The Green, Green Grass of Home.....

Four weeks ago I told my wife that we were ‘Going Home!’…….home to KL. Back to my Tanah Tumpahnya Darahku! Back to the Nasi Berani in Lucky Gardens Bangsar, my Curry Puffs at Bukit Bintang and my Nasi Dagang at Kampong Baru. We were going home because I wanted to be relevant to the political madness that is now in Malaysia!

We were all packed to go. Our personal effects all packed into boxes and quotes obtained from Freight Forwarders.  Then the reality hit me. What if I go back and those guys from Special Branch wants to cakap cakap with me? To quote one of my PDRM mates when I asked him about that possibility he said:

“I believe so. They can be rather efficient so be careful. Plan and make sure you have alternative plans or contingency plans. They may follow you! Take care”    

My Father was in the Police force with Tun Haniff. The Police have always been family to me – from the mata mata walking their beat to those who have their office in Bukit Aman but today things are different. Even Family are to be feared. I can take care of myself but my wife and son are Australians and if they are sent back to Australia without me and if I do not see them for any length of time….…it would be something we cannot live with. We only have each other! What else can we do but decide to not ‘go home.”

That was when it hit me on a personal level what our country has now become! A place where fear and loathing exists. Fear for the power of the Barisan Government to be able to do what it wants with people that do not do as they say and loathing from us for this very same Barisan Nasional because of what they have done to make our country into a virtual Police State.

But that fear I had for the BN government and its leaders was there for just a moment. For the most part it was a loathing and the contempt that I felt for them because while I can live the life of my own choosing in another country I cannot do so in mine! While I can live with my wife and Family in another country without any problems I cannot do so in my own country because our Immigration laws are not design to allow for these kind of situation – they are designed to make it difficult for ANYONE who wants to make Malaysia their home – no matter if you are married to a Malaysian or intend to get married to a one. But why should the Minister in Charge cares? He and his politically appointed staff and many Immigration officers make a decent side income from the vagaries of our immigration laws. 

In almost every facet of our life in Malaysia we encounter the same problem every day and every where we go. Living has now become such an enormous burden for so many of the little people – like you and me – that at times we pray for divine intervention to right what is wrong in Malaysia. For divine intervention to rid ourselves of this plague call Barisan Nasional and in its place to have a responsible and decent government so that for once the people can understand what good governance is. Dear God this burden becomes heavier by the day as these BN politicians become richer by the hour. When will it all end? Let it end soon for I want to go home....Home where my parents are buried in Ampang, home where our first child was buried in Seremban, home where I will find my place to rest and wait for my time to die.