Malaysia. I love my country Malaysia. I don’t show it in the most typical common ways. I will probably never paint my face with the jalur gemilang colours or have my cheeks painted with the Malaysian flag. But I still love this country, not so much because of the great and ample food choices it offers (although the food here is nothing short but awesome!) or that we are blessed to be in a “safety zone” within the pacific rim, but because this country has tremendous potential.
And I believe in potential. Having worked for a short and humble period of just 9 years, I have seen potential in this country. I have seen potential in the organizations that I have worked for in the past, I have seen potential in the young bright greenhorns who have been placed under my care and supervision and I do see potential in this country.
Potential is definitely a good thing. Its akin to having the “right stuff” to achieve greatness in an endeavour or pursuit. Potential is one of the factors that sets you apart from the rest. Organizations carefully choose to identify high potentials from its talent pool for grooming. Exemplary coaches and teachers naturally choose to spend more time with students who show high potential because they know these young minds have the chance to achieve something and in the process discover themselves. If there’s one thing that is sweet about potential it would be this : when we see the individual reaching his or her potential and achieving the goals that were pursued. The past sacrifices and struggles are then turned into memorable memories and the pain is justified and and the achievement is celebrated. We are inspired by the success journey and we continue pressing for more. We find our sense of belief and purpose and we have the courage to press on.
This country has potential. Its a feeling I always get when I return back from my tanahair after visiting of conducting business abroad. My initial thoughts upon touching down would always be “why can’t we also be like those countries?” or “what is it that this country can’t offer which another country can?” Many in the past and in the present have written off Malaysia. Parents who spend a fortune educating their children abroad often advise their kids to stay back. Its as though this country has nothing to offer the future generation and it appears to be going down the drain. The sentiment in the air is often filled with pessimism, cynicism and resignation. And I know some circles are tired of calling Malaysia as a “potential” How long can a country be in a “potential” state? And their pleas are fair and justified to some extent. However having potential is important because greatness does follow once the potentials are met.
And it is with that thread of logic that I believe in this country. Yes this country is plagued with corruption and is strife with unhelpful and segregated race-based politics that are crippling the nation to achieving is potential. Weak leadership and self-serving and self-absorbing ministers are obstacles towards Malaysia achieving its true potential. But the potential still remains. And that is my hope. And the clock is ticking. Potential does have a particular time window to be unlocked. Just as a growing child who, if never given the chance to discover and achieve her potential will end up being mediocre, so is the fate of this country. Our window is now. We have to act now to realize this country’s true potential. I believe, if given the right governance and leadership, coupled with the abundance of natural resources that this country is blessed with along with talented resources that this country has produced, we can truly achieve greatness. Malaysia can be truly a prosperous high income country. This country has so much to provide and we have much to offer. We need not live in dreams or aspirations anymore. It’s time to start living in the realm of reality and do our part to help Malaysia achieve its true potential.
Happy 58th Independence Day.
