Merdeka Rantings

Yes, I still send Merdeka messages to my friends at 12am on the 31st of August. I still get teased for that - but I'm patriotic to an extent and I'm proud of it.

Yes, I'm listening to loops of Keranamu Malaysia, Jalur Gemilang, Setia, etc etc. Go ahead, laugh.

Here I am..having a craving for Nasi Lemak and missing the times we would countdown till 12am 31/8. Recalling the songs we've sang since primary school, and those cute little Jalur Gemilangs that we would wave about.

Hmmm, but sometimes, I wonder where Malaysia's heading to.

All this racism, all this bad-mouthing each other's religions and cultures and chasing each other back to the "home countries".

Its not my heritage that determines my nationality. And to me, neither does my birthplace.

I'm Malaysian, for a lot of other little things. Maybe you would consider these as meager reasons, but I sincerely believe that this is what determines my identity as a Malaysian

I'm Malaysian because I'm multilingual.

I'm Malaysia, because I mix up English, Malay, Mandarin, Canto, and Hokkien words in one sentence..and then struggle to explain it to non-M'sians.

I'm Malaysian, because my tastebuds are adapted to eating ridiculously spicy curry, rendang, and Cili Padi.

I'm Malaysian, because I can't stand the fact that shops close at 5pm overseas, and there is no Mamak Stall

I'm Malaysian because I crave Nasi Lemak and Roti Canai for breakfast.

I'm Malaysian because I get nervous jitters whenever I have to walk out of my house alone - even in broad daylight.

I'm Malaysian because I look like I'm eternally sunburnt..and I take to the sun far far far better than I tolerate winter.

I'm Malaysian because I can look at all those comments about chasing us back to our home country, and stubbornly say that you can't chase me from my own home.

I'm Malaysian, because the importance of race, to me, dwindles significantly next to the importance of nationality. Regardless of skin colour and culture, we are the same. Here, I call myself a Malaysian. Proudly.

When are we going to stop this prejudice? When we refer to other religions as "those people", and secretly call every ethnicity with different names...when we blame each other for all these problems that surface...did we stop to think that we should look as ourselves first? We're all brothers and sisters in this wonderful, colourful, and ocassionally problematic country..but tell me, which country doesn't have its own problems?

But I guess its a good thing..in a sense..that we openly debate our problems instead of killing each other?

I love the dysfunctional, dangerous country I was born in. Regardless of my path in the future, this will never change

Happy Merdeka, everyone.=)