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Still a hopeful Malaysian

By Lyana Khairuddin

There is no denying the gloom and doom that Malaysians have had to face in recent times.

The implementation of GST saw increased prices in food and beverages, retail, and various services. Eight months in, the public has yet to benefit from the low prices promised by our ministers back in April. From increased fares for tolls and public transportation to a RM20 hike on one-way ERL tickets and an expected increase in electricity tariffs come January 2016, it is becoming increasingly challenging for most middle- and low-income earners to afford the cost of living in Kuala Lumpur.

Perhaps this is the price we have to pay in our ambition to become a high-income nation.

While Malaysia has always touted capitalism as being beneficial for the economic growth of the country, the public is finding it hard to accept the reasons given by our leaders. There is a feeling of mistrust, of there being a lack of good governance. Nearly every week, something new creeps up in the news that instills more fear, insecurity, and an alarmist mentality among the public.

On top of all that, there’s the annual saga of the wastage incurred by our audited institutions, as reported by the Auditor General. We will sigh and huff and puff about the incompetency, and then let the figures and issues retreat to the recesses of our memory – until the next report comes around.

The effectiveness of our Members of Parliament only shines through when there is a new bill or law to be proposed. I find it truly ingenious of our MPs to let laws that govern the very people they serve be passed almost immediately, without proper research and debate on their implications.

I have lost count of the laws that were passed this year alone that would supposedly quiet dissent; it is as if the very people we voted into power are absolved of criticism and do not require feedback from the rakyat they serve.

Furthermore, as a Malay Muslim in Malaysia, I am governed by two sets of laws: Syariah and civil. Without a legal background, it is a challenge to understand the intricacies of the overlaps between the two.

Sometimes, it feels like I am less of a citizen of a democratic country. As a scientist, I believe in hard evidence and the need to keep questioning in order to find the best resolution. I find that in this country, it is becoming more difficult to have a discourse that’s backed by evidence; our public debates on social media are composed mainly of sentiments.

Even worse, as a person who is governed by two sets of laws that are incessantly adamant to overlap each other, I cannot question the legalities that supposedly protect me as a Muslim, nor am I able to feel secure in my own faith with God without it getting the stamp of approval from the authorities.

Yet, despite it all, I remain a hopeful Malaysian. We have a vibrant civil society, with many organisations that are led by remarkable, empowered women. This serves as an inspiration to young Malaysian women, and to engage a society that will be able to see and fight for gender inclusion and equality.

Despite the suppressed anger at price hikes, Malaysians in general still keep up good work ethics as we try our best to manage our finances and lifestyles. Many are taking on extra jobs or starting small businesses to make ends meet. I have had conversations with many individuals in Kuala Lumpur who are supplementing their income by driving for Uber, selling goods on Instagram, or taking on part-time teaching jobs.

When push comes to shove, Malaysians are resilient.

We are also still very generous when it comes to charitable deeds such as the annual flood relief efforts and soup kitchens. Charity organisations continue to receive contributions that help cover their costs, albeit a reduction in funding. In the case of floods in the East Coast, I do not discount the need to implement more sustainable prevention systems but the immediate relief efforts do help ease the burden of affected families.

Malaysians have also keep up a good sense of humour. Despite the entire travesty surrounding the RM2.6 billion political donations and the upset surrounding some rulings by our courts of law, we are able to use humour to ease our worries and pains.

The recently concluded comedy revue show in celebration of 2.6 decades of Instant Café Theatre Company, aptly named D’State of D’Nation, is proof of this. I was unsure whether to laugh or cry at most of the sketches, but it was good to see that issues affecting the nation can be parodied to let us have a laugh at the idiocy of it all.

Things may not be a bed of roses for Malaysia, but this Malaysian refuses to lose hope.

Lyana Khairuddin is a scientist who works in the field of HIV & HPV, and remains a naïve optimist in Malaysia.