A Malaysian's Reflection on the Nation'sFuture 2.

"KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 13 — Datuk Zaid Ibrahim, who left PKR last month, is now a member of the Malaysian People’s Justice Front or Akim, said its president Zakaria Salleh today."
Thus for whatever reason Zaid may have left PKR is of no concern of mine nor of anyone for that matter as in politics it is those things that we know not of that is more important to any known issues as the truth is often veiled from our perception for political expediency.But suffice to say that Zaid Ibrahim needed to remove himself from a party he had left the ruling party for and held in great esteem for a short duration of time until...??
Whatever it may be that caused Zaid to hop from one party to another is relevant only to the fact that he still is one solitary voice that champions the people's concern and the need for change in the policies if not the government itself. Unlike the 'maverick' deranged prince cum political thorn in the government flesh, Raja Petra Kamaludin (RPK), Zaid is here face to face with his detractors, his life on the line. What Zaid exposes through his knowledge and experiences having been  on both sides of the divide and seen with his intelligent and unbiased mind is food for our thoughts.
"To bring about a truly united ‘1Malaysia,’ our Prime Minister must not
always refer to the deprivation of the Malays suffered under the
British.. No amount of wallowing of the past can change history nor
can we just tell the Chinese and the Indians how grateful they should
be for events taking place 100 years ago. Equally he cannot just be
happy that he has the MCA and the MIC taking care of the non-Malays.
He has to do more to make sure that the non-Malays are equally
responsible and generous with the Malays. Will they open their
businesses to the Malays? Will they give credit on the same terms they
do to their own clans?"
As much as I agree with this thought I wish to add that it is not only the PM's responsibility that this has to be carried out but it is the nation's, each and everyone of us regardless who we are so long as we declare ourselves true Malaysians.China, India or Peri Bumi Nusantara or whatever that we have been told to be who we are or where we originate from has to be erased from our minds when we enter this new pact of a 1-Malaysia. This is the covenant that we all have to share to survive as a nation and any political will that does not propagate this mindset does not deserve to rule this nation.We Malaysians need a mental 'clean slate' yesterday.
  "But at the same time, the people, including the Malays, must be
convinced that democracy and a functioning bureaucracy are good for
them. That they have a better chance of realising their potentials and
benefiting from their rights and privileges under a government that
respects just laws. They must resist corruption by all means at their
disposal. The notion of Bangsa Malaysia will not detract or take away
anything from them but instead they become a part of a larger and more
diverse community where they too can experience the generosity,
beauty, strength and richness of Malaysian cultures. They will benefit
from the solidarity of people from all walks of life and their
worldview will change to make them stronger and more confident of
themselves."
Today, as never before, the Malay are more Malays, the Chinese are more Chinese and the Indians more Indian and so on..and God or the Gods are always on our side. Corruption has become a way of life and abuse of power comes quite naturally to most who have the means.We have become a proud nation despite babies being found in dumpsters and drug addiction is as rampant as unemployment.We are proud of our heritage more so than admitting that our past was one of a colonial bondage which has set us one against another throughout our history so much so that we do not even have a clear agreement on what our history was all about.and we prosecute anyone who dares to question.
"A Prime Minister of this country must not succumb to the idea that
force and repression will prevail over the people’s will. The Prime
Minister of this country must not suffer from the delusion that the
Police, the Army, the Courts, the Election Commission and the
Attorney-General could strike fear in the hearts of the people to the
extent that they will and must retreat. No leader in ancient and
modern times has survived the outrage of the masses. Today we have
witnessed a new sense of outrage; outrage against the abuse of power,
against inequality, outrage against the continued persecution of Anwar
Ibrahim, and outrage against the policies of divide and rule."
In other words it is up to us the people to want to change and remain in power as the source to reckon with for any single party that decides to rule us. It is the power of the people that has to be awakened and kept awake if our country is to survive and excel as a nation. We have all the resource both material as well as human to take on the challenge into the future despite the global economic uncertainty.We cannot and will not allow for our resources to be wasted by the few self serving in power.As individuals we have to look deeply within and realize our own motives and intentions such that they serve the nation as a whole.
 " Today the rakyat has spoken and they want their voices heard. They
want a new beginning, so that this country, which we all call home,
will be transformed into a dynamic, open and vibrant democratic
sanctuary. A sanctuary where we live without fear of police
harassment, without fear of wearing black or yellow, without fear of
detention without trial, without the nausea of reading newspapers
whose editors have to toe the line to keep the papers alive. We will
make this country such that we have room and space for all of us to
have our dreams and hopes come true."
If and when we arrive at the target of a "Vision-2020" as set by our former PM it will not be merely as a developed nation but also a well rounded nation with respect for race and religions and the love for the environment. It is not my intention to write for or against any party in the upcoming election nor criticize any one individual or individuals. I chose Zaid Ibrahim's article because it says pretty much what i would have said or want to believe in. I write for those who take their time to read and with the hope that they can come to their own conclusion as who or what they would want to govern this nation when the time to vote comes along.
 "Ladies and gentlemen, we do not live in a world of black and white. We

live in a world full of different colours, shades and textures. No
truer is this than in Malaysia. I can stand here and tell you of my
immense sense of pride and affection in being a Malaysian, just as I
can do the same about being Malay. And I believe that we all are just
as capable of feeling that way about being Malaysian and yet similarly
proud of being Malay, Chinese, Indian, Kadazan or Iban, no matter who
we are.
And it is this mix of seemingly conflicting values, which when blended
and tempered with courage, tolerance, good faith and framed by
universally held moral and civic values, that makes the canvas of
Malaysia so rich, so powerful and so full of potential. Let us
preserve this living piece of art and ensure that it continues to
beautify and enrich our personal lives, as private citizens.
For if we fail, then the providence with which we are blessed today to
make a breakthrough change, will disappear as quickly as it came; and
we will be back to square one.. Our future and that of our children
and their children, depends on our success. Failure is not an option.
God favours the brave.
Thank you."