For me, National Day on 31 August came and went like any other day, but Malaysia Day held more significance and meaning.
I was out the whole day from 8.00am to 11pm. First was the 5th National Congress On Integrity (NCOI). The theme this year was "Truth Matters: Integration with Integrity".
In the impressive line-up of distinguished speakers that included recently retired Federal Court judge Datuk Seri Gopal Sri Ram and former Oxford-trained lawyer Datuk Azzat Kamaludin, the speech that resonated most with me was delivered by Senator Dato Seri Idris Jala. He spoke on "Celebrating Diversity in Malaysia". I've never heard the concept of 1Malaysia explained with such clarity and conviction. If anyone could transform Malaysia from a regional centre of mediocrity to a global model of meritocracy, it would be this man. For the benefit of those who missed the event, here are some key slides from Dato Idris Jala's presentation. They are self-explanatory. Click on image to enlarge.
Right after NCOI, it was on to Saya Anak Bangsa Malaysia's (SABM) 1st anniversary celebration, which began at 6.30pm. It was an informal gathering of mostly university students and young professionals, although I did spot some silver hair among the crowd. The entire evening's program was coordinated by young people. As I listened to them share their stories of what being a Malaysian means to them, my heart swelled with pride and renewed hope. Articulate, confident, intelligent and driven, these young men and women are in the vanguard of SABM's mission to take the message of "One People, One Nation" nationwide through their road shows, CDs and publications. 
Paid in Fiction in action. They are featured on SABM's 'Bangkit' CD.
What a treat to listen to the beautiful and talented Amirah Ali singing her debut hit "Katakanlah". Click on the link to listen.
The InorOut website was launched at the SABM event to encourage Malaysians to think, speak out and vote on issues that concern them.
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