Give Us Your Finger Contest - A New Dawn of Hope

I was planning to write this post before I slept last night but for some reason, I was totally exhausted and could not stay up to even wait for the election results. Here is a post to participate in @kchitrah's first ever contest on Steemit, way to go @kchitrah!

May 9 marks a new dawn for my country! This is one of the days when showing our fingers is not offensive but it means something has been done for our country, Malaysia. It became a symbol of hope.

Spelling error: But I'm not complaining because it is a great sign there's many more voters than the last election in my polling station!

I am a Sarawakkian, born and raised there. 14 years ago, I came to Kuala Lumpur to study and got married here to form my little family. You see, I was also a young person who goes "Que Sera Sera" and could not care less if it "has nothing to do with me", because to me politics is too complicated. After I came over to Peninsular Malaysia, I got to know more of the political state of our country and no longer remain as an ignorant youngster. I needed a change of mind!

I went out early at 8 a.m. to my polling station which is near the place I stayed before I got married, Wangsa Maju which I have voted at 5 years ago. This is my second time returning to the same place for this purpose. I was ready to queue when I saw the traffic jam that built up towards the school selected. The queue took about 3 turns and reached the residential flat area next to the school. While I was queuing alone, I took note of people around me and all were very friendly and helpful towards each other. Soon after, a group of senior citizens queued behind me. The oldest among them is aged 89 years old and she still came out to vote. She said this, "I still can walk and do what everyone else is doing, so I have to come out to vote." WOW, right? Of course, in this round of election, we also have the eldest candidate ever in Malaysian history, Tun Mahathir who is aged 93. What awesome inspirations our previous generation are!

I was thinking how can we let the Voting Committee know there is such a group of elderly queuing under the hot sun. Just then, a car came by and stopped next to them, asking them to hop in and skip the queue because they are given priority for their age. Love the sight of this, when elderly and heavily pregnant women were given such priority.

I exchanged conversations with strangers, as if we have known each other prior to this. We fanned each other with our portable fans. We looked out for each other. This is one huge difference between the last gral election and this latest one. The turnout was much higher than before, to which I queued for 3 whole hours and finally voted at 1145 a.m. I went in the room, marked my selected party, blessed it with a short prayer and placed it into the ballot box. I was placed in Saluran 9 (Line 9) which I gauged consists of those born from 1984-1988, the late 20s and early 30s. It should be the second youngest group eligible to be voters. There is a Line 10 which would be the youngest voters of all. My line was really quite long, compared to some other friends who voted earlier though arrived later than me. Instead of complaining, I was glad to see that the political awareness has risen so much in my age group. It is an honour for me to be part of it.

Political Awareness Spread and Ownership Taken Into Our Own Hands

It is something HUGE because we, especially younger generation have been living with an attitude of "I don't need to interfere in things that does not concern me". With so many people flying back from overseas and even sending their ballots back, I think it is also a revolution among the youths, a revolution of a "tidak apa (Nevermind, it is okay)" attitude. Even those who are not registered or going back to vote, they are watching closely the progress of this whole general election, saying a prayer to bless.

While waiting, there were some incidents or commotions which the people ourselves were spreading the information among ourselves to educate: names to be stricken off and also ensuring ballot paper is clean with a official stamp. The awareness is successfully spread, which I am thankful to the older generation who had never stop fighting for this nation as well as the new arising candidates who are less than 30 years old. It is indeed a coalition effort and it is touching to see. A generation gap is brought closer, for the greater cause of the country. It takes both sides to humble ourselves to learn and also to be vulnerable to each other. We have finally owned up our own country and not think we just let it be, even if we are not politicians or are active in politics. It is owning up our home.

Forgiveness and Restoration

This election has many sentimental elements. Some would say it is political tactics but I say let our heart feel and tell. Our former known Prime Minister, Tun Mahathir Mohammad became vulnerable and admitted his previous mistakes in front of media and also did a very touching advertisement about why he still needs to work for this nation that he loves at 93 years old, coming out of retirement. I have a soft spot for the older generation naturally in my heart. I was very touched that many people forgive him and also his former "rivalry" who has been fighting so much for the people initiated forgiveness and let him fight alongside with them. That was very beautiful in humanity. Now, as I have been watching Tun Mahathir's speech, he says he has to revise so many things that he had done wrong in the past as well as he is much more vulnerable before his people, because he has put on humility for the sake of the country he loves so much, though he knows his days aren't long but he has the courage to admit his mistakes and want to rectify them. I really admire and respect this man.

What's NEXT?

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What we did together yesterday and what is announced today can bring me to tears because it is something we have all waited for and it has finally come to pass. It is an unfamiliar feeling and I want to also highlight that it can be what the new winning party is feeling too. Now that the opposition party has won after 61 years since the independence in 1957 for the first time, I know they have promised a lot and there are a lot of pressure on them now. I believe that instead of using the 2nd person pronoun and 3rd person pronoun, we should now be using the 1st person pronoun - WE. Even though we may not be in politics or a politician ourselves, we have to give grace to the new winning party and not point fingers now whenever there is a conflict. We can also control ourselves not to speak badly of the former governing party as well as all of our voices and words would do something to the atmosphere. Instead of trashing on our country and thinking to migrate or change citizenship to abandon ship, let's speak hope and let's support! It is a new dawn, and we are all in it, whether we voted or not! There is still so much more to go because there is nothing finalized as of now as there are still so many external factors. Let's continue to speak positivity, hope and love.

I bless us to own up our country and also love it even though it has flaws. I bless us to stand together even where is differences in opinions. Even in conflicts, we can still love our home country. I bless this country to rise and shine in the eyes of the world and fulfill its utmost destiny, to show harmony amidst so many differences. We will see the leaders holding to their integrity and fear God. We will stand behind and keep praying for them, whether we are of the same religion or not. We hope for understanding for a smooth transition because it is the first time we are doing it! Age, skin colour and beliefs will not be an issue to uphold the country. Let's see Malaysia as a beautiful place that in diversity, we obtain our strength. The old will dream again and the young will see visions of the country for the future generations to come and also for ourselves.

A new dawn. We were all part of it, and we have to continue to be! What a time to be born in. I BLESS MALAYSIA AND I BLESS US!

No political biasness is intended in this post. It is just to highlight the sentiment of the people and also what I observed from some age groups of people.

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