Once again, I wish to thank the readers of newswav.com for setting aside their valuable time, sharing their candid feedback on my story titled “It has been said that Malaysia is prosperous (sejahtera) because the people tolerance peace loving” published on Monday, 24 August 2026. Let me quote feedback by @johntoo_ who stated“If we could only turn the clock back to the 60s, 70s and 80s … Where & when Malaysians truly lived in peace & harmony! So now who could we blame that changed Malaysia into a life of fear? What a vast difference!” @ng_siew_kong57 said “Make Malaysia very Harmonious again!”
I agree with John that Malaysia stands at a crossroads yet again, with a new vision to re-invent itself. It is true that the next generation looks to us to leave a legacy they can build upon. Their responsibility will be to continue our journey towards the aspirations we have held for sixty-nine years. Preparing them for that role by instilling the right values, providing quality education to equip them with the required knowledge and competencies, is our responsibility.
I reminded my students and grandchildren that we were once an admired nation, seen as an emerging tiger on the verge of greatness. Our early leaders earned our trust as nation-builders. The public service was led by dedicated technocrats and entrepreneurs driven by a commitment to nation-building, believing in the dignity and self-esteem that came from performing their duties conscientiously. Our laws were highly respected, and our judicial system, composed of individuals of impeccable integrity, upheld these laws. The roles and powers of the four arms of government - the Rulers, the Legislative (Parliament & State Assemblies), the Executive, and the Judiciary - were clearly separated, providing the check and balance against any abuse of power.
Therefore, I believe going forward may demand a step or two backward and involve pain and sacrifice to enable us to take several realistic steps forward. It may take a generation, but most probably two for us to rise again. So, we must preserve through the pain and sacrifice, for Malaysia is our only home.
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Zulkifly Baharom (hajizul50@gmail.com) is a content creator under the Newswav Creator programme, where you get to express yourself, be a citizen journalist, and at the same time monetize your content & reach millions of users on Newswav. Log in to creator.newswav.com and become a Newswav Creator now!
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