1Malaysia is now 0Malaysia

'1Malaysia' a derailed dream

Every other day we hear or read of intense racist statements. Every other day is never without some kind of religious sentiment pitting one against another.

And along with all these chasms that rip into the hearts of Malaysians comes along a cascade of legal suits and counter-suits that are all slanted along the racial and religious slopes.

Now, no one is even making serious efforts with immediacy to hammer all these crazy religious and racial political-war games into oblivion. On the contrary, we see both past and present seasoned politicians keeping mum or even fanning the flames of those out to pit Malaysians against each other.

Then how on earth are we to ever see any hope in creating a '1Malaysia'?

Look around the region. All our neighbours do not even have to talk or preach or campaign for a 'one nation'. They crossed that bridge a long while ago.

All our neighbouring citizens are well on the highway of a one nation, one people. But we – we are hell bent on racial privileges, racial quotas, racial rights, racial this and racial that.

And to slit the wounds deeper, we have no qualms about parading religion into the hallway of politics, governance and worst – into politicking.

Why can't our leaders focus on economic development for all Malaysians and fundamental rights for all Malaysians? Why do they have to spend so much media space and air time to seemingly be fighting a race and religion war out in the open? Is this all that politics and nation-building is all about?

And in any case, please do not get into that well-worn gutter argument that Malaysia is a unique country with a potent racial mix. That is out dated argument-currency in the political arena of the 21st century.

And let us also not crouch behind that ever so often-repeated threat that we must never go against the constitution or even question it.

Have we forgotten that if we are truly a '1Malaysia', the very question of race and religion becomes obsolete unless of course, if we are confessing that '1Malaysia' is a fallacy. And if that be the truth, we are only destined to earn s backwater status in the entire region.

Truly a '1Malaysia' should be driven by an obsession for world's best in education, economy, human rights, zero crime, peace and co-existence as one nation of people and not one of race and religious distinctions.

If our leaders do not wake up and take the bull by the horns, then we shall all live to pay the price of regret collectively for having had spawned a failed nation state that was once upon a time was well on its way to be the beacon of Asia.