Back To Basics

When Tiger Woods won his 13th Grand Slam Major, a reporter asked him what did he do when, during a tournament, encountered difficulties? He said, 'When I face these problems, I look back during the time when I was an amateur and just do the things that I was doing right'. In other words, if I'm not wrong, its Back To The Basics.
Today as Malaysians, we celebrate 50 years of independence. I celebrated the ushering of this auspicious occasion with my family, relatives and some close friends at Uncle Chilis at the PJ Hilton celebrating a friend's birthday. Amidst the revelry, and the din around us, I managed to position myself in front of an over-head TV and watch the celebration at Datarn Merdeka.
I must say, in contrast to the music and dancing at Uncle Chilis, there was a stark contrast in the mood on the podium where the cabinet ministers were. From their countenance, it reflected a lack of something that warrants joy and happiness this day brings. After all are we not celebrating our nation's 50th independence? The energy was missing among the ministers. Maybe it was a long day, a long week, a long month, a long year, a long 50 years.
I'm not a prophet of doom. I wish not to be. My blog attest to this. But we cannot deny the fact that there are people (Malaysians) out there that are not happy for various reasons. Maybe we are not happy about how the flood situation is not been taken care. Maybe we are not happy about why nothing drastic is done about the Mat Rempit menace. Maybe we are not happy about the traffic jams in the city when millions are spent to improve our infrastructure. Maybe we are not happy that snatch thieves are still lurking around the corner waiting for the next victim. Maybe we are not happy when people who rape our country's resources and get away scott-free while the simple Malaysian on the street have to endure increase in prices. Maybe we are fed-up of our soccer team after millions and millions have been spent but we still end up the opposite side of victory. Maybe we are not happy that the right people are not leading our sports associations. Maybe we are not happy when a certain leader of our nation wield his keris in public in propagation of a particular race while others stand in uncertainty. Maybe the claim that Malaysia is an Islamic state is a main cause of concern to non Muslims. Maybe, maybe, maybe.
What made Malaysia a great nation that foreigners flock to this country and marvel at the peace and harmony that the different races, religions, cultures can blend as one? We are the only nation I know that has a high tolerance level. Nowhere in the world can we block off an entire road, divert traffic to an alternative road, pitch a tent on the road and celebrate a wedding, a party, or even a funeral. Have we complained? No. We were taught to respect our elders, our neighbours, our religion, our family, our leaders. And I know we are still doing this because we still have Malaysians who propagate these values.
So to our current leaders, if Malaysians are not happy, it is your supreme duty to find out why and put things right. If we find that we are deviating from the things that made us strong and united in the past, then be like Tiger Woods, go back to the past, see what we were doing right and do it. In other words, Go Back To The Basics. Malaysia is a beautiful nation. Lets not give up on her so easily.
Happy Merdeka to all Malaysians all over the world.