8 tips : How to become a better Malaysian

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Everyone wants a better Malaysia. 

Unfortunately, if you read the newspapers or follow the “discourse” on social media, it seems that everyone wants the next person to change – to become more hardworking, more honest, more courteous, more this and more that. They expect the government to do things differently. They expect the politicians to do things better. They want their neighbours to behave better. They want their relatives to be nicer. Unfortunately, it is always about expecting others to make the effort. Not themselves.

If all of us focussed on improving ourselves first before screaming at others, I am pretty sure the nation will be a lot better.

If you want the country to prosper and be a great place to live, you have to drive that change. Change must start from within.

As Mahatma Gandhi said “be the change that you wish to see in the world”.

Here are 8 tips from the monyets to make you a better Malaysian. 

1

Love your family. Strong families are the bedrock of a strong nation. If all of us spend more time with our loved ones, it will do our nation far more good than shouting grandeur slogans or waving a thousand flags. If you can't even look after your family, don't bother looking after the country. If there is no love at home, there is no love for the country. If you want to be a good Malaysian, start with your family. Send a lot of time with your spouse, children, sibling and parents. There are many who simply neglect their children on the pretext of doing service for the country or championing this and that. If you truly want to make Malaysia better, start loving your family first. THIS IS FUNDAMENTAL.

2

Do an honest day’s work. Just do your job to your best ability. Do your work honestly and with pride. Don’t complain that others are not doing their work. Do more than what you are asked to do. Improve your productivity. Attain high standards in your work. If all of us can do our own work honestly and effectively, that will do our nation a lot of good. Just do your job honestly. There are many who instead of doing their own work, spend hours criticizing the work of others. Before you scream asking politicians to do their jobs properly, make sure you do yours honestly. THIS IS FUNDAMENTAL.

3

Help someone who is less fortunate than you are. There is always someone who is worse off than you are. I was once humbled when visiting an orphanage. The orphans had actually organized a charity drive to collect money to help a nearby old folks home. There are already so many charitable organizations in the country – just contribute (money, time, ideas, anything) to them. If all of us can help Malaysians who are less fortunate than we are, that will do our nation a lot of good. It is better for you to actually help one person in a small way rather than sit on your ass and dream about helping the entire humanity in a big way. If you want to make Malaysia great, go help your neighbour today.

4

Master the national language. It is the NATIONAL language. Master it. A person who claims that he is Malaysian first yet can hardly speak the national language must be joking. Understand what our Constitution says about our national language. It is a language that a vast majority of Malaysians communicate with daily. You are not being a good Malaysian if you choose to systematically to ignore the national language. It will do the country a lot of good if all Malaysians can appreciate, love and enjoy the national language [BTW it is an easy language to master - the Bangladeshi who cuts grass at my house speaks fluent Malay despite being in Malaysia only for the past three years]. You want to be a good Malaysian – master the national language.

5

Build bridges between Malaysians. Enhancing goodwill among Malaysians is fundamental to move the country forward. A good Malaysian will go out of his/her way to promote goodwill and unity among Malaysians. Visit your friends’ homes for Raya or Christmas. Have friends in every nook and cranny of the country. A good Malaysians will ensure that different tribes sit on the same table and have a meal together. Cultivating close friendships among Malaysians is very patriotic and will do our nation a lot of good. If you don't even talk to your neighbours, you got no business talking about national unity. Many people fail here. I know a person who does not even talk to his mother and brothers… yet talks endlessly about national unity. Build bridges. Help Malaysians to get to know each other. Start by talking to your neighbour today.

6

Be ethical. A good Malaysian is always ethical. A good Malaysian will always know what is right is right regardless who does it. A good Malaysian will always know that what is wrong is wrong regardless who does it. Ignoring misdeeds simply because the wrongdoer is from your organization, your party or your network is not exactly a good thing. A good Malaysian is never blinded by partisan politics. Being ethical is being patriotic. You must abhor corruption. If you are corrupt, you are definitely not a good Malaysians no matter what other good things you do. Don’t only ask politicians and the government to eradicate corruption – start with yourself, your circle of friends, your office and your neighbourhood.

7

Be an ambassador. A good Malaysian is always a good ambassador of the country. Tell everyone how great this country is. Send photos of all things Malaysian to your friends or acquaintances abroad - photos of our people, our food, our places, our beaches, our mountains, our markets, our schools, our taxis, our airports, our cats, our elephants, our monkeys, our parks, our streets, our tamu, our mamak shops, our lemang, our roti canai, our durian, our tarap, etc, etc.. You cannot claim to be a good Malaysian and yet belittle the country at every opportunity. Always promote Malaysia. It will do our nation a lot of good.

8

Read Planet of the Monyets. A good Malaysian always read PotM blog everyday. He or she knows that by doing so, his/her mental strength will improve and dementia will be cured and he/she will become enlightened. If all you are enlightened, that is actually very good for the country.