The 14th General Elections on Wednesday, 9th May, 2018 provided a second chance to Malaysia to reset nation-building policies and directions.

Sixty-one years ago, when the country attained Merdeka in 1957, and 55 years ago when Malaysia was formed in 1963, we set out as a young nation, brimming with hope and confidence, dedicated, in the words of the Merdeka Proclamation 1957 and reaffirmed in the Malaysia Proclamation six year later, that the nation “shall be for ever a sovereign democratic and independent State founded upon the principles of liberty and justice and ever seeking the welfare and happiness of its people and the maintenance of a just peace among all nations”.

We promised to ourselves that the nation will be “a beacon of light for a disturbed and distracted world”.

But we lost our way and became instead a black hole of kleptocracy and kakistocracy.

Malaysians must go back to the basics, and what better way to begin than to return to basic constitutional and nation-building documents like the Merdeka Constitution 1957, the Malaysian Agreement and Constitution 1963 and Rukunegara 1970 to fulfil the Malaysian Dream to be a model to the world as to how a nation of diverse races, religions, languages and cultures could be united, harmonious, democratic, progressive and prosperous, with a government of integrity guided by the principles of good governance and accountability.

This is the challenge to all Malaysians today, because it is unlikely that Malaysia will be given a third chance to fulfil the Malaysian Dream.

For the first time in many years, Malaysians can hold their heads high and not feel ashamed as Malaysians despite their deep love and great patriotism for the country.

They can now proudly declare that they are Malaysians when abroad instead of trying to avoid or evade the question about their nationality for they were themselves ashamed of Malaysia becoming a global kleptocracy and the monstrous charade by the Malaysian powers-that-be that the 1MDB money-laundering scandal.

They can now proudly tell the world that they have proved the international society, which had expected the return of the political status quo in Malaysia in the 14th General Election, wrong and that Malaysians are capable of self-correction and self-renewal, to re-set nation building policies and direction after going down the wrong path along the trajectory towards a failed, rogue and kleptocratic state.

It is no exaggeration to say that Malaysians voted not so much for any individual candidate but for the nation and future generations, to Save Malaysia from hurtling along the trajectory towards a failed, rogue and kleptocratic state and to grasp the “Now or Never” moment to start anew on the journey towards a Malaysian Dream to be a model to the world as to how a nation of diverse races, religions, languages and cultures could be united, harmonious, democratic, progressive and prosperous, with a thriving democracy and a government of integrity guided by the principles of good governance and accountability.

Against impossible odds, Malaysia is set to be reborn. Great challenges and hard work lies ahead of us but we must never forget our Malaysian Dream to achieve a united, harmonious, just, democratic, progressive and prosperous Malaysian nation where every Malaysian, regardless of race, religion, region or political affiliation can feel proud to be a Malaysian – whether inside or outside the country.