How do you guys been doing lately? Do you still remember Rukunegara?
The last post I did was way back in early July and I considered that is a very long gap when it comes to blogging. My sincere apologies for missing from the blogosphere. It is not that I had stopped blogging but rather I have been busy – very, very busy indeed on something else.
For last 3 months and hopefully continuing into the coming months, I have spending my weekends rather religiously on activities that makes me achieve my daily target of 10,000 steps on my pedometer, cause me to sweat like hell and drink more than 8 cups of water (well it is more than 4 litres per day). Image source: Android Authority
And things have started to show some results – my once tight pants are loose on the waistline and I no longer have the urge to wallop junk food like I used to do. I guess I am calmer these days as well (except of course when I am on the road)
Reading on the state of the nation on the other hand has been very stressful – who wouldn’t? There is a strong impression that one gets these days is that we are governed by corrupt, oh wait, say what just scrap that statement. There are too many clowns running the show these days, it is hard to pinpoint when one get serious with the business of running the country to greatness.
And I think the blame on the sorry state of the nation should not start with the very top man in the country (mostly it is) but rather, I have a feeling that the country is going (if not gone) to the dogs because the silent majority is well, keeping silent on it. Well we are not expecting everyone to have the ideal sense of responsibility, personal conviction and strong principles but they must have some conviction not to do the wrong things.
And on a personal note, there are people who don’t hesitate to use the notion of race and religion for personal gains. We see this all the time from the local politicians and some twisted individuals. That is just sick especially when you get the same people going overseas and praise the diversity of race and religion and sell that as a plus point that makes this country great.
Never mind, let’s look from a simpler point of view – just take a ride from your home to your workplace – just observe other drivers act on the road. How many of them follow the traffic rules? How many put on the indicators when changing lanes?
Change your view now and place yourself in another place – let’s say in a restaurant. How many restaurant owners’ ensure that the cooking is done as healthy as possible and as clean as possible. How many of them recycle yesterday’s meal for today’s meal?
Still remember our oath to this country and the people? Come on, we all had this printed at the back of our exercise books when we were in school!
BAHAWASANYA NEGARA KITA MALAYSIA mendukung cita-cita hendak:
• mencapai perpaduan yang lebih erat di kalangan seluruh masyarakatnya;
• memelihara satu cara hidup demokratik;
• mencipta satu masyarakat adil di mana kemakmuran Negara akan dapat dinikmati bersama secara adil dan saksama;
• menjamin satu cara liberal terhadap tradisi-tradisi kebudayaannya yang kaya dan berbagai corak; dan
• membina satu masyarakat progresif yang akan menggunakan sains dan teknologi moden.
MAKA KAMI, rakyat Malaysia, berikrar akan menumpukan seluruh tenaga dan usaha kami untuk mencapai cita-cita tersebut berdasarkan atas prinsip-prinsip yang berikut :
• KEPERCAYAAN KEPADA TUHAN;
• KESETIAAN KEPADA RAJA DAN NEGARA;
• KELUHURAN PERLEMBAGAAN;
• KEDAULATAN UNDANG-UNDANG;
• KESOPANAN DAN KESUSILAAN
(Translated as)
OUR NATION, MALAYSIA, being dedicated:
• to achieving a greater unity of all her peoples;
• to maintaining a democratic way of life;
• to creating a just society in which the wealth of the nation shall be equitably shared;
• to ensuring a liberal approach to her rich and diverse cultural traditions;
• to building a progressive society which shall be oriented to modern science and technology;
WE, HER PEOPLES, pledge our united efforts to attain these ends guided by these principles:
• BELIEF IN GOD
• LOYALTY TO KING AND COUNTRY
• UPHOLDING THE CONSTITUTION
• RULE OF LAW
• GOOD BEHAVIOUR AND MORALITY
Along the way, we have forgotten the oath that is so dear to this nation. We have forgotten what our fore-fathers had intended this country to move when they drafted out the Rukunegara after the nation saw one of the bloodiest racial clashes.
These days, we have yet to curtail the voices of extremists when it comes to race and religion and there is so much crap & disbelief spins when it comes to national scandals like 1MDB (it is a mystery while it is deemed a scandal around the world except in this country) and the Sabah Water Department MACC busts. The cost of living is spiralling out and not all can be pointed to the economics – the mismanagement is high on all levels.
Let’s go back to the roots – back to the oath that we made when we were still in school.
Ponder these words again and again
• BELIEF IN GOD
• LOYALTY TO KING AND COUNTRY
• UPHOLDING THE CONSTITUTION
• RULE OF LAW
• GOOD BEHAVIOUR AND MORALITY
Embrace them
Build on them
Remind others on it
We have no other choice – there is still time for redemption and getting the country back on its feet. If we don’t, the country is lost forever,