1 Understanding, 1 Respect

Happy Merdeka.

The most appearance words in all media today had no doubt was only one word, "1 MALAYSIA."

Every ad interpreted their own way about 1 Malaysia and as previous years, the whole papers filled with beautiful photos and praises of how unite we are and how prosperous what Malaysia is.

I do not believe these for so many years.

However, after 52 years of living together, most of the Malaysian in recent years had somehow "self-regulate" to be more understandings and tolerate each other. We mixed together more often than before, less suspicion, more respect of the different cultures, religious and living style.

Malays remain Malays, Chinese remain Chinese, Indian remain Indian, Muslims remain Muslims, Christian remain Christian, Buddhism remain Buddhism, Hindu remain Hindu.

We start to understand that no conflict of each other to remain as what they are, to remain their beliefs as what they are. Why we want to change it? Why we want to feel threaten like the existence of one race (religion) will make another one lose their identity?

We have no problems to remain owns identity but stay united and patriot to our beloved country with "1 Understandings, 1 Respect" between different races.

However, small group of BN/UMNO elites seem do not like to see this happen. In contradict with what they always said in the speeches, they start to bring up the old and irresponsible tactics like race and religious issues when they felt that they have lost supports among their own community.

Musa Hitam, the veteran UMNO and ex-DPM said in the interview yesterday, "UMNO could not catch up the change of Malay community. They take for granted and thinking of they could continue to be the ruling government, they abuse power, they ignore what the People think, etc...They did not realised that most of the Malays had change and become more confidence to compete with others."

Exactly, I always believe that ones will be dropped out if he could not catch up the change.

The day before this Merdeka Day, the Liberal Democratic Party, that had governed Japan for about 54 years, lost to Democratic Party of Japan in the recent General Election with the similar reasons.

In this Merdeka Day, we wish that BN/UMNO in future do not ruin all these efforts that the people had work together building for our next generation, just because they want to remain powers.

Please think of other ways to regain supports.

Is this what 1Malaysia means?

Now, the 1Malaysia also come with song.

Our 1Malaysia PM pleased the Chinese community in the dinner with them that the government would introduce purely merit-based public scholarships by next year, and also indicated his administration’s intent to completely do away with race-based quotas in more sectors.

However, in the other occasion, his deputy, DPM Muyiddin said UMNO will fight to the last drop of blood to protect Malay rights, the status of the Malay Rulers, Bahasa Melayu and Islam as these matters are enshrined in the Constitution.

Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said they would also fight to defend the rights of other races to ensure no one community would be oppressed.

This is a typical statement used by UMNO leaders all the while since long long time. But who is challenging or ever challenge their rights? This is just the imaginary enemy tactic used to strengthen their support, and in the mean time, comfort the other races.

And is this what the 1Malaysia means? sorry, we are still confused.