Negaraku

Tanah tumpahnya darahku

Rakyat hidup bersatu dan maju

Rahmat bahagia Tuhan kurniakan

Raja kita selamat bertakhta

Rahmat bahagia Tuhan kurniakan

Raja kita selamat bertakhta

When tourists, investors and VIPs visit our country, various brochures paint a very pretty picture about the beauty, diversity and harmony about our country.

In a certain sense its true. But when we look closely, things aren't that rosy.

For example, the spot that the Kinta and Gombak river is just merely a large drain that no one ever wants to get close too. I guess its a good thing to see it from afar; the toxic fumes that the river emits isn't too good for our health anyway.

We spend our days in air-conditioned shopping malls and office buildings, wanting to build more and more skyscrapers everyday..

Yet when viewed from a certain distance, its a form of failed city planning where everything is just mashed together haphazardly, like how a 1 year old child plays with lego blocks.

We are easily distracted and are eager to mix around with those who are rich, powerful and beautiful...

...yet we ignore the unseen sufferings and sacrifices made by those who are keen to hold up basic principles such as justice, truth and peace.

We hide in our luxury imported air-conditioned cars..

yet despite this temporary comfort, we have to endure endless traffic jams, insufficient parking spaces, endless tolls, and toxic fumes from our vehicles.

We take pride in our food, to the extent of criticizing that Singapore is taking away the rights to our local delicacies and claiming them as their own.

Yet we ignore the hungry, homeless, fatherless, and poor who're still roaming our streets, having nothing to lay their head upon except a hard brick.

Rules and regulations were meant to protect us from harm and doing wrong.

Yet in this country, even the lawmakers and enforcers don't follow their own rules and walk the talk. Its a stifling and dangerous environment. And sometimes, we can get hurt really bad.

Yes, we can go about our own business, earning money and ignoring everything around us.

But we can't ignore the fact that there's a more powerful force at work behind us, constantly watching and squeezing the life out of us who're trapped in the rat race.

Will we stand up for what is honorable, fight the good fight, or take the easy way out and escape to foreign lands where the grass is supposedly greener on the other side?

The answer is up to you. We each leave an imprint in this world, and have to answer to our own conscience.

Till then, Malaysia is where my blood has been spilt (figuratively), and will always be close to my heart, no matter what the future holds for this country.

Adios