Natalie Shobana Ambrose (31st December, 2009 –theSun)
This time last year I was cleaning out my closet and getting ready to usher in 2009. Michael Jackson and Yazmin Ahmad were still with us, Perak seemed like a peaceful state, PKFZ was a mere alphabet jumble to me, by-elections didn’t happen every other month, being a political aide wouldn’t make insurance companies blink twice and increase their premium, cow heads were never seen in the city, models took their place on the catwalk and not headlines, fighter jet engines were not a concern, MCA was very organised and didn’t contribute to day-time soap operas scripts, it was safe to sleep in the nude without photos being taken and circulated, Balinese mansions were generally native to Bali and not Selangor, black t-shirts had a slimming effect and wasn’t a warrant to be arrested, bridges were safe to cross and I didn’t think twice if a stadium roof was going to collapse on me, Bahasa Malaysia and English were languages Malaysians speak that didn’t cause major protests, massive traffic jams and parliament debates, famous people didn’t just go missing, especially prime suspects, while one was a number and not a slogan for everything Malaysian.
I bet we all didn’t think that 2009 would be what it turned out to be, this time last year. For better or worse it was definitely a year that pushed a lot of emotional buttons especially for our country.
Though for me besides that feeling of disappointment, a prominent theme that runs through 2009 is one of loss - a loss of integrity and a loss of truth.
Short of sounding like broken record, 2010 looks politically grey. It feels as if the past week of winding down does not mark a week of reflection and ponder but rather a week of rest before another year of fighting.
In all that has happened in 2009 for Malaysia, nothing has been resolved.
If anything there has been a lot of vehement denial even when the facts are staring us in the face. The more that is swept under the carpet only adds ammunition towards the credibility of fundamental institutions like the judiciary and anti-corruptions agencies leading to more finger pointing at those who are seen to pull their strings.
Losing credibility is a serious offence to the people and loosing integrity far more detrimental to any leadership.
If anyone at this present time reaping the effects of the loss of credibility and integrity- it’s Tiger Woods. Lucky for him, he’s actually the world’s best golfer - but in the case of Malaysia, we might not be as lucky.
Integrity isn’t something that changes with the wind; its essence is consistency which is severely lacking in our world and immediately in our country. It’s not just political parties who lack it, all of us do.
Though, for every Ringgit lost and pocketed from the PKFZ scandal, missing fighter-get engines, money transfers, convention centres, and the multiple disgraces the AG’s report sheds light on- the average citizen looses, not only in tax ringgit but in a better future.
It’s New Year’s eve today and if anything we should take some time to ponder, wonder and remember what has happened, what is happening and what we’d like to see happen – not just for ourselves but as a nation and as a people.
I know I want the truth concerning the unresolved issues before they become another dust bunny under the carpet. Denying and pretending these incidences didn’t happen, or erasing records and brushing it off as hearsay does not mean it didn’t happen.
The fact remains that with all these unsolved mysteries – some things are true whether you believe them or not.
There is always a Sherlock Holmes waiting to uncover the truth no matter how repressed the media is – the truth does find its way out.
I hope 2010 doesn’t mean that the skeletons of 2009 are not addressed, though I also hope we can say good riddance to bad rubbish and move on to a better year ahead.
Here’s to 2010!
Natalie hopes and prays that things will get better for our country and wishes everyone Happy New Year!
Comments: letters@thesundaily.com
This time last year I was cleaning out my closet and getting ready to usher in 2009. Michael Jackson and Yazmin Ahmad were still with us, Perak seemed like a peaceful state, PKFZ was a mere alphabet jumble to me, by-elections didn’t happen every other month, being a political aide wouldn’t make insurance companies blink twice and increase their premium, cow heads were never seen in the city, models took their place on the catwalk and not headlines, fighter jet engines were not a concern, MCA was very organised and didn’t contribute to day-time soap operas scripts, it was safe to sleep in the nude without photos being taken and circulated, Balinese mansions were generally native to Bali and not Selangor, black t-shirts had a slimming effect and wasn’t a warrant to be arrested, bridges were safe to cross and I didn’t think twice if a stadium roof was going to collapse on me, Bahasa Malaysia and English were languages Malaysians speak that didn’t cause major protests, massive traffic jams and parliament debates, famous people didn’t just go missing, especially prime suspects, while one was a number and not a slogan for everything Malaysian.
I bet we all didn’t think that 2009 would be what it turned out to be, this time last year. For better or worse it was definitely a year that pushed a lot of emotional buttons especially for our country.
Though for me besides that feeling of disappointment, a prominent theme that runs through 2009 is one of loss - a loss of integrity and a loss of truth.
Short of sounding like broken record, 2010 looks politically grey. It feels as if the past week of winding down does not mark a week of reflection and ponder but rather a week of rest before another year of fighting.
In all that has happened in 2009 for Malaysia, nothing has been resolved.
If anything there has been a lot of vehement denial even when the facts are staring us in the face. The more that is swept under the carpet only adds ammunition towards the credibility of fundamental institutions like the judiciary and anti-corruptions agencies leading to more finger pointing at those who are seen to pull their strings.
Losing credibility is a serious offence to the people and loosing integrity far more detrimental to any leadership.
If anyone at this present time reaping the effects of the loss of credibility and integrity- it’s Tiger Woods. Lucky for him, he’s actually the world’s best golfer - but in the case of Malaysia, we might not be as lucky.
Integrity isn’t something that changes with the wind; its essence is consistency which is severely lacking in our world and immediately in our country. It’s not just political parties who lack it, all of us do.
Though, for every Ringgit lost and pocketed from the PKFZ scandal, missing fighter-get engines, money transfers, convention centres, and the multiple disgraces the AG’s report sheds light on- the average citizen looses, not only in tax ringgit but in a better future.
It’s New Year’s eve today and if anything we should take some time to ponder, wonder and remember what has happened, what is happening and what we’d like to see happen – not just for ourselves but as a nation and as a people.
I know I want the truth concerning the unresolved issues before they become another dust bunny under the carpet. Denying and pretending these incidences didn’t happen, or erasing records and brushing it off as hearsay does not mean it didn’t happen.
The fact remains that with all these unsolved mysteries – some things are true whether you believe them or not.
There is always a Sherlock Holmes waiting to uncover the truth no matter how repressed the media is – the truth does find its way out.
I hope 2010 doesn’t mean that the skeletons of 2009 are not addressed, though I also hope we can say good riddance to bad rubbish and move on to a better year ahead.
Here’s to 2010!
Natalie hopes and prays that things will get better for our country and wishes everyone Happy New Year!
Comments: letters@thesundaily.com
