Wishing for the Malaysia I once knew and hope to see again

Malaysia will forever be woven into my life. My mother is Malaysian, and my closest family ties are with the Malaysian side. From my teenage years, Malaysia shaped me so deeply that, even though I was born and raised in Singapore, I often feel more Malaysian at heart. My wife is also Malaysian.

On this Malaysia Day, I would like to share my reflections and hopes as a de facto Malaysian looking in from the outside.

I miss the Malaysia of the 1990s and early 2000s. Society then felt more liberal, forgiving, and accepting of differences. Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s legacy may now be divisive, but I admired his vision. He pushed to build a national car and the tallest building in the world, and for Malaysia to host international events like the 1997 Fifa World Youth Championship and the 1998 Commonwealth Games.

Dr Mahathir also sought to boost tourism and attract Hollywood and Bollywood productions. These bold moves gave Malaysia confidence and presence on the global stage. Even during the 1997 Asian financial crisis, his decision to peg the ringgit to the US dollar stabilised the nation.

Looking at Malaysia today, I feel a sense of sadness. The joy of the opposition finally unseating Barisan Nasional has been overshadowed by political instability and endless power struggles – ironically involving leaders who once symbolised progress. Race and religion continue to be used as tools of division by politicians. Parliament sometimes resembles a circus more than a house of governance.

This is not the Malaysia I know. I hope more Malaysians rise above such politics, and that leaders firmly reject racial and religious manipulation.

Malaysians are truly special. Many are multilingual, fluent in English and Bahasa Malaysia, with many speaking Mandarin, Tamil, Punjabi, or other languages. That diversity, and the ability to connect across cultures, is the essence of being Malaysian.

I hope to see more investment in Malaysia’s future. Government schools and hospitals should be upgraded so education and healthcare are of the highest quality. Hospitals should be places of dignity, not despair. Infrastructure must be improved, corruption tackled, and natural resources managed wisely for the people.

The brain drain is also painful. Many talented Malaysians move abroad due to disillusionment, lack of opportunities, or instability. Yet, no matter how far they go, Malaysia remains with them. Their upbringing, culture, and values all carry Malaysia’s imprint. Imagine what could be achieved if these talents were allowed to flourish at home.

Malaysia is 62 years old today – still young for a nation. There is so much untapped potential, so much that can be achieved if unity, fairness, and vision return to the forefront.

I hope Malaysia finds the courage and leadership to move forward. May the years ahead be better, brighter, and filled with the promise of the nation we all know it can be.

Selamat Hari Malaysia!

The views expressed here are the personal opinion of the writer and do not necessarily represent that of Twentytwo13.