Reklamasi!

That dramatic visit to the Immigration Department's office in Pusat Bandar Damansara kicked off Pak Lah's opening chapter as Malaysia's 5th Prime Minister for me in a truly, exciting way. In one fell swoop he showed he empathized with the ordinary Malaysian waiting in the queue, patiently and humbly and often bullied into accepting that government servants were the masters of their universe.

I had wished these Prime Ministerial spot checks were going to be a regular thing -- keeping complacent, apathetic (often, feudalistic) Malaysians on their toes, but I guess spot-checking on the regular diary would say a lot more about the state of the nation than most of us would care to admit.

If there can be one word that Pak Lah's last 12 months has kicked up for me, it is "REKLAMASI!" Some fast-fading ideals have been reclaimed, especially the reclamation of Malaysia as truly a multicultural country.

Through Pak Lah's appointment of non-UMNO cabinet ministers to highly critical ministries, and through more inclusive policies, I can see a greater spectrum of society playing a more participative role. And as a result, the emergence of a more vibrant Malaysian Malaysia.

Through Islam Hadhari, Malaysian Muslims can reclaim the religion from the jaws of anachronistic fundamentalists who have castrated the Malay community from their traditions and heritage. The healing has begun.

On a lighter note, people who know me well, know how much I love batik. So the whole resurgence of batik appreciation in an unapologetic way gets my vote. Kak Endon's love affair (made public) with the kebaya was another pointed though ironic little nod in the direction of a liberal-minded Malaysia for more attune to the 21st century.

What do I look forward to in the months ahead? That this momentum builds, and can put into place that elusive thing we have inappropriately called "first world mentality" - though if you ask me, it is what we already understand as humanity, responsibility and honesty.