I’m Malaysian. I’m Malaysian Indian. And I love this country. I was born here and my parents were born here. I used to love listening to my grandparent’s stories of how they they came to this land. My grandfather was a graduate in History and he came here to be a teacher. What a noble and honoured profession that was those days! He eventually retired as a headmaster in Segamat.
My father served the Malayan Railways, as KTM was then known. He took pride in his job and he was a no-nonsense person. I was always proud of his principles and integrity. I also loved hearing his stories about serving the army during World War 2. So this is the only country I have known. My family’s history is deeply rooted in this land and I am part of it.
Most Malaysians will talk about the many things that make this county endearing – the glorious food, the festivals, the distinct Malaysian ‘lah’, our cultural and cross-cultural costumes, friends of different races, etc. We are thankful for our great highways, our generally stable economy, we will talk with endearment of our first Prime Minister and with pride of Nicole David. Without a doubt we will also criticize to the hilt and bring up our grouses with great passion – traffic jams in the cities, environment plundering, corrupt civil servants and politicians, racial polarization, human and religious rights, our dismal national football team, the education system and even the implementation of the NEP.
Well, to be honest, things are not like they used to be when I was growing up. Times change of course, but more and more I have been feeling like I am not really accepted in my own country. I was in government service (and was well taught by my father about serving well), but was always aware of the fact that so-called “meritocracy” that was rather conveniently used in the civil service, by-passed many deserving colleagues of promotions and awards. And it was an insidious unspoken rule – you don’t really belong.
I still love this country. It is my home. I wish my children felt the same way, but theirs is the generation that has been exposed to too much polarization and made acutely aware that they don’t belong. At best they are second class. I cannot decide their future for them, but I can always talk of the good things about being Malaysian, warts and all. I have a dream to see things as they were – that we are one people although of different colour and creed and for all us who call this our home – we are Malaysians.
Enough is Enough
July 18, 2009My heart is aching as I write. And I’m angry. Very angry. The death of Teoh Beng Hock at the MACC building cannot and must not go unexplained. The lack of justice in this country cannot continue. Civil society will not take any more of this high handedness that authorities of the state seems to be so blatant with. This time we MUST have answers and those responsible MUST be punished.
That the life of a young, innocent man was so coldly blotted out for no good reason at the hands of the very people who are SUPPOSED to uphold justice, is totally unacceptable. Too many questions are surfacing and give credibility to the rampant perception that foul play is involved. Come on! Interrogation from 5pm till 4am the next morning? And he is not even the one being investigated – he is only a “witness.” If the postmortem results come out with some vague, weak, lame-brained excuse that there was no physical assault – I will not believe it and I think I speak for those crying out for justice. Sorry, but after numerous deaths in the hands of authorities that have been lamely explained, I am not in the mood for cover-ups. This time they have gone too far and enough is enough!!
My heart goes out the his family and his fiancee. I feel with them the terrible loss and sense of injustice. And I know the citizens of Malaysia stand with them in insisting that justice is done and seen to be done!
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