PATRIOTISM

Today is 31st of August 2008 which means we Malaysians from all walks of life have something in common. It is 51st independence day [MERDEKA] and we all should be enjoying this day by displaying the national flag a show of patriotism to the nation and the King. But I do not think that some of us would want to do that. It is not that we do not love the country of our birth but since we the Indians and Chinese had been classified as immigrants and do not have the right to the privilege of government assistance or to be treated as equal citizen of this county how could the government expect patriotism from us?

Our forefathers came to this country when it was once a virgin jungle. They toiled this land by clearing the jungle planting rubber, sugarcane, laying roads, railway tracks, mined the land for tin ore and set up trading so that this land which was once a virgin jungle turned into towns, cities and ports. The British who were once masters of this land made used of the Indians and Chinese to develop this country and when they left, it was conditioned that the Indians and Chinese be made citizens so that they can live along with the Malays [a race that long before the founding of Malaya migrated from the Indonesian islands] who claim this country to be theirs.

We, the Indians and Chinese are 3rd generation of our forefathers and are sons of this soil. We have no ties with the mother land of our forefathers but only the country of our birth which is Malaysia. If we are considered by the major political party that rules the country for the last 51 years with the coalition of Indian and Chinese base political parties that we the Indians and Chinese are second class citizens who do not deserve the privilege enjoyed by the Malays surely the government cannot expect any patriotism from us. UMNO [United Malay National organization], the party that governs this country with the help of the coalition parties have full control over the wealth of this nation and refuses to share the economic cake in equal proportion. This has caused much trouble and dissatisfaction among the Indians and Chinese citizens who had been for the last 51 years fighting for equal rights which the government refuses to listen nor review article 153 which as known as the social contract of our founding fathers of independence.

Patriotism would only be felt and heard from the Indians and Chinese if they are treated with respect as equal citizens of Malaysia. Until than the Indians and Chinese would always think of themsleves as second class citizens and patriotism would be an alien word to them.