The road up ahead

December 30, 2013

FMT LETTER: From Zaqloba Rauna, via e-mail

I had just spent two hours f my time, watching the Malaysian parliament debating on ‘YouTube’. Rather than handling the important issues that needed to be resolved in this country of ours, most of the videos only showed how the politicians from both sides are using that time to come up with banters against each other. With such goings on in the parliament, no wonder our country is in chaos.

We are an extraordinary country. Malaysian people are a people of high tolerance. We are now withstanding the hurricane of economic difficulties that we know is coming in the new year. We have tolerated the increased crime wave throughout the year and we remained exceptionally content to keep calm as the policies of being Malaysian gets harder every day.

I would especially like to tip my hat to the non-Malays who have been as I see it enduring the stint of unfairness that the Malay leaders have imposed on them to a certain degree. That however comes as no surprise to me, because even though they are of a different race, they are Malaysians to the core and as I said all Malaysians have high level of tolerance to injustice that we have been facing these past few months.

However I do believe that this calm is mainly attributed to the lack of understanding of what is going on and what is yet to come. Many Malaysians remained blissful to the fact that the recent crime increase, the low value of salary and wages, the increase in fuel, and basic condiments of food as well as the upcoming GST, and toll price hikes would have already been enough to encourage a revolution, a coup, an uprising and a revolution in other parts of the world yet here in Malaysia we carry on living.

Remember the riots in London about a year ago, that was because the British government is giving them less, not because the government are taking from them more, but they rampaged anyway. That is more than a great example that I could think of as I describe the level of difference between Malaysian culture of how we accept being ‘screwed’ better than any other country in the world because not only are our leaders not giving us anything, but are making us give them more. Why shouldn’t we compare ourselves with a more civilised nations, we are humans same as they are.

The point that I am trying to make is fearing what the reaction would be as we have endured so many obstacles put in front of us for so long that I fear we might fight more viciously when we are finally cornered, when we finally have nothing else to do, what would indeed become of this peaceful nation then? I do see hope, a glimmer of light that might shine bright to help guide through the darkness that lies up ahead and this hope lies within each other.

Malaysian people of all ages, gender, race, religion and classes would have to come together and defy the hardship that we are to face. Big problems are coming and if we would come together and stop trying to swindle, rob, trick and bamboozle one another for profit then the problems would not seem so big anymore. Come together and face this challenge together and we might just find out our true capability as Malaysians. I am not saying we must not fight the oppressors, we must always find a way to not be slaves, but it would be much more effective if we do it together.

I believe that recent efforts by some people to separate the Malaysian people by means of racial and religious difference is merely a ruse as they who are in power do not like a unified nation with one goal, because they could not stop us if we are united, it is easier to pick apart a divided people. They always focus on our differences yet, we as people of different race and religion are so much alike and that is a fact.

I would just hope that the Malaysian people would understand this before it is too late, and I also believe that kindness towards each other could go a long way in the happiness of our people. I sincerely hope that 2014 would be gentle on all of us, and I would like to wish good luck to anyone who reads this. I would also like to say to the people that face the hardship to come, you are not alone, we are all in this. Pray for a better future and hope for the best to come.

There would also be a lot of people who would think that I am naive, but to them I say that, I believe in the Malaysian people with all my heart and sometimes when you believe in someone sincerely, they would come through. For God sake please stop hating each other, we are all people. Let go of the angers we bear towards each other, and live kindly for the prosperity of each other.

Once I remembered in a land far away, a civil war took place between the North and South of the US nation, and when all was done and the dust was settled they looked at each other with much regret, as they lay down kneeling beside the dead soldiers of both sides they cried, they wept and they said, “I killed my brother with malice in my heart, hatred destroyed my people.” I pray the hardest to Allah SWT that those words will not be spoken here in my homeland, Malaysia.