BULLOCK CARTING JAGUR GEMILANG

Jagur Gemilang

NST CALLS THE EFFORT - PATRIOTIC SPIRIT. IS IT THE WAY HOW PATRIOTISM IS DEFINED?

In a show of love for the nation, 34-year-old cowherd N. Balu spent almost $2,000 to decorate his bullock cart with the Jalur gemilang and even had red stripes painted on his two bulls (NST report, front page, August 27, 2004).

As a Malaysian, I admire the effort of N. Balu, but please consider that he had to fock out $2,000 to do it - which will vapourized by 1st September 2004, and by then, he will have to review his financial position to ensure that there is sufficient money to pay for the family's expenses, to take care of his children's education, or his brothers and sisters education and needs (unless of course, he is rich, or at least financially sound). It is important that, while we do things to look good and get some publicity, those who aren't rich must stay frugal and pays attention to their expenditure. In short, they must be wise with the use of money. Money spent on such activity only gives you some publicity and temporal satisfaction, but does not benefit anyone, except the Information Minister and those who are organizing the Merdeka event.

Merdeka day, should be a day that those who wish to spent some money on Merdeka functions and activities should use the monies for the poor and needy; those who are striving to get sufficient food in order to survive, those who are sick and have problem to pay medical fees and those in the old folks home and those who are unfortunate. If the government would direct the Merdeka activities and the money allocated for the activities to these charitable works, it would make a better Malaysia as a Nation, a better Malaysia for the Malaysians, and a better way for foreigners to respect us.