"I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something; and because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do something that I can do. -Helen Keller "
Today is the forth day of my new exercise regime and 3rd blog entry. This morning before I went for my walk with Charmaine, I manage to write in my journal.
I have grown up thinking and believing "all that matters is studying hard, earning well and looking after my immediate family, other issues in society is not my concern." Perhaps I m no different to Malaysians and Malaysian Chinese especially we mind our own business and let the Malays and politicians run our country. One person is of no consequence I suppose. Even my religion is restricted to my family and small circle of friends except the occasional trip to India.But now I am beginning to realise this is not enough.
But to live well and fully after 50 apart from engaging my family and friends, my body I must also be fully engaged in my society and its concern. My mind and my soul needs to be challenged by the concerns bigger than my own little world. In the morning when I wake up, I want to wake up to something that requires me and my engagement. I want to know today I can make a diference to the society I am in. BERSIH 2.0 has shown me that one person can make a difference. When many many one person believe this it become a very powerful force that the authorities cannot ignore. Even a 60 something frail retired teacherAunty Bersih can show us what it is to voice ,show up and make a difference. My brother say she puts him to shame.
Today Malaysia is facing some serious political crisis, rampant corruption and loss of confidence in the integrity of our government and competitiveness of business environment. We need a change in our government or change of our government. We need to commit towards this and be willing to pay the price if neccessary. We need to stop harmful and potentially devastating and harmful projects like LYNAS and STOP it we must. We need to say to the authorites we don't want people to die in police and MACC custody because perhaps if we are unlucky it may be us or our loved ones who may be the next victim. For this to happen I need to voice up and show up when required. I will show up at the anti Lynas demo for a start. I will share with my friends and patients about my concerns and I will help everyone I know who is eigible to vote to register.
Of couse there are risk but the alternative of doing nothing is more risky. 30 years of corruptions and abuse in Myanmar and Phillipines has brought these neighbours from being very rich countries to being the basket case of ASia. If nothing changes, the day will come when Malaysians will become illegal workers in Indonesia, Vietnem and other countries. 30 years of cronism and corruption hollowed out the economy Phillipines the second most advanced country in Asia to be 2nd poorest. No investment in the economy resulted from an opaque government , no job opportunities so fully 1/4 of the workforce is working overseas. Tragic!
So I have dicided apart from engaging my body, my mind , I will also engage my soul to the wider concerns of our society, so that I will live well for a long , long time and I hope so will you. As the deaf mute and blind Helen Keller says
"I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something; and because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do something that I can do. "
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Hey Sonny!
ReplyDeleteThis is a fond relative viewing your blog - staying anonymous on blogspot, if you don't mind. I sent a separate email to you earlier today, so that reminded me to have a look at your blog.
During the 9 July '11 Bersih Rally in KL, I was more worried about another relative of ours living in KL. I had no idea that you - no longer a spring chicken in age nor in body - would travel halfway down the country to the capital, to Hobble Against Hegemony. The amount of courage in your heart more than makes up for the cowardice in ours. It deserves admiration.
You mentioned in a recent post that you needed to "exemplify commitment and courage in social and civil society issues" and in so doing, "break out of the Chinese Malaysian mould". Of course, as you know, there have been past examples of Malaysian Chinese, though in very different circumstances, who wanted to "exemplify commitment and courage in social and civil society issues", and like you, were willing to risk their lives: in one extended example, there were many in post-war Malaya in the 1950s; with a great number, of course, who were liquidated and never heard of again. They were even once active around your home village, so I heard. And if we want to go back all the way to China, her millenia of history is littered with the corpses and filled with tears of mourning for the miscellaneous waves of ordinary citizens who decided to "exemplify commitment and courage in social and civil society issues". It is hard not to forgive all Chinese for keeping their eyes focused only on their family and business.
However, all of Asia, not only in China or Malaysia (and not examining matters beyond this region) continues to struggle with, and to develop what it is that they want from, "democracy" - and that extends even to its most developed member, Japan. I can think of no exception. Sometimes the struggles seem never to be successful; and yet, over time, we can see that development of democracy was made possible ONLY because of those struggles. Luckily, Asia has seen some instances where the development of democracy has not needed the spilling of blood. So congratulations go to you. Stay safe.
5 so-called health foods you should avoid
ReplyDeletehttp://bizgenerationnetwork.blogspot.com/2012/03/5-so-called-health-foods-you-should.html