Saturday, April 10, 2010

Don't forget them! Or change the way I remember...

As I get older, I sometimes get glimpses of my school days and wish that I have kept some of my earlier school text books. Not so much for educating myself now- the foundations were laid strong then, but more so to remember my childhood days - free and colour blind.

Sigh! Much have been changed to suit the chest thumping politicians who needs issues to revive their popularity or line their coffers.

I was reading this article earlier - about our Tugu Peringatan near the Parliament House. I remember vividly pestering my father to bring me there so that I can also honour our warriors for their sacrifices. I guess it was just another excuse to go jalan-jalan.
My kids will now pester me to take them to Putrajaya instead of Lake Gardens - banyak jauh jalan!

According to the article, it seems that the 30-40 years tradition to honour our warriors was to be adjusted as it did not really comply with certain guidelines.

Why did it take 1 full generation - all 5 foot 8 inches of me to be grown up and beginning to have grey hair, only for them to realise that it does not follow certain guidelines now.

And if I read from another source correctly, the guideline was to have been imposed since 1995, 15 years ago?

Yeah, whats the big deal with the few statues you may say.

A lot of us have hardly been to see the actual statues nor know of the actual memorial services that goes on there every year.

Yet for those who were once there in the trenches and jungles - the brotherhood formed and memories dug out - the statues and memorial services serves as a trigger point for them to remember and honour their sacrifices and their fellow Malaysians who fought for us all here today. It is their memories. Memories of their youth, hardship, sacrifices, fear and glory! They have dodged traps, bullets and bombs for us, so that we can have the PLUS highway, PKFZ, Trengganu Monsoon Cup and numerous stadiums with roofs that stay intact and doesnt leak.

They are frail and ageing now, all that they have to hang on to are memories. Very much like memories of my PE games of football and shooting guli.

In the same breadth, changing and doing away with the TUGU is akin to re writing my primary textbooks and re writing my childhood memories.

What about the murals that depict the past Prime Ministers at PWTC?
Or banners of politicians with sneaky smiles that are slammed into your face during election times?
Does that also cover books, magazines,internet etc...
Where does idolatory practises starts and where, and how far?

If you must really take it away, take it for all the right, logical and sensible reasons.

Please don't do it just to win a few more votes in the elections.