Changes of Times

5 Nov 2003
At the moment
Song: Only Yours - Mandy Moore
Mood: -less
What I had last: Food
My brain is saying: Careful, this is a really sappy one...
Time: 18:30
Wishlist: Olympus M[mju:]400 Digital Camera or Kodak Easy Share. I really really really need this camera..my current one worked like Stone Age and if anyone have RM1k+ to spare...


I've been itching to blog about this. For 3 days in total.

As we all already know, Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir Mohamed has retired since Oct 31st and been bestowed the title Tun, since.

And our new Prime Minister is Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

And yes, you moron, I'm talking about Malaysia cos I'm a proud Malaysian living in Malaysia.

I'm not gonna yak about the congratulating and social niceties cos it's already done. Overdone, in fact. I'm going to state this one thing: When I saw the ads published in papers since Sunday, I've noticed one thing. And that one thing has made me really ashamed, happy, grateful, enlightening. It made me realise something.

Each of these ads carry phrases that include words like:
Peace
Harmony
Progress
Unity

It says something. It says I, whose ancestors were humble mine and rubber estate workers from China, had the fortune to be a citizen of this country. Yes, it has faults, yeah, it's not perfect, but for 17 years, I've slept knowing there will not be national disturbances, I've ate knowing nobody else starved, I have shelter over my head, I have free education, medical attention, insurance, I can walk on the streets without too much worry; I am a free citizen.

Freedom.

Every Malaysian's constitutional right.

How many, many others long for that and only that. Such a basic thing. Yet...
And how many, many Malaysians have taken that for granted? Complaining day and night about what the government did not do for them? Well, hello, what did THEY do for the nation? Not much.

But I still complain about national service. Ha. Because I'm patriotic. I stand whenever the national anthem's being played. I celebrate each and every National Day. I celebrate each and every day of freedom I've been given. I'm grateful to my country and my government. I believe in Malaysia Boleh!, minus the longest satay ever made at the highest point in the country. Because I'm proud to be anak Malaysia (people of Malaysia). And I don't need none of those things to reinforce it.

I'm just glad of each and every dawn for my country, where I belonged to, heart and soul.