Embracing 'one 4 all, all 4 one'.

1Malaysia.

I am not going to lie.

When I first heard about it, I was dumbstruck. I mean, I never ever thought that anyone was ever going to do something like. EVER. It was like surprising, awesome, wrong, and pretty much unacceptable in a same time. That was what, like 2 years ago? I bet it was on the very first day it was announced. (Cekidout! Here for more info)

But time passes by. Now, I don’t really know what I feel about the 1Malaysia anymore. One thing for sure, I don’t like it. Not to the point that I hate it, though. I just, well, don’t like it, that’s all.

I think you can still count that as ‘dislike’. I don’t really what this 1Malaysia thing had to do with anything. It is so much of a fuss. It’s on the TV all day long. They even made a contemporary song with it, so that it will not sound like the other patriotic song. It has its own website, own SMS thingy-majingy. It has everything!

I guess the biggest flaw of 1Malaysia is the name itself. It is flawed in many ways. For example, how many Malaysia does you really think there are outside there? Is there really another Malaysia out there? Numbers and words can’t be in one word, it is against the law of language.

Just to clear things up, I hereby declare that I do not hate the idea of 1Malaysia. I just dislike it. Dislike being me not liking the ring the name brings. I don’t know, I really don’t like that name. I mean, most of my friends from the Internet also dislike the name. They think that it sucks and really should rename it. Some even said that Malaysia was enough. Well….

But all in all, we had to face it. It is a good thing to bring up new ideas into this country. And if it can really bring us, multicultural and all, even closer, then why not?

Years to come, I could clearly foresee Malaysia as a more diverse and enhancing country, seeing now that we are climbing up the ladders of the international economics and all.

I think 1Malaysia is a good idea in bringing the various races of Malaysian together, despite me disliking the name. Years after the black tragedy , Malaysians had really become more closer and had bonded even better than before. It really does proves that even being a multiracial country, we Malaysians can really do hold up to our name and proves to the world that riot are meant to end.

Being a multiracial citizen of Malaysia, I am always aware if the word ‘Melayu’ is being used. It is such a dangerous and sensitive word that people are being very careful in making decisions to use it. I mean there are a lot of things – political things, really, that happened in the past that was clearly being related to the word ‘Melayu’. And I am not going to create another one here.

I guess I am this way because of these political issues that actually, because honestly speaking, I don’t really care if you are a Chinese, Indian or whatever. Heck, I don’t even care if you are going to talk about Malay or rights or whatever. But since then, it actually affects me more. I mean if we could just say what we want to say without being too careful or people being too touchy and stuff, I’m sure I can be a lot better than this. I hate this.

                                                 

When we are some places that are obviously new to us, the single tiniest bit of similarity can actually bring any stranger into becoming a family. And when that really does happen, you will realize that races no longer play any role. It is just plain nationality that had brought us together, which is why I really don’t like the name 1Malaysia. Hahaha… Imagine this, you walk into a building where you and some other guys from Malaysia is going to meet up, then you saw this banner, on it, written this: Perjumpaan Remaja 1Malaysia! What the heck? Is it a typo? Hahaha

That would certainly be a bad image for Malaysia.

From what I heard, read, and listened, or to put it simple, from what I know, Malaysia nowadays is being viewed as one of the country with the most promising economy status. But still, even with the promising economics and the 1Malaysia idea being held up, I guess we can’t entirely change what they, the foreigners, really do see in us.

I mean, look at us! With all the rempit thing going, although it is now simmering and all, with the everyday news report on the raid on the brothel and stuffs, which literally means that there are way too much bad stuffs that shows  how bad is Malaysia. This is a very bad thing to be watched in the daily news.

Those, plus the typical ‘Malaysian’ features.

•  Nasi lemak in the morning.
• Mamak for lunch.
• Yong tau fu for dinner/supper