Boleh in Birmingham: What Does Being A Malaysian Means?

At last it's started. Lee Chong Wei against Lin Dan for the All-England champion's title. The Malaysian crowd's reception is fantastic. Each time the camera pans across the arena, you see Malaysians cheering and waving.  Who wouldn't? After all it's a worldwide 3 seconds of fame.

These fellas aren't paid to sing "Boleh, Boleh, Boleh" in Birmingham (yes, I swear I heard boleh and not Olé or Oé). They scream for their fellow countryman, jump, and clap side by side.

Back home, it's a little different. When I say little, it's actually heaps. Here we're told not to mingle too much lest we go astray (rightly or wrongly, I'll leave it to the 'learned'). Here, we're taught day after day since 7 years old that the Ahmad, Beng, Chandran, and Dominic ak. Embong have evil plans waiting to be realised. So, we cheer for our own and we jeer at someone who speaks a different tongue.

*Hey, that's another questionable call by the umpire!*

Living/studying abroad was never an option for me but I reading about what life is like over there and I'm always moved by the unity displayed by Malaysians; the most recent one being the worldwide BERSIH rally. I learn from a friend studying in the UK that whenever there are student-organised events, the Malaysians always do food. Ha! Home or abroad, food's on our minds.

But there's more at home. We have bread war! And on Facebook, racially-motivated rumours has been circulating and many gobbled it up blindly. Nobody cares. Why do anything when you can get the people to suspect one another and remain divided?

*Lee Chong Wei conceded a walkover to Lin Dan. Damn! Better game next time, Lee.*

Yes, we've heard this time and again. We're Malaysians outside the country's border and in here, we live within our own racially-demarcated enclave. Enclave because some are still considered immigrants; or made to feel that way.

This is purely my opinion but I suspect it's a fact. Perhaps this one comes a little too late: 55 years late. But whoever said we shouldn't push for a change? A change in [insert your favourite noun here].

Time to dream about change. Good night Malaysians abroad. Good night my friends. Oh, come back and vote-lah! Satay and teh tarik alone ain't good enough, y'know...
   

Looking Back in Time - Kizuna

They say time flies when you're having fun but on the flip side, it stops when tragedy strikes. Does it really? Depends on how you perceive it.

This photo greeted me on TMI

It's been a year already. For many, it was news. And it was difficult. But for victims of the March 11 quake and tsunami, it truly is. Whether it's a minute's silence or a daily revisitation, the events of 2011 and others that followed should cause many to stop and reevaluate the course of their life.

I did.

Kizuna: Kanji of 2011, story on BBC News Asia (STR/AFP/Getty Images)

As for looking back, it's very much up to an individual how he or she wish to make of it. To some, bad fortune hardens their resolve to push on. Personally, I'm beginning to learn that the woulda-coulda-shoulda sentiment won't do me any good.

For every other things, a moment's pause is all it takes to realign and try again.

And oh, it's also been a year since the "unofficial first lady of Malaysia" aired her unadvised * opinion on the disaster,

(*grossly understated)
     

Women,

John Lennon "stole" my words. *winks*

Love this animated GIF (found here)

Woman I can hardly express
My mixed emotions at my thoughtlessness
After all I'm forever in your debt
And woman I will try to express
My inner feelings and thankfulness
For showing me the meaning of success