Do you love Malaysia?

What does one accomplish by fighting one’s own brethren forever?

By May Chee Chook Ying

For someone who has been incarcerated for so long, the olive branch and recent overtures towards Aung San Suu Kyi must have surprised her pleasantly. More than that, she must be starting to feel hopeful.

Whatever their underlying motives, these new rulers are smart. Why? What choice do they have? Are they to remain divided forever? Are they to be considered pariahs by the international community forever? Both sides of the divide, aren’t they both true, blue-blooded Myanmarees?

What does one accomplish by fighting one’s own brethren forever? Reconciliation is the smart way to go. It
takes a lot of courage. One has to forgive. One has to eat humble pie. It’s hard, really hard but it’s the only way out of a protracted battle that divides the nation and defies logic.

I am Malaysian and my heart bleeds for my country. What the hell is going on? I maybe Chinese but I’m true, blue-blooded Malaysian. Wanting the best for my country, in my opinion, makes me more patriotic than those out there tearing our beloved nation apart!

I am a Christian; I help people without scrutinizing if they have done an eye or nose job before, without checking to see if they use whitening cream or not, and most of all without the slightest intention of converting them!

Really, what is going on? Is it a crime now to help? Believe me, I’ve spent more hours debating with strangers who ask to come into my humble abode and argue with me when God should rest than trying to convert others if they receive my help. Not once have I done that because I believe I worship a God of all humanity and He cares for all and not necessarily through me. I, too, have been at the receiving end of other people’s
graciousness and they, too, don’t know my name. They don’t care how I look or what I do.

This latest attempt at divide and rule really takes the cake! How low can one go? For that matter how stupid can one get? To treat God as a fool? Please, stop!

Malaysia is my homeland. It’s beautiful beyond description. When I go for holidays abroad, I can’t wait to come home. I don’t want to run away from home, please don’t make me. This really is my home, I’ve nowhere else to go.

Is that why some of you out there are giving me an ultimatum, now and then, because I love my country, Malaysia? Do you, those responsible for all these ugly episodes lately, love Malaysia? Do you, do you, do you? I wonder.

I once saw the news on RTM, where the journalist covering a by-election said, “One more mention of the word ‘liwat’, I’m going to throw up!” Really, I feel the same way! Recession is round the corner, an acid-splasher is on the prowl, trees are disappearing, the electricity meters are being tampered with, someone’s daughter or son died mercilessly, graduates that can’t string an English sentence together and we are watching out for whose backside, again? Please-lah, enough! We do have better things to worry about!

Let’s learn from the Myanmarees, let’s focus on nation building. It’s time to move on. It’s time we truly mean what we say when we say we love Malaysia. Malaysia needs us and we are of no use to our beloved country if we are so divided.

We are useless Malaysians if we don’t learn to be true to what we subscribe by. We say we are Malaysians. We say that though we are different, we celebrate our differences, there’s no prejudice. We say we are not inferior to anyone, “Malaysia Boleh”. I, honestly think we can, too. I honestly think we can go forward. Let’s leave behind cronyism, corruption, stupid politics, instituitions or policies that continue to shackle us and prevent us from being the people we can be. Please, we must take stock of what’s good for us and what’s bad. Let’s weed out the bad, embrace the good. Please, lets’ try once more. I really want what’s best for Malaysia, don’t you?

Let’s be brave. Let’s drop the charade. We do know what’s the right thing to do. Why don’t we? If there’s someone out there whose a liability to this “progress” we seek, please step aside. Do the right thing, call it a day before it’s too late. Some of us don’t know when it’s time to take a bow. We should, otherwise, we’ll be forced out! Go when the going is still good.

Some of us out there are fighting for the sake of fighting. What are you fighting for? Is your fight still relevant? Must we fight? No one wins in a war. It is stupid to fight! It’s peace we seek, why harangue for a fight?

Some of us out there are so dishonest. Don’t you know there’s a God out there? The Cantonese say, “Theen yau gan”. How do you expect to get away? Truth always prevails. Don’t live in denial.

Some of us out there are so ridiculous, still hoping to be affirmed with what they don’t deserve. Let me say it loud and clear, “Affirmative action is only for those who need it, irrespective of creed or colour.” Hey, my fellow Malaysian, love your neighbour as yourself, don’t be an “I-specialist”! Believe me, what goes around comes around. You won’t know what hit you, then! Be warned!

What is love? Deeds are love, not fine phrases. Faults are thick when love is thin. He that loveth his neighbour hath fulfilled the law. Labour is light when love doth play. Let love be without hypocrisy. Love asks faith and faith asks firmness. Love begets love. Love betters what is best. Love grows with obstacles. Love has no thought of self. Love levels all inequalities. Love rules its kingdom without sword.

Do you love Malaysia? Do you? Then, love truly for love will find a way.