My Merdeka Wish List

     On 31st August 1957, Malaysians of all races and from all walks of life gathered at Stadium Merdeka, or in front of televisions and radios, waiting to hear our nation's founding father, the late Tunku Abdul Rahman, cry out jubilantly, "Merdeka! Merdeka! Merdeka!" The tiny nation of Malaya had finally gained its independence through peaceful negotiations with the British government. Everyone had high hopes for the future, feeling proud that we had the right to govern the land which we call our home.

    Today, on 31st August 2014, we celebrate Malaysia's 57th year of independence. Throughout these years, the country has been through its fair share of ups and downs. It has weathered the storms of racial riots, economic crises, political instability and national tragedies, testing the unity and resolve of all Malaysians to stay strong and be there for one another, regardless of race or religion. We have also basked in the collective glory of our nation's achievements, such as winning the Thomas Cup in 1992, hosting the Commonwealth Games in 1998, building the KL Tower and Petronas Twin Towers and being among the Top 10 tourist destinations in the world. 

     As a nation, we have achieved so much. Indeed, there are many things to be thankful for in this beautiful land of blessings. However, recent years have seen Malaysia slip further and further away from achieving our Malaysian dream of being a united and progressive nation, enjoying peace and harmony alongside economic success through a just society and matured democracy, as envisioned in our Vision 2020.

     Just as our forefathers in 1957, I believe all Malaysians also have high hopes for Malaysia. In our own small ways, we are trying to make a difference. We are trying to protect our beloved country from being destroyed by irresponsible parties who seek only to fulfill their own agendas, instead of putting the interests of the country before everything else. Therefore, I have compiled a wish list which I hope will come true for Malaysia one day.

      1. Our leaders govern the country by putting the needs of the country before their personal gains

      2. Malaysians of various races can accept one another and embrace our differences as a unique characteristic of our country

      3. Malaysians from every religion have the freedom to celebrate their faith in the manner they see fit, as stipulated in the Constitution

      4. Corrupt leaders, members of civil authorities should be dealt with swiftly and severely punished for misusing the trust given by the             public to hold their office.

      5. All Malaysians are treated as equals and given fair opportunities in all aspects of life.

      6. Developments in the country benefit all Malaysians.

      7. An education system that gives equal opportunity for all races to excel, and is based on meritocracy.  

      8. Malaysians value peace, harmony and mutual respect above all else, and speak up against parties who express extremist views and            seek to divide the nation to pursue their own selfish agendas.

     I hope that one day, all Malaysians can hold our heads up high and proudly declare that we are MALAYSIAN. Happy 57th Merdeka, Malaysia!

Where's My Phone?!

     I had the biggest scare of my life today. I lost my smartphone. It is one of those things that the modern generation has grown so attached to, that losing it is like having part of your life taken away from you. And why not? A smartphone is such a brilliant device that it seems to find its way into every part of our lives. We use it not just to make or receive calls, but also as a camera, music player, radio, internet browser, game station, personal organiser, and even alarm clock! With the countless apps available for downloading, the smartphone can be even 'smarter', performing many more functions.

     So, you can imagine my devastation when I realised my smartphone was not in my backpack, where I remembered was the last place I had put it in. The worst case scenario came to mind. All those data stored in my phone: contact numbers, vital information contained in text messages... they could be gone forever, bringing a huge impact on my personal and work life. Instinctively, I tried as hard as I could to retrace my day, hoping to remember a point in time when I could have taken out the phone or where it could have possibly been misplaced. Calling my phone was useless as I had put it in silent mode earlier on before the start of a meeting. My search efforts proved to be futile. I returned to my hotel room where I was staying during the course of the 4-day meeting, praying hard that I would still get it back somehow.

     After dinner at the hotel coffeehouse, I decided to search the meeting room again. I concluded that it was the most likely place that I might have lost my phone, after mentally retracing my steps. I searched more carefully under the table, and there it was, lying under a chair! It was the chair next to where I was sitting during the meeting, and like all chairs in the room, it was draped with a cover which reached to the floor, as how banquet chairs look. Somehow, I did not spot the phone in my first search, no doubt due to my panic-induced hastiness. It must have slipped out from my backpack as I was busy putting my things back into the bag at the end of the meeting.  

     For three hours, my phone had been lying under the chair. I am just thankful that it was not left out in the open where it would have been stolen sooner than you can say "Samsung smartphone". One thing is certain -- I will take very good care of it in future, so that history does not repeat itself.