To all Malaysians

Let's start off by doing a simple experiment. Imagine your friend telling you about their bad experience when being served by a rude waitress( I get that once in a while, more often than not when I am in Malaysia than other countries). Or when you are reading some news about racism, corruption or some silly politician making some blatant statements which are not only unreasonable but it's also bordering to stupidity. Or some crazy moron tailgating your car when on the road even when traffic ahead is heavy?

What is the first thing that comes to your mind? I bet it would be somewhere along the line of "Aiyah, Malaysia is like this la!". If not, I can be sure that at least you have heard someone said this line before.

So what can we make out of this mental examination? That my dear reader is called cynicism.

To me, this is the greatest disease that has been plaguing our entire society at large in our modern times. And today I have decided to write something about this phenomenon.

Cynicism has bred a defeatist attitude in all of us, a lackadaisical outlook towards things that have been going on around us. Issues that need our attention, overdue actions that has to be taken. Achievements that we are truly capable of. Cynicism has given everyone of us an excuse to stay indifferent, an excuse to stay on the sidelines - until it happens to us. By being so it has left our country inheriting a population of underachievers, a country lacking of go-getters capable of bringing the nation forward into the future.

It's not that Malaysia lacks of a talent pool, look at 2 great Malaysians that has made a name for themselves overseas - Jimmy Choo and Michelle Yeoh. It's not that we cannot achieve greatness while remaining in our motherland, it is not because we have an ineffective government. Hypothetically speaking if everyone in Malaysia gave me one ringgit each I would have in excess of 25 million ringgit (still an achievable dream for me someday to have that kind of money), I would easily be able to feed 500,000 children for a month (http://www.worldvision.com.my/). Point is that if everyone starts to take action, no corrupt forces nor ineffective governments can stop us. Even by just one person, can stop a great empire - think Mahatma Gandhi.

We need to rid ourselves of this apathy now. This is a rallying cry to all, a reminder that we are empowered to make a difference to our world, to our country. It is time to raise the civic mindedness of all Malaysians, we can be better and we will be better if we start to change. The change might be slow, it might not happen in our lifetime at all. But we can still instill good values into our children, for the next generation. To those with children, educate them so that they can grow up to be good citizens irregardless of status and wealth. This I believe is the least we can do.

What then have I done on my part? For starters I have written this blog. How about you?

Happy Merdeka.

Written on eve of Merdeka 2010, 8pm.