contributions to the National Day Project (Year 2), naming their Abodes which Desi advises it's worth your visit at leisure:
1. allofhelen.blogspot.com
2. maverickysm.blogspot.com
3. anakmerdeka.blogspot.com
4. howsy.blogspot.com
5. xpyre.textfiend.net
6. johnleemk (abode fails in Desi's memory bank)
7. kyels.com
8. fashionasia.blogspot.com
9. john, where is Desiderata's abode?
***“Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it.” ~~ Mark Twain (American Humorist, Writer and Lecturer. 1835-1910)****
PS: Desi's email response to that dreamerI's:
"hi dreamer not IdIotIc:
Thanks for greAtings.
We shall celebrate despite...
We shall overcome despite...
We shall triumph because there are Many
Poets
and Dreamers
among our midst.
It's just One by Me,
One by Thee,
But a Force
by Us.
Merdeka!
Merdeka!
Merdeka!
Merdeka!
Merdeka!
Merdeka!
MERDEKA!
Malaysia -- DreamerI and Desi still beLIVE in
Negaraku.
YL, Desi
9.29AM
Merdeka Eve 200S'X"
Dear EsteemedReaders Awe, TERIMA KASIH for a wonderful and learning seven-day Merdeka Anniversary Journey. Now Go Forth, and Strive to Be Happy!:) Multiply too!:):)
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