YOURSAY | What has become of our nation, once so proud and prosperous?

YOURSAY | ‘This is our land. Claim it no matter what, and discard the bigots and the racists.’

COMMENT | 63 years later down the road - whither goes Malaysia?

Goliath: It’s sad and disappointing that writer Phlip Rodrigues is right about our beloved nation.

You can see it very clearly that none of our politicians, whether he or she is from Pakatan Harapan, Perikatan Nasional, Muafakat Nasional or BN, has given any pledge to make the nation and country any better.

Bersatu is about the Muslims, Muafakat, comprising of Umno and PAS, is just about the same if not worse, while MCA and MIC take a backseat being happy and contented that they even get one deputy minister seat in the cabinet.

We have a convicted felon sowing hatred at the Chinese and the DAP, causing deep wounds to a nation, and a party so extreme that they believe hudud will be the law of the day.

We have a government so fragile and led by individuals who had betrayed the country’s electoral democratic system and call themselves saviours, knowing very well those are but lies and deceit to ensure power is in their grasp.

What has become of this nation, once so proud and prosperous?

Today, the country has no innovation to call for, not one single outstanding individual, not one single sporting figure to do our battle cry, not one single new product that globally we are known for, and not one single proud moment that the world can view us for.

All we have are news of kleptocratic leaders chanting racial remarks to ensure they stay out of prison, young leaders calling for abolition of vernacular schools but offer no deeper suggestions on how to preserve other races’ cultures.

Clever Voter: There are not many countries without social challenges. Even in the most diverse societies, one sees racial tensions all the time. At 63, the country struggles to find middle ground, where compromises and reconciliation are preferred.

But before one gets too hung up with the issue of race, we should remind ourselves the universal values our leaders in government ought to embrace. It is wrong to steal as well as cheat, misrepresent, mismanage or simply promoting one’s interests.

The world has seen many crooked leaders come and go; it’s unlikely we see the last of these. Even if former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak gets away with his alleged crimes, there will be another one to take his place.

Only less than 10 percent of world’s government can be trusted or considered relatively clean. While we can reassure ourselves that things could get worse, one needs to ask whether we could do better. The answer is yes.

RedSinga9751: I can still remember vividly the day I took a bus from Sitiawan to Lumut to take a glimpse of Tunku Abdul Rahman when he took the Lumut ferry to open the Perak Flour Mill.

I was in Standard Six. I was so happy to see him as he waved to those who had gathered to see him boarding the ferry.

The funny part was that I did not have enough money to take the bus back to Sitiawan, which is about 10km away, and I had to walk all the way home. I even sipped a little seawater as I was thirsty and hungry – that was when I found how salty sea water was.

I saw Tunku again in Penang many years later when he joined DAP after he was ousted from Umno as he delivered his speech in Island Glade market building. I adored him because he fought for our independence.

Every Merdeka Day, I still think of Tunku, the great statesperson who was truly the Father of all Malaysians.

Terminator: @RedSinga9751 Who can ever forget the great Tunku? I, too, remember when my dad took me to listen to him speak at a ceramah during an election year in Kota Bahru in the 60s one night. I was only 13.

He and Hussein Onn were the only sincere PMs we have ever had.

MS: Merdeka Day ought to be a day of remembrance... to not merely recall the sacrifices of those who have always been officially remembered, but those who have been reportedly made victims by the state.

We know who they are. We have seen pictures of their grieving families, we have read published reports and watched inquiries, and we have noted the deliberate refusal of those accused to act as their paymasters and sympathisers like Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Najib Abdul Razak, Muhyiddin Yassin, Anwar Ibrahim and their supporters simply look the other way.

This is no Merdeka for those wronged by the state (activists Pastor Raymond Koh, Amri Che Mat, Joshua Hilmy, et al), and it cannot be a Merdeka for those with a conscience.

Enlightened Globalist: It is an accepted fact that Malays are the dominant race in numbers as well as political influence. In a decade or so, they might also become the main force in the economy. After all, Malays today are the biggest consumers.

Those non-Malays who are unhappy with this arrangement have two choices:

1. Accept the reality on the ground that this country essentially belongs to Malays who profess Islam. That gradually, the country will become more Islamic and conservative. That the ultimate destiny of the country is in the hands of the Malays. That you would, in the best of times, be a bystander and have little or no say in the nation's destiny.

But remember that now, you enjoy freedom of speech (to some degree), freedom of economic activity, vernacular language schools, and freedom to vote. This is a lot more than what some minorities get in many African and Middle Eastern countries.

2. Migrate to another country where you might perceive that you have more rights and a better future. It is estimated that nearly two million Malaysians have migrated over the past few decades.

The non-Malays are feeling their insecurity increasing in a country we all were once so proud and call our home and the Malay leaders have one singular objective - to hold on to power in Putrajaya by garnering votes from the Malays and, therefore, would only pursue this singular objective by focusing on one race.

With every passing day, we wither and die away slowly. Despite this freak show, we will stand united again and celebrate Hari Merdeka with full force. We wish there’s a brighter tomorrow for every Malaysian, and not just one race dominating the others.

IndigoKucing8924: There is no point crying over spilt milk. The so-called glamour nations are in a crisis as well. The grass isn’t greener on the other side.

This is our land. Claim it no matter what, and discard the bigots and the racists. Don’t let a few barbarians hijack the silken fabric of this nation that has been weaved by our forefathers... least it’s turned to ruins and rust. Let us uphold the Constitution and the Rukun Negara.

Be stoic. Be elegant. Be respectful. Be mindful. Be patient.

Most of us are peace lovers. So, stand up and be counted when the time comes. Discard to the burning bins of the past politicians who are serpentine. You already know who they are. If you don’t, then you deserve the government you choose.

Thank the Almighty that we don’t live in the US, the UK, Germany, India, China, South America, Africa, or the Middle East which are all riddled with problems. Even those countries where populations are homogeneous and no conflict due to different religions, we are still blessed.

So, suck it in and get on with it. Work hard and plan for our future generations. Humanity thrives on hope. God bless Malaysia. God bless the King. - Mkini