Merdeka is derived from the Sanskrit Maharddhika meaning rich, prosperous, and powerful.

Malaysia has been living up to its Merdeka, meaning we are rich and prosperous.

We have 16.44 thousand millionaires living in Malaysia and it is projected to reach 22.35 thousand by 2025. This makes 0.0000003% of the 56.1 million millionaires in the world, are in Malaysia.

However, as for being powerful, it has become a daily trend as we watch ourselves rapidly lose our power, reputation and greater image of our nation to a cancerous term called “corruption” and severe leakages in the government machinery.

In other words, we are losing our grip.

Our grip used to be our multiculturality. We were known as Truly Asia, promoted both internally and externally as a diverse and colorful nation, projected as multi-racial in every event and activity.

Today, this is no longer so. Many have migrated from our country for various reasons. Malaysia is now grasping at whatever identity of its grandeur is left.

Perhaps this may seem somewhat too idealistic, but these are my thoughts on bringing back our Merdeka society.

First, our leaders’ mindset must change. We are “anak bangsa Malaysia” and not defined to any narrow ethnicity or faith or tribe.

We must move away from classifying ourselves as anak Melayu, anak Cina or anak India. By declaring ourselves as the children of Malaysia, this will help shape a new paradigm, new faith and bring about greater hope to every Malaysian.

Racism must be totally eradicated from our nation. The approach of Anak Bangsa Malaysia must start in our schools as all the stereotyping of racism starts there.

The education system must carefully imbue the importance of Bangsa Malaysia and drop all types of racial classifications.

Secondly, we must celebrate and respect the rich history, traditions and heritage of our multiculturism.

We are so rich. We bring in several years of civilization if we add the Malay, Chinese and Indian cultural heritages together. We should encourage greater participation of discussions and dialogues on our vastness that is lying unattended by authorities or policymakers.

We should talk to the great senior citizens, academicians and historians who have much to share and give to the nation’s greater well-being.

Next, we must develop more intellectual capability of citizens to discuss societal issues.

Every citizen must be groomed to objectively discuss and present issues affecting him or her in a rational manner. There is no necessity to approach a third party i.e., a politician or a lawyer.

Our education system should pave the way to create societies that are matured, educated and above all very societal in nature.

We are currently focusing on religion.

Merdeka is not something you see through the glass ceiling. You should see it, feel it and also reciprocate with it, but somehow you cannot grasp it.

I think we should stop and look at the level of our society and our future generation; they are not even employable as there are more than 2.5 million graduates who are still struggling to get a decent job. Many are Grab and Food panda riders, struggling to make a decent livelihood.

Also, we need Institutions of State steadfastly upholding the basic principles of Good Governance (Integrity, Accountability, Transparency & Stewardship). We must instill and practice rather than merely preach.

The recent LCS scandal, the NRD data leak containing information of 22.5 million Malaysians, the MACC’s internal issues, the 1MBD, several ministers’ legal cases on abuses – these scandals have tarnished our name.

If Tuanku Abdul Rahman or Tun Hussein Onn were to be alive, they would choke to death reading this news and seeing our leaders heading to the courts!

Our reputation is so bad that Indonesia and the Philippines have ceased trading using our ringgit Malaysia anymore.

Furthermore, we need The Rights of People (Citizens & Non-Citizens) to live in peace and dignity upheld without fear or favor.

This is not a difficult task, but a doable and achievable one if we bring in the right government with the right approach in ensuring people’s rights are restored and given opportunity to uphold the dignity and peace of our country.

We need this freedom as we are suffering even to recruit our foreign workers from Indonesia and Bangladesh.

We are desperate as there are many economic and service sectors suffering due to lack of workers. These concerns are affecting our economic performances and even the service sector such as the F&B area.

We must ensure that every citizen and non-citizen has the right to conduct his or her legal business and activities that can bring greater good to our nation.

In addition, practice equal job and educational opportunities to every deserving Malaysians and no more based on any one race.

The brain drain of our country is very high. If we do not pay attention to this, we will be left with only the third graders and social science or religious graduates in the work force.

Singapore robs our best students every year, thus paving a greater workforce for their nation. We cannot play ignorance, but instead pull up the reins at once and start working on a better tomorrow.

Finally, the issue of compassion. Malaysians at large are compassionate. However, it does not seem so among our immigration, police and other security related agencies when it comes to foreign workers.

There are still reports of part-time Indonesian maids having to pay a monthly “fee” to the patrolling local policeman in order to avoid any disturbances about them being in our country.

We must stop such practices as this causes so much of distress and hatred of the foreigners, especially those who come to our nation to earn a living.

Merdeka is not something you see through the glass ceiling. You should see it, feel it and also reciprocate with it, but somehow you cannot grasp it.

It is beyond reach. You can only reach it if we have a system which is engaging, listening, encouraging and above all compassionate to the needs and requirements of the realities of the growing agenda i.e., that we are all Bangsa Malaysia and no more anything lesser.

Surely, we can do this without breaking the glass.

We must all try again and again… HAPPY MERDEKA to you!

(Ravindran Raman Kutty is an active social worker.)