Speak and hold your Ground!

Bernard and Day Dreamer, I like both your comments. They show that you are both thinking about your place in this country. That is really encouraging to know.

You know, despite all that is happening around us, there is great good in this country. We live a decent life here, albeit with a lot of sacrifices and stomaching of inequalities. And the prospect of a future society built out of multi-culturalism is extremely attractive -- if we lay the foundations for it now.

That is why I feel the solution to these problems is not to pack up and leave for better pastures. Yes, migration is an option, but, I think, it should only be a choice after we have given our all to make this country our home.

What we should do is to fight for our rights to make Malaysia a better place to live for all. By "fight", I don't mean take up arms or take to the streets in anarchic protests. I mean we should make our politicians work for us. We should first and foremost express ourselves and make ourselves be heard whether in the classroom, the media or the electoral process.

For example, when a lecturer introduces a topic like "1Malaysia" and asks for opinions, students should speak up like Joshua Phua. But, learn to speak your mind logically and without intent to hurt or offend. Speak up and say your piece but say it intelligently, clearly - backed with good points - confidently, and respectfully -- always respectfully because it is important to let the other person know that although your views may differ from his or hers, you will still respect him or her as a person.

On any issue, if you feel strongly about it, let it be known -- in the newspapers, to your elected representatives but let them be known.

Then, participate in the electoral process. If our leaders are not adequately representing us, throw them out and give new ones the chance to lead.

Change can happen only when a majority of the people are willing to make a stand for what they believe in and hold their ground -- as it happened in the March 8 election.

If we want a stake in this country, we must also be willing to give and take. Integrating as a society would mean that some of the things we want need to be given up for the greater good. As an example, we may need to give up on vernacular education and pool those resources to raise the standard of national schools so that all Malaysians -- not just some -- get a sound education.

We must be willing to do such things, then, I think we would have earned the right to be truly Malaysian.

I hope more people will express their thoughts on this subject.