What it truly means — A proud Malaysian

I have been a Malaysian all 27 years of my life. But up until last Wednesday night, at the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) rally at the Kelana Jaya stadium, I did not really understand what it TRULY means to be a Malaysian.

That night I witnessed something wondrous, something poignant, something magical: Malaysian humanity.

I do not want to go into the merits of the speeches delivered by the PR leaders, of which there were many. Whilst the brief, invigorating speeches made were revolution-sparklers in their own right, as there is not one upstanding citizen who would not jump onto the bandwagon of fair and free elections, it was the positive energy of the crowd that has got me riding on an inexplicable high, still.

That night I witnessed Malaysians from all creeds and walks of life come together for a larger, indisputably irrefutable cause: a better Malaysia for our children. A Malaysia that is not embroiled in corruption. A Malaysia that protects the fundamental rights of its citizens.

And how did they do it? By showing unwavering support to the leaders who promised to deliver all of the above, through a peaceful assembly.

There were about 70,000 people in the assembly that night, and not one within my vicinity was injured, stampeded on or got hurt by the energetic crowd. There was not a single law enforcement authority in sight, but yet I found myself amidst a crowd that exhibited the utmost sense of orderliness and neighbourliness. 

I found myself amidst a crowd that did not scream out slogans on the march to or from the stadium, as a sign of respect for the residents who lived within the vicinity of the stadium. I found myself amidst a crowd that formed human barricades around a fair few who suffered from brief fainting spells due to the sardine-packed gathering, to allow the latter much-needed breathing space. 

I found myself amidst a crowd that took the initiative to help control the dispersal from the stadium, with ever ready helping hands and disarming smiles. I found myself amidst a crowd that kept up the good cheer by cracking the odd joke here and there to diffuse the escalating tension inevitably imbued by passionate gatherings. 

I found myself amidst a crowd that carried heartwarming placards of plain truths that read “Apa lagi Cina mahu? Cina mahu kawan Melayu dan India.”

That night, I finally understood what it TRULY means to be a Malaysian, for I found myself amidst a crowd that was dripping with Malaysian humanity.