Felix Ker's blog

Malaysia will be celebrating her 50th year of Merdeka. Merdeka (Malay/Indonesian) means independence. I’m somehow thinking about how I feel about this year’s national day.

I don’t feel secure at all

Earlier yesterday, I’ve received forwarded SMS messages telling me not to go to certain places as there will be massive killing/hacking (with an axe/parang) yesterday and today. Our prime minister told the press that it was a rumour. Oh well, I’m unsure if anything like that happened. Neither am I going to share what I heard since I don’t know facts.

Robberies, snatch thieves & rape cases happens everyday. Yes, everyday. Again, the number of cases reflected by the papers may not be accurate. According to friends, they didn’t bother to make any police reports because the police will tell them to consider twice before they write the report(Since the thieves are so hard to catch and they are wasting time, etc). And also, I’ve heard of people not making police reports because they’ve entered Malaysia with a valid visa, but it had expired. If they were to report, they’ll be sent back to their respective country. I don’t know how true is this though. Sad enough, some time back, my mum had her bag snatched by a snatch thief on a motorcycle. Until now, police has no news. Nothing. Case missing?

How safe can I feel with such activities increasing at an alarming rate? Am I going to step out of home and feel paranoid? Is that how I should feel?

Corruption is still very bad

Those living in Malaysia/Singapore should get what’s meant by that. Not going to elaborate on that.

The caste system?

I feel so much like living in India, having the ‘caste system’. I don’t have bumiputra status and so I’ve got no advantages/priorities. But its okay, I’m happy with what I get!

What am I proud of? (Your country)

I don’t exactly know.

I’m born here, somehow raised here. Spent half my life studying in Singapore. I’m not doing any comparison here coz Singapore is very small and thus rather easy to manage. Malaysia is different.

But let’s go back to the question “What are you proud of?“.

I’m proud of myself able to speak fluent English, Chinese and Malay! To be able to speak Malay, that’s an essential. I’m sad that many of the Malays over at Johor Bahru (JB) cannot speak English. I’m trying to point out that if I cannot speak Malay, I’d not be able to communicate with them. Lately, I see improvement to the syllabus for primary and secondary schools, which is a good change.

I don’t know how I can be proud of my country. Someone teach me how.

Whatever. I’ll end here. Thinking about my own country makes me feel sad.

And to my beloved girlfriend, happy-date-with-malaysian-celerbrating-malaysia-birthday!

This is not going to be an interesting answer.

9th August – Singapore’s National Day! Happy Birthday & National day!

It’s public holiday, right? That means no school for me. BUT that doesn’t mean I’m going to take a long rest at home. Day time, I’m going to work at Malaysia. (You forgot that I hold a part-time job?) After work, I will spend the evening lying on bed or the sofa to enjoy Singapore’s National Day Parade 2007, held at Marina Bay. Or, if my family is going out to Singapore to visit auntie Soo Ha at the hospital (or to discharge her!), I’ll tag along!

31st August 2007 – Malaysia will be celebrating her 50th birthday/national day/hari merdeka.

Seriously, I don’t give a damn about my own country’s national day! Not at all.

My dearest readers, please teach me how to celebrate national day in a country where I am feeling so intimidated, so worried that the next minute, something bad might happen. The crime rate in Johor is just too high. I don’t know if the next minute, my bag may be snatched by a snatch thief on a motorcycle. Or, my gold necklace be snatched. Worse, there are so many rapists out there lately. I don’t want to have my backside poked.

I think on 31st August, I’ll be staying at home to take a good rest since I’m having my school holidays and it’s public holiday. No point going out and be worried. I’m going to play safe.

Those who can vote, think twice before voting. Voting is your right, and make good use of it.