Don't give up on us* - David Soul

We were sharing this morning on what was the highest point we experienced in the past month. Both my wife and i shared the thing. It was the elections - when we found out that the opposition (now the government) has won.

There were so many other possible 'high points' in the past month - but this takes the number 1 spot for me.

To be honest, I have given up hope of Malaysians ever making the decision to change the government of the day. It has been the same party since independence in 1957 - 60 plus years!!!! All my life literally, it has been the same. And it wasn't all bad.

But things started going downhill. And it has come to a point when the racism, the corruption, the arrogance, the injustice, the abuse of power is no longer tolerable.

We thought that the last elections was the time! Ini kalilah. But the government then pulled up all the tricks under sleeves and our hopes were dashed again.

I wondered why God did not answer my prayers. I wondered why God could still tolerate the kind of things that are going on in our country when even we sinful creatures could not.

Of course it must have angered and upset him. And he did answer my prayers - he said, wait. Something that is very difficult for us.

But when it finally happened, it all made sense why this time is the time and this time was a better time.

Being hurt so many times in the past, my defensive mechanism did not allow me to harbour realistic hopes. Seeing comments of apparently educated people who did not see a need to change the government didn't help. Seeing all the dirty tactics being used - re-delineation, the mal-apportionment, the money thrown to win (read: buy) votes, the clearly biased Elections Commission - it was clearly a David vs Goliath battle. But how can i forget that David did overcome Goliath in the end?

The day (middle of the working week!) came and Malaysians went out to vote. I remember taking care of the girls while my wife went to vote first. I carried the little until she fell asleep on my shoulders. And as i thought of what was happening in the land, and of what the future holds for my children, i cried in fear.

This board is used to teach my daughter new English words and new Bahasa Malaysia (BM) words. She is better at BM as phonetically, BM is easier to read. For today, I added in a new BM phrase which she could read easily.

Then it was my turn - i went.

It was heartening to see so many proudly showing off their fingers on social media because it shows that so many actually do care and recognised the importance of voting. So many are actually happy to be in a long queue because that means many care for the country and recognize the importance of their right to vote.

Still, i didn't want to believe until it was confirmed. The opposition were claiming victory but the Elections Commission refused to acknowledge it.

So stressed. What did I do? Baked a cake! So that my wife and I will have a cake to celebrate or to drown our sorrows with!!!

Then I went to sleep not wanting to care. I did my part. If Malaysians did not want a change, then we get what we deserved.

I woke up in the wee hours of the morning and checked the results - yes, it really is true. The opposition has won - the fact that EC refused to confirm it also meant that they could not deny it! I heard my wife come out of her room and i went downstairs to look for her. We saw each other and we did not need to say anything - we went to each other and hugged each other tightly, my wife crying in joy. What a moment!

When asked a few weeks ago, I said that while I hoped for a change, i didn't think a change will happen this time round. I was wrong. I gave up on Malaysians, i gave up on there ever being a change - but thankfully, God did not give up on us.

I can't remember being so happy at being wrong!!!! Thank you God!

Well done to all those who voted. We all made the difference. Be proud of ourselves as Malaysians. Betul-betul ini kalilah!

*The challenge for this post was to choose which song best describes my feelings and thoughts - Anything is Possible, Against All Odds, Winds of Change, Can You Hear The People Sing, Finally, etc. I decided to choose this old song by David Soul, a song that always reminds me of my childhood when i first heard it.