Making Malaysia great again

For some of you, 2016 was a horrible year. I agree.

In the space of one year, four of the publications I used to write for stopped publishing. The media is slowly being strangled by an overly sensitive government, and worse still, it knows how to apply the screws. To stop you from hearing the truth. To silence you. To make you behave. To make you conform to its vision of the ideal citizen.

Police reports, followed by complaints to the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), attacks by Umno Baru thugs, are de rigueur. Guerrilla tactics like splashing red paint on office walls, or leaving dead chickens outside an office entrance, are warnings for a successful publication to back-off, or face more threats.

Editors and owners of the publications are arrested and grilled. Some are taken to court. Readers are at risk of having their Facebook posts scrutinised, and face possible arrest.

But you know what? There is great hope for all Malaysians. A decade ago, only a handful of Malaysians would dare complain. Over the years, the numbers of Malaysians who are brave enough to speak out have grown from a trickle to a raging torrent. We are emboldened. We feel empowered.

The government may try to close down all the alternative papers, but their foolhardiness has only fuelled our resolve.

Social media, at least in Malaysia, is the new alternative media. It is free and immediate. It spreads like wildfire. Naturally, there are disadvantages and the lack of verification of facts and the occasional grammatical errors are outweighed by the speed of transmission.

Today, as we start 2017, more Malaysians than ever are exercising their vocal chords. It is heartening to know that the once great silencer of dissent, former PM Mahathir Mohamad, has joined the long queue which wants its voice to be heard. Bittersweet irony!

There is much scope for optimism in Malaysia, but you must be truthful to yourself.

It is time we stopped whining about Malaysia going down the slippery slope, and blaming Umno Baru for the state of Malaysia today; time we stopped criticising the opposition for being hopeless, and time we stopped thinking that Malaysia will never recover.

When you look into the mirror, are you man enough to realise that you are part of the problem that has brought Malaysia to its present state?

You may realise that removing Najib Abdul Razak will not solve Malaysia's problems, because Umno Baru is also part of the problem; but do you understand that changing the party which heads the government is not sufficient? Before we can change others, we need first, to change ourselves.

How many of you think as a Malaysian?

Many of you are so ensconced in your community, your beliefs, your prejudices and your way of life, that you do not believe that any of Malaysia’s ills have anything to do with you.