The nation enthusiastically celebrated the 50th Merdeka Day last year and we will soon be celebrating the 51st Merdeka Day at the end of Aug. However, the Merdeka month this year is less cheerful as the people are lack of confidence.

Despite Malaysian have loosen confidence as some foreign investors withdrew their investment made in the country because of the chaos after the 8 March general elections, but the root causes are the country's managements, policies and system. We have been adopting the same set of management practices since the independence while not much improvements have been made to the policies and system. This has caused the people to face many man-made calamities. Meanwhile, the country's resources are wasted in inefficient managements and policies.

For instant, despite our country is rich in natural resources, but we have no sense of crisis in economic management. A large amount of money has been spent in many huge “white elephant” projects. A slack management has resulted in corruption and waste. The saving policy implemented today is indeed one of the after effects.

However, the government's saving policy has implicated the private sector. Also, inflation and the reduction in consumer confidence has been affecting the people and the business community. But so far, the authority is yet to have a specific policy.

The public area is as well affected. For example, the missing of a drug haul worth RM1 million from police custody has reflected the weaknesses of the police force.

Flawed public work projects would be another issue. The recent incident of cracks on the Middle Ring Road II flyover has become an internal joke that undermined the credibility of Malaysia.

Besides, no changes have been made to policies, particularly policies regarding racial issues. This has caused the outflow of talents and weakened the people's sense of belonging to the country. The emphasis of skin colour is no longer a trend, but today's Malaysians are still paying for the price of racial policies.

The lack of an open system, including the restrictions on freedom of the press, freedom of assembly, as well as the intervention in judiciary has caused the failure of checks and balances and the expansion of executive power. The ruling power keeps repeating the mistakes as it has not been adequately supervised in the past.

Meanwhile, many people, including some politicians are still having a conservative thinking. As they are protecting their so-called privileges, they are in fact slowing down the pace of reform. A forum for the discussion of religion is forced to end halfway because of such thinking. The conservative mentality has left no way for the people to discuss on religious and privilege issues. This would be an obstacle to the national unity.

Under the environment of so many annoying problems, how could we have mood to celebrate the Merdeka Day? And where is the country's future? (By LIM SUE GOAN/ Translated by SOONG PHUI JEE/ Sin Chew Daily)