I would like to congratulate Abdul Malik Mydin for his personal achievement in completing the gruelling 32.8km swim across the English Channel. It shows that one man's determination to overcome the odds can result in success.

However I beg to differ from The Star report which conferred on him the title of 'English Channel Conqueror'. Many other swimmers have crossed the channel before him, and therefore it would be inappropriate to justify the bestowment of that title.

Furthermore, I shrivel at the thought that Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad and his deputy, together with an entourage of top government officials, could find the time to go to the airport to welcome him back from London and present him with a silver kris.

Without attempting to ridicule Malik's efforts, I believe that the fascination with record-breaking is part of our community's pathologic preoccupation with symbolism.

Thus, we have become a nation obsessed with symbolism. From the meagre fishermen, conducting ancient rites for protection; to the government constructing gigantic buildings that bellow the emptiness of unfulfilled dreams; we have become slaves to symbolism.

Throughout the ages, mankind has been using symbols to showcase cultures, thoughts, aspirations and most of all, achievements. However in our country, we have taken a step further by generating symbols that totally contradict the very values we have sought to achieve.

We pride ourselves with our multiracial age-old traditions and customs; yet we invent a new gesture of greeting by placing a hand over our hearts and bowing subserviently to tourists.

We aspire to become a developed nation by the year 2020; yet we only witness the frenzy to build more monumental but under-utilised buildings and structures, which in turn drain our resources and slow our progress.

While the proponents of these projects regard them as achievements, I, on the other hand, think that they are merely wasteful embellishments of overzealous planning.

Symbols should only be a true reflection of the nation's status and not the other way around. We should never build monuments first, then hope that the nation attains the level of achievement, proportional to the size of the monument. Hasty developments such as these, result in the accumulation of under-utilised facilities and wastage of public funds.

The Kuala Lumpur International Airport sits in the middle of nowhere like a huge Bedouin tent in the desert - sky-bridges snaking out like tentacles, waiting hungrily for airlines that do not seem to arrive.

The Petronas Twin Towers protrudes mightily from the heart of Kuala Lumpur, emerald glasses held together by shining aluminium claddings, concealing countless unoccupied offices within.

In the Royal Town of Klang, municipal councillors are adorning themselves with new ceremonial uniforms and a new mace costing a total of RM 200,000, while the town remains one of the dirtiest in the country with unresolved social issues.

Not to be outdone by their leaders in the field of symbolism, the people of Malaysia are also clamouring for honorary titles to be bestowed upon them during the never-ending birthday celebrations of heads of states. Of course there are among them, citizens who have given their service beyond the call of duty and these are the people who genuinely deserve the accolades.

But judging from the thousands of names in the awards list published in the newspapers for each investiture, one could hardly believe that a country of just over 22 million people is able to produce so many altruistic citizens.

Finally, we come to another form of symbolism, which hails from the 'Malaysia Boleh' syndrome, exemplified by Abdul Malik's cross channel swim. The countless record-breaking feats attempted by both the government and individuals these days are simply amazing and at times, laughable.

It would be a positive move if these feats could provide inspiration for the progress of the nation. Unfortunately, almost all these records are senseless and self-glorifying acts, of which the results are not reproducible in the general population, contrary to what the prime minister said in his speech at KLIA.

Can the longest buffet in Malaysia help to feed poor and needy Malaysians? Can the largest Jalur Gemilang (national flag) provide warmth and shelter for the homeless? Can the biggest serving of yee-sang (Chinese New Year dish made from raw fish and condiments) stimulate the economy? Can the tallest tower made with tropical fruits ward off disease?

The records that Malaysians should really break are the ones that could benefit the nation ultimately.

  • We should strive to be the most educated and most efficient workforce globally.

  • The police should concentrate their efforts to make Malaysia the safest place with the lowest crime rates ever recorded anywhere.

  • The various authorities should co-ordinate their efforts to make Malaysia the cleanest country in the world.

  • Given the advantages of being a multi-ethnic and multi-cultural country, we should overcome our prejudices and work hard together, to create the most peaceful and understanding nation on earth.

These are record-breaking feats that we need to conquer. These are the building blocks towards the construction of the Greatest Nation in the world.

It is not wise just to pride ourselves on the physical appearance of things, unless we want to become the laughing stock of the world. Instead we should judge the success of any project or action, by assessing the fulfilment of its intended goal, base on its functionality, efficiency, suitability, sustainability and safety.

Malaysia and its people should not become slaves to symbolism. Instead, we should be its master and use it with prudence to move our nation closer towards achieving our goals.

We do not want Malaysia to become a stage crowded with useless monumental props and backdrops that hinder the flow of our nation's story.

Our forefathers made their entrance onto the stage during the difficult years of colonisation. It is now the duty of the present generation of Malaysians to carry on working towards achieving their vision of a united, prosperous and progressive Malaysia.

We must ensure that when it is time for us to exit the stage, we leave behind an audience who is deeply inspired to continue our efforts for generations to come. Each Malaysian has different parts to play. It is time we stop being obsessed with symbolism and start working hard for the success of our country.