The many unsung love songs of my people

That is the Malaysia I’ve always longed for

AS a polling and counting agent, it was very moving to see the people turning out to vote in the 15th General Election on Saturday.

Construction workers, hard hats tucked under their arms, garbage collectors in slick waterproof pants, security guards waiting anxiously in their uniforms, ordinary citizens travelling for hours just to be here, they all came.

The blind and the aged, hobbling along, drawn by hopes for a better future for themselves or their families, and young fathers and mothers trying to ensure that their children will have a decent place to call home turned up too.

I saw Malaysians of all races and creeds having no problem smiling and chatting easily with each other while waiting to be processed before being allowed into the polling centre, many even sharing snacks they had brought along.

Chinese people helping old Indian folk, and Malays and Indians patiently explaining to aged Chinese voters what they had to do – it was great to see.

When left to behave according to our better natures, if the powercrazed and the unscrupulous religious fanatics aren’t allowed to whip people into a blind and terrified frenzy, we are a decent people, able to rise to any occasion.

Despite all the vile, cynical attempts made by money-grubbing politicians and toxic priests to divide us, we came together during the floods last December, and we were apparently doing it again at the polling booths in defiance of poisonous rumours circulated by the worst elements among our so-called leaders.

I was most moved of all by the very last voter I saw, an old Chinese woman who could hardly walk but was still committed to making her voice count. She was being helped gently, and with unspoken love, by Malay election officials all the way through the process.

My only thought was, “Can’t we find a way to make this our daily reality, something so commonplace that we don’t note it any more because it’s not exceptional?”

I don’t know about you, but that is the Malaysia I’ve always longed for, and that is the Malaysia that could be stolen from us by fanatical clergy, tone-deaf leaders and unscrupulous politicians.

Isn’t it time, my fellow Malaysians, that we give voice to those love songs, isn’t it time to reclaim our country?

JOTHI Kuala Lumpur