Patriotic flags - way to go!

Merdeka Day or Hari Kebangsaan, is just about two weeks away and there isn’t any excitement being shown by the nation’s people. No sign of patriotism. No flags on cars, lorries, buses and motorbikes. Only the vehicles used by the govern departments are seen having the flags attached, for the obvious reason; enforcement.  

Looking back, about two decades ago, there was enthusiasm in the air, in anticipation of the approaching Merdeka Day celebration. Flags of the nation, of all sizes, flew everywhere, not only on the government buildings and vehicles but also on non-governmental shops, factories, not to mention the individual vehicles of all types. People then seemed to be more proud and understanding of the nation.

What happened? Why? Najib is a great leader. But one man cannot bring back the patriotic feeling back again. God knows he is trying his best, with slogans and implementations of 1Malaysia this and 1Malaysia that, but the people surrounding him are not. In fact, some of them seem to be a liability (getting into all sorts of controversies and scandals) to his effort to bring Malaysia forward, to get that feeling of complete patriotism.  

Trailing off the serious and solemn note, “Wow! This morning I did see a car with a Malaysian flag flying, majestically, on its windscreen! We are saved! I hope this catches on with the other millions of vehicles on the Malaysian roads!”

In edgewise, and may be quite seriously, I’ve got an idea how to make vehicles in Malaysia rush to attach the flags on their windscreen. Let the petrol stations give a discount of a ringgit or two for every fifteen liters of petrol or diesel filled in by vehicles flying the Malaysian flags. That should start the ball rolling. Of course, the government should bear the bill. Otherwise, the petrol station owners’ patriotism will only be measured by the one or two ringgit per fifteen liters of petrol! Did I hear someone saying, “That’s a lot of money considering the thousands of liters pumped out daily. 

That’s a lot of patriotism! "Oh, okay, I get your point. I hope some others get it, too.

Promising the promises

Janji ditepati or Promises Fulfilled. What sort of a theme is that? Or is it a theme at all? No, it looks more like a statement. 

The ruling Malaysian government is saying that this is the ‘theme’ of this year’s Merdeka or Independence Day celebration. Some theme! I don’t think the ‘theme’ was a winning entry from the Malaysian citizens. It looks more like a grasping of an opportunity to put into people’s head, that the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) or National Front Party, has fulfilled the promises that it had made in the last election, and will continue to do so, if it is chosen again in the election, just around the corner.

Well, watch out BN. This is having the looks of dirty politics. It may put people off, though, you may be telling the truth, as people, generally, get irritated by breast-beaters.