I am not trying to do any kind of chest thumping for Malaysians ... we as a nation of humble beginnings. We went through the British occupation, they left some good stuff but they also took things from us. We went through the Japanese occupation, I still have older relatives who would never ever step foot in Japan. Together we built this nation. For most of us, when you ask us to go home ... we have nowhere to go cause this is our home.
Malaysia is a very resource rich country. The country also produces more than its fair share of very capable and intelligent citizens. Many of whom are holding very high positions in MNCs in many developed nations. If all ex Malaysians working in Singapore were to quit, Singapore would really crumble. Plenty more can be found helming very critical positions in HK, Australia, NZ, England and the US... to name but a few.
Even with a deteriorating education system for the past 20 years, most Malaysians can still more than hold their own in foreign universities. I guess, we are naturally smarter than the next guy, and thats the God honest truth. I believe if we have the proper nurturing with outposts such as Silicon Valley, the presence of a highly regarded university system ... we would have achieved a lot more than Singapore, South Korea or HK.
But that's all a big IF.
Why I say we are so close to greatness and not know it. The greatness is not in espousing our intellectual abilities to the full. The greatness is to show the world that a country made up of a few major religions, with multiple races CAN LIVE PEACEABLY TOGETHER and prosper as a nation. That is the greatness that we are so close to.
I know we can do it because WE ALREADY ARE DOING IT IN MANY smaller cities and kampungs. We are already 1Malaysia long before it became a slogan. Somebody tried very hard to separate us by race and religion, and for a very long time, to divide and conquer ... but in our hearts we know the divine truth and truth always prevails in the end.
I have had enough, and I hope enough of you have had enough. I need not recount the many cases of major corruption, the decimation of the independence of our judiciary, the blurring of lines between state and the regulating bodies. I hope you have had enough of the deceits, lies, hypocrisy, propaganda .... if things stay the same we are already closer to Zimbabwe in more ways than we care to think of. We can forget trying to catch Taiwan, Singapore, HK, ... heck even Thailand and Indonesia seem to drift further away from us.
The greatness is there in us, we have it already, now let's MAKE IT OFFICIAL. We will be the textbook case for "developing economies", for "political reforms in developing countries", "for race relations in politics". We can show the world it is possible, we know its possible already, many of us know it in our hearts. Greatness is within reach.
Vote for yourself, vote for your family, vote for the youth, your children, nieces and nephews ... I love my country to bits, flaws and all, we are not perfect, but together we can be the very greatness that many more developed countries can only aspire to in terms of solidarity, respect for every human kind, dignity for everyone irrespective of race or religion ....
Greatness is within our reach, I can feel it, can you feel it too... We have all studied history when we were younger ... now let's make some new history that you and I will be very proud to be part of, the history of our nation growing up ... the template for all developing economies to emulate, the history that really matters.
