TUN, SHOW THE PEOPLE YOUR GOOD SIDE. BE AN INSTRUMENT FOR PEACE.

My Sunday was spoilt when I read this in Malaysiakini:

Dr Mahathir Mohamad has warned of possible unrest in multi-racial Malaysia, accusing his successor, Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, of failing to assert his authority.

"Now we are seeing the different races making demands on the government, which they perceive as a weak government," the former premier told reporters in Tokyo yesterday.

He said "extremists" among different communities had begun to voice their opposition and make unfair demands on the government, trying to "divide rather than unite."

Tun, you had your innings....you chose Badawi to be the next batsman.....let him bat. If he is a poor batsman, he will be bowled out before he can score any runs. He was in your own team. How can you jeer your own team-mates. That's very unsporting. Now you have abandoned the team you led for 20 odd years. Now you have called for a mutiny. That is definitely not statesmanly.

I fervently pray the remarks (highlite mine) you made were not intended to foment hatred amongst the communities. In your day, extremists and those who made unfair demands have never escaped your ISA dragnet. If you hate your annointed and now constitutionally elected Prime Minister, please do not involve us anak Malaysia to topple him. Do it within the ambit of the UMNO constitution.

Let us senior citizens show the young that in our twilight years we are still not bitter, grouchy, despicable, recalcitrant. Let me add, I do not wish any young Malaysians to brand us old folks as intransigently intractable.

Tun, make time to listen to this famously loved prayer of Francis of Assisi and ponder on those simple pleas.



Lord, make me an instrument of your peace,
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy;

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

And Tun, at home here, this is the plaintive plea of our young Malaysians. Their song was just released less than two weeks ago:

Here in My Home
- Malaysian Artistes For Unity -

Hold on, brother hold on
The road is long, we’re on stony ground
(But) I’m strong, and you ain’t heavy
Oh there’s a miss-spoken truth that lies
Colors don’t bind; oh no
What do they know? They speak falsely

Here in my home
I’ll tell you what it’s all about
There’s just one hope here in my heart
One love undivided
That’s what it’s all about
Please won’t you fall in one by one by one with me?

(Chorus)
Fall in, fall in
Fall in with me
Fall in, fall in, fall in with me

Push back sister won’t you push back?
Love won’t wait, just keep pushing on
Yes I’m strong, you ain’t heavy
Oh don’t you worry about that
What we have shadows can’t deny
Don’t you know it’s now or never?

Here in my home
I’ll tell you what it’s all about
There’s just one hope here in my heart
One love undivided
And that’s what it’s all about
Please won’t you fall in one by one … ?

(Rap)
Years of fears and years of tribulation
The heart keeps searching for that endless devotion
Hand in hand we’ll march like blood brothers
I speak for my people, hope we’ll find peace forever
May the road ahead quench my thirst for success
May the road behind echo a song of the blessed
Yes I feel it in my bones, so I will let it be known
That no matter where I roam this is home sweet home
Sing!

Here in my home
I’ll tell you what it’s all about
There’s just one hope here in my heart
One love undivided
That’s what it’s all about
Please won’t you fall in one by one by one with me?
(x3)

TUN SIR, I CHOCKED AND SHED A TEAR OR TWO EVERYTIME I WATCH THIS GROUP OF YOUNG MALAYSIANS SING THEIR SONG. CAN YOU SPARE A DROP OF TEAR TOO?

SALAM TUN, YOU SURE HAVE A GOOD SIDE, DON'T YOU?....WE ALL HAVE SOME.