Merdeka 55: We weep for you, Oh Malaysia

The nation is celebrating 55 years of Independence from foreign control; but it also marks the pinnacle of local control (read, abuse) reigning supreme.

Who said that – or at least to that effect?

Not the ordinary citizens who could easily suffer being labeled as unpatriotic and as ungrateful, subversive elements. Not the opposition politicians either who are always branded as recalcitrant rabble rousers out to cause ‘national’ chaos.

Time to realize the true dream of the founding fathers

In his pre-National Day speech, - which is already going viral on the web, Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah spoke in UK without fear, favor or shame. Note he is no ordinary politician; he is of a true-blue royalty lineage and also an UMNO veteran.

In reading his Speech, Malaysians can easily relate with the many things he said. If we do not in unison cry out “I weep for you Oh Malaysia” while the politicians celebrate Malaysia’s 55th birthday, it would be a disaster compounded many times over.

“It is time to realize the dream of Dato' Onn and the spirit of the Alliance, of Tunku Abdul Rahman. That dream was one of unity and a single Malaysian people. They went as far as they could with it in their time. Instead of taking on the torch we have reversed course.” he said.

Now the question is what do we do next? Talk about it? Dismiss it? Or do we re-ignite that dream this Merdeka? And if so, how? Will the honorable Tengku take the torch in his hands and lead us on?

The Prince went on to also quote Albert Einstein, “The world is a dangerous place not because of people who do evil, but because of good people who look on and do nothing about it.”

Come on, Malaysia - RISE TO THE OCCASION

And so if we do not weep for Malaysia on its 55th Birthday of freedom and independence, we qualify ourselves for having contributed summarily for the nation’s failure. And are there any more people left in this country to weep, to be moved into action that can decisively put to immediate arrest of the rot that has seeped into the very capillaries, veins and arteries of nationhood?

Can the Prince take on that leadership to combat his peers and opponents? Wiil the rakyat rise behind him like a fortress redefining the nation’s future? Will the rakyat rise up to the occasion?

“Without a doubt, Malaysia is slipping. Billions have been looted from this country, and billions more are being siphoned out….” he lamented.

“Actually much has also been stolen from you. Over the last twenty five years, much of the immense wealth generated by our productive people and our vast resources has been looted.”

He has to be right. Yes, citizens have through various channels – the internet, blogs, opposition platforms, NGOs and Human Rights Associations and civil society, attempted to express their collective concerns. What awaited them were water cannons, brutal fists and horseshoes, and extreme fear intimidations.

They were chastised as anti-nationals; as thugs; as provocateurs; as agents of the nation’s enemies holed up somewhere on planet earth.

Sinking to the Myanmar, Cambodia & Philippines peer group

Now will the gentleman Tengku and veteran of the very political party that is seen as leading the pack of raider-wolves, then rise to the occasion and marshal all the corridors of principle-centered avenues to cease and desist all that has been going wrong for far too long and too much?

“Today, according to the latest World Investment Report, FDI into Malaysia is at about a twenty year low. We are entering the peer group of Cambodia, Myanmar and the Philippines as an investment destination.” pointed out the leader.

Tengku has confirmed the truth that the citizens have been trying in vain mourning over. Tengku, what can we do collectively for we have been speaking and hearing about these for far too long only to be ignored, lambasted, sidelined and proven to be stupidly wrong? Will you be where we want you to be so that we can do what needs to be done and done right away, rather than keep talking and keep hearing?

Or are you saying that we cannot do anything now but have to wait another fifty years? But you also said, “It is time to wake up. That waking up can begin here, right here”.

Arise, leaders - show the way out of the BN killing fields

The steps the Royal Prince has spelt out are and must become the piercing cry for the nation’s salvation.

“Resist the temptation to say ‘in line with’ when we do something. Your projects, believe it or not, don't have to be in line with any government campaign for them to be meaningful. You don't need to polish anyone's apple. Just get on with what you plan to do.”

Dear Tengku, are you willing to grip the baton of reform, take the lead and run that defining race to bag realizing the dream of Dato' Onn and the spirit of the Alliance of Tunku Abdul Rahman?

Or will you leave it to the weeping citizens to risk “crushed bodies and broken bones” and the civil society leaders to languish in jail before the spring of hope sets the nation free from the many atrocities you have spelt out without fear, favor or shame?

Or would you rather conveniently leave it in the painful hands of our senior and national laureate Pak Samad and a woman like Ambiga to clean the killing fields?

Where are your equals? Where are your brethrens in arms? Why are we hearing a deafening silence from the sanctified powers that be – if there are any still left given the cancer that has turned so rampantly malignant north, south, east and west of this blessed and endowed nation that the founding fathers safeguarded once before?

Truth be told then that on this 55th Merdeka Day, citizens are indeed weeping.

Leaders, politicians (from all sides of the divide), payroll parrots of power, the thieves, the true anti-nationalists – all of them need to be told in no uncertain terms that this nation of citizens in the likes of the ordinary Ahmads’, Ah Kows’ and Muthus’ and East Malaysians included, are weeping.

Our tears of sadness, helplessness, fears, pain are swelling deep in our hearts as we witness this Merdeka 55.

MAILBAG