just minishorts.

I'm happy today, because Malaysia will be 49 years old tomorrow. There was very simple gesture my friend said we should make, he asked us all to write a happy story. Project Happy Malaysia, he called it, and I think it was a good idea.

Some people have misunderstood this call, as a united act of delusion, they remind us that Malaysia is unhealthy, there's nothing worth celebrating. 'Telling happy stories,' they say. 'Implies you choose to ignore.'

I think not. I say this, if you tell your happy story, you cannot just tell it just to join in the 'fun'. You must understand the implications, the reason behind this 'party'. You need to choose your story wisely, your story's message must be strong. It must move beyond the feeble excuses, that race/religion/colour phobic people choose to fall back to, whenever they sign for lopsided decisions that will affect all of our lives. Your story should reflect unity in diversity, it is your GIFT to the nation, a way that you will wish our country 'Happy Merdeka', today.

This is my story.

I closed my eyes and I pretend to remember, all those years so very long ago. I cannot quite recall it, my mother told me the tale.

'You were but a little girl, you were just five, or six.'

It was a short flight back from Singapore to KL, and then from KL we flew back to Kota Bharu. Yes that very land, where the flag boasts a white moon, the symbol of a religion now so oft-misunderstood as extremist. I remember this story the way my mom told me, she said the first thing I screamed when the plane touched down the Sultan Ismail Petra airport was, 'I don't want to go down, Ma, I don't like going down. This is not my country, this is a jungle country..'

My mother said, I screamed and kicked and screamed and shouted, and the stewards and stewardesses got all worried.

'This Indian lady, another Malay man, they tried to calm you down,' said Ma. 'You sat glued to your seat, as all the other passengers left the plane.

'And then, and then?'
'Well, they HAD to keep to their schedule, so finally the handsome Malay steward grabbed you, slung you over his back, and carried you down the plane, you were screaming and kicking him, and all the stewardesses were smiling.'
'Oh my goodness… VERY MALU yah?'
'Yes, very malu. Hahahha.'
'OKAY….'
'You're a city-kid, so imagine flying from SINGAPORE to KOTA BHARU… this was in the 1980s ok?'
'So naughty lah me… must have been soooo embarassing.'
'Well, just imagine.'

'Then what did the steward said finally?'
'Oh he bent down and told you while you were still wailing, 'Girl this is your home. It may not be modern and classy, but this is where you belong.''

'Wahhhhh so gaya!'

'Yeah, then after that the Steward look at me and scolded me hahaha. He said, 'You ni jadi mak dah, must teach your kid to love her country.''

SO GAYA!!

I liked that old story, even though I can't really recall myself being so naughty. I'm used to playing it over and over again in my mind, because it reminds me: I came from somewhere else. I'm literally, a 'Kaum Pendatang', by virtue of the fact that I was born in Singapore. Not very far away, but overseas, nonetheless. But I now call Malaysia home, I'm proud to belong here. When times get a little bit tough, when I feel like I wanna bail out (and I think I can, it's just a flight and a few papers away), I remember very long ago, several MAS Flight Crew Staff took it upon themselves to educate my mother and little me, that Malaysia is my home.

I know Malaysia's not perfect, especially now she's not exactly in the pink of health. Like everybody else, I wonder if my leaders know exactly what they're doing when they talk. I'm not the kind who supports blindly, and God knows sometimes, I weep for the unjust things my fellow citizens have had to endure. I understand the need to know the facts, the realities that can be harsh. I hate some written laws that make me feel I'm second class. I want things to change, I know it takes time. And it pains me to sometimes feel, that positive change might never come. But above all these, I know one thing: I know I love my country, I want the best for her.

As our leaders blow the candles and make their speeches to commemorate the 49th anniversary of our independence, I want to tell them this

I hope whatever you guys are doing, you're doing it for our country's future good. I can't say I'll be a perfect leader, I'm sure your experience makes you guys more qualified than me. But in my position as a single citizen, I just want to say this: All I hope for this Merdeka, is that you remember the very identity that makes Malaysia so Malaysian.

Malaysia is diverse. Unity comes only when all in diversity sing the same, harmonically orchestrated symphony in a united tune. We may be of different races, colours and creed, but deep down we're all the same. We're all Malaysians, and I love my country just as much as you do.

Selamat Hari Kemerdekaan to all.

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