Monday, February 11, 2008

The more we change, the more we remain the same ?

It's Monday and back to work again for most of the people who celebrate the lunar Chinese New Year. As usual, the Chinese pay significant attention for the most auspicious day to "HoiKong" ( Official first day of work in the RAT year ). I consulted the Chinese lunar calender and decided to Hoikong on Sunday. Not bad, I am actually one day ahead of others to start work on the 4707th lunar year. Despite all my cultivated confidence and optimism, the kiasuism within me is still very strong. You can't fault me for that. I am, after all, the descendant of the Yellow Dragon.

Come what may, and it never fails. The spirits of the Chinese New Year always prevail ! Chinese New Year is also a period for me to relax with family members. It allows me to put aside and put behind everything, no matter how busy I am, or how important the issues are. It offers me the opportunity to get together with family members to have happy and decent meals together with lots of foods to eat, never ending flowing of drinks, laughters, reminiscing the year that was, and contemplating the year that will to move forward with greater confidence. I had the opportunities to meet up with more family members and friends in the previous 5 days than the rest of the previous 12 months !

Malaysians are blessed with sunshines and an efficient public transportation system to enable all of us to go back to our home towns on time to be with our family members to celebrate the lunar new year. After all, a 200KM toll road reverse fare from KL to Ipoh costs only RM 54. Petrol scost less than RM 2 per litre. Where else in this world can you get such a good bargain ? Aren't we Malaysians very lucky to have the opportunity to pay tolls and "subsidized" petrol ?

This Chinese New Year is also one of the most "politicized" new year ever. Despite the positive mood of celebration, everywhere I go, and every gathering I attended, people never failed to speculate the anticipated date of General Elections. As usual, there are also the usual expressions of disgusts and praises for the present administration. My honest opinion is, Malaysia is pretty much a country hindrance by racial demands and racial rhetorics. Political parties being what they are, will always ride on racial sentiments to sustain their ill gottten relevancy. To move forward and become a competitive nation with pride and respect, Malaysians need to have the moral courage to get rid of race based political parties.

I am not a supporter of the opposition parties, but I am also increasingly aware that the present ruling parties are becoming too arrogant and decadent to accept differing opinions and to respect freedom of expressions. The coming general elections presents Malaysia with the window opportunities to vote out race and religion based political parties and racist politicians. In the spirits of Chinese New Year, I sincerely pray that, a new generation of broad minded and secular politicians can emerged to champion Malaysia to become a just, fair, and progressive nation. Let' us also pray for those immoral politicians who conduct ungodly racisms and discriminations in the name of religion to seek popularity can somehow be graced by their almighty to repent, to seek peace within themselves to discard their bogus racial championship, and to bow out gracefully for the sake of the country.

The Prime Minister had recently said that "he has been working very hard !!". Likewise, a lot of other Malaysians are also working very hard ! But are they being rewarded accordingly with the so called fair distribution of wealth ?

In the spirits of Chinese New Year, may it be the wishes of all to hope for the government to do more to help the physically handicapped people, the welfare home, the orphanages, and homes for the elderly. I sincerely hope the government is capable to be enlightened with the wisdom and courage of not diverting scarce financial resources from these needy groups to meet the never ending demands of those mentally handicapped rent seeking parasites.

It does not matter whether we are in majority or minority, and it does not really matter each and every one of us subscribed to different religious beliefs, we should be united together as Malaysians to oppose unfair and unjust inclinations. As a nation seeking to be respected as a honourable nation in the United Nations, we must respect and honor our commitment to the United Nations' conventions by solemnly upholding human dignity, respect fundamental liberties, promote freedom of religion, condem discrimination, and promote justice and fairness.

As the nation progress, the fruits of our labours must be enjoy by all irregardless of our religious inclinations or racial origins. We are, after all, one people with single nationality. We must do away with the absurdity of special treatments for select privileged fews, and stand affirmative together to change our mindsets to rid ourselves of our deep rooted unfair biases of perpetuating political, environmental, social, and technological classes.

There is a popular saying that, "The more we change, the more we remain the same". The circle of absurdities will never end. But, being an optimist, I sincerely hope all of us can change for the better, to respect others and be respected, and ultimately remained as Malaysian with pride and dignity.

Lest I despair, I am still ready to embrace my own absurdities of tolerance, and remained a proud Malaysian. Sincerely, may Malaysia regains her previous sparkling economic growth rate. May the bull runs wild in KLSE, and may our economic indicators point north all the time. These are my Chinese New Year's ratty wish.

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