The State of Affairs in Malaysia

Some of mGf in Comments yesterday provided Desiderata with much Food For Thought.
Before I respond, I highlight the key points they said about the status of OUR COUNTRY'S STATE OF AFFAIRS after Desiderata expressed some worries about the politics of race used by some POLITICIANS,and the detailed story -- non too encouraging, depressing indeed, of "blatant abuse" of authority by some members of THE POLICE FORCE on a common citizen as highlighted by a VICTIM writing as ABETTERMALAYSIA. Clearly the incident, IF REALLY TRUE, showed the citizen's right to be treated fairly and humanely was not observed by an important branch of the Executive.


Sabrina Tan, a dental student based in New Zealand, said:
Malaysia will NOT improve. This is because if we are willing to improve, Malaysians must be ready for a political upheaval, and at the moment we are too comfortable with that and we won't be willing to do it.
Malaysians are driven by fear. Politicians are willing to play the race card every now and then, which further exacerbates the political instability.

Indeed, Sabrina added that Malaysia is heavily corrupted. "No, don't tell me that we are better off than countries like India, etc. We shouldn't compare with the worse countries, but instead strive to be as clean as the other countries like Singapore, New Zealand."

Her strong conviction is that Malaysia is NOT going to improve, unless there is some "divine intervention".

Another reader, I fondly call him bruddder Imran who has a habit of going MIA, said:

"Well what can I say? The world has gone upside down, a sign of our impending doom. Please be very afraid, that soon we'll be meeting our Creator to answer all our deeds, be it good or bad."

The world is ruled by people blinded by greed. Everywhere money speaks. Faith and humanity has taken a back seat. He added that this applies even at the workplace, where his superiors also have no respect for other people.

and kyels said... that "money politics and corruption" are rampant, with people pulling strings behind the (ruling component) parties such as MCA, for example. This is something and a part of Malaysia that will never, ever be fair. Besides, Malaysians are not united enough, and it's easily seen that all of us are selfish and it's hard to be united.

She added that Malaysia is corrupted, not united, and they are always voting for the wrong people.
"What I can say is... Malaysians should wake up! If not... There will never ever be any improvement in our country at all."

My initial response was that "Yes, I'm very afraid for MY COUNTRY, YOUR COUNTRY -- OUR COUNTRY." I asked: What can we really do, that's the challenging question,which I'll mull over (last nite); hence this issue brought up for discussion, and I hope to see the opinions of other readers.

I must state that these readers' comments don't portend well for the country's future prospects, unless the politics changes, or people change the politics of the country.

DESIDERATA has written much about the major problems,like Corruption, national resources wastage, lack of government accountability, the arrogance of power resident in authorities. The NATIONAL DAY essay series explored some of these national dilemmas that the country, hence also the citizenry, faces.

Is the situation so hopeless? Is Sabrina's most vocal and firm verdict on the "helplessness" the reality that we have to accept, and in her opinion, stands no chance of being reformed?

Imran's laments about the culture of greed is pertinent to the "state of affairs" -- as he rightly observed, it's not just in te political arena, it pervades the workplace. I understand he arrived at tis negative inference based on experience after working at more than one workplace.
This "greed" element was amply demonstrated in the outrage from the citizenry on the Approved Permits issue, still not brought to a satisfactory closure; the issue of prosecution of "powerful" politicians and business people known popularly to be corrupt with no impending action to be taken them.

DESIDERATA thought about all these points last night and can only say this:
as much as the prospects looks bleak, Malaysia remians for most of the populace, the only option. Yes, some of the professionals, and business people, may have the "lucky" option of migration (from Third world Malaysia) to countries deemed as First world such as Australia, the United Kingdom, Canada, USA, or even Singapore.

But to Desi, migration should be the option of last resort after one has exhausted all the efforts and means to self-correct the Malaysian state of affairs within our own hands and capability.Desi also is not as dismissive as Sabrina as to say the situation is beyond redemption.

Imran's obsevable about the "greediness" trait applies not uniquely to the Malaysian society. It is a trend in all countries where the population keeps on rising, and competition increases in tandem, and the standards of living demanded by the peoples worldwide keep going higher and higher up the "expectations" scale. This dilemma becomes one of the consequences of the "globalisation" of nations, tied closely wth modernised drivers of growth like technology, the Internet, and highly-robotised workplaces.

As YoungKyels says, maybe for the Malaysian situation, the people are not "united" enough to make a difference. Can the situation be corrected if we can achieve more unity, cohesiveness and concerted national building efoorts?

IF the concensus is YES to the last question, the next logical question follows: HOW?

Desiderata at this point feels the subject needs national reflection and debate, and it behooves Malaysians who care for the country to start pondering the State of Affairs of our country -- NEGARAKU .

But I always believe the future is most times determined by the YOUNG PEOPLE. Countries become great if the people choose their leaders WISELY. You only need ONEgreAt leader who can steer the Nation's Ship of People called Malaysians to the right horizon, and to its deserving destiny.

The question is: where is that ONE GREAT LEADER among the younger generation?
My esteemed readers, the answer is not longer blowin' in the wind.
The answer lies in the hands of Youths like thee, my three YoungFriends named Sabrina, Imran and Kyels.

Desiderata belongs to the archives of that willy fella named Shakespeare and Max Eerrr -wat? -Man. But I can lend some compass to steer the direction, if you'd buy me some CON breakfast more ofTEN! But would that amount to corrupt practise? I rest my thoughts with some fare-thee-well verses:


The Horizon Yonder

The time may come to go separate ways
Some young friends I've gained at Blogosphere
It's wistful to think we can cling to the halcyon days
And reality says our destinies don't meet permanently here

Soon you take on more onerous duties
Youthful innocence brushed by stark reality
Exuberance diluted by adult responsibility
We can still treasure some warm memories


Be circumspect but not fearful
Be initiative but not selfish
For the world is not yours alone
So travel you must but be careful

Always know learning is more than brainwork
There is such knowledge boundless
So acquire with a discerning heart
One day, some day, even teacher and mentee must part

This message comes with sincerity
From someone who has gone slightly ahead before
One day soon, my young Friend, you'd graduate
To become another Teacher, mayhaps you'll still remember me
However, it's the Great Masters like Shakespeare to emulate
I'm just honoured to have shared a little of Desiderata.MindMapping
with thee

YLChong ©2005