My Life...what politics and greed have done.

The meek shall inherit the earth, so they say, but alas, to their damnation and shame, the Malays have inherited politics and greed.

I, at 75, have been witness to the virtual destruction and the demeaning deconstruction of every facet of the Malay society and psyche brought about by politics and greed, and I take, as proof, that which is closest to my heart - my own family. My father, mother, three brothers, and youngest sister.

My parents were the quintessential Malays. Unfailingly polite, decent, and totally devoted to being what a Malay has always been until then. Someone respected and held in reverence by the 'others' around them. Someone for whom, what others think of them and what others expect of them, was of the utmost importance, for surely, they live in a society, and to thrive and be part of that society, you want to live to the society's expectations of you.

And family is everything. The center of their universes, in thoughts and deeds.

Today, even if their children are Malays, we are not the Malays they were.

My younger brother, bless his soul, is no longer with us - so I shall recite Alfatihah for his departed soul and say no more.

At 75, I live in Melbourne with my son. My daughter is a citizen of Canada and lives there with her family. I have not seen them for over a decade. We may live apart, but we are family.

My youngest brother, a Cardiologist...an eminent one I am told....lives in Kuala Lumpur and he and I have not spoken or seen each other for over three decades. Enough for me to tell you, that last night, I sent him this e-mail to him.......

Hi...you have already received ---- letter, and so far, you have done nothing. T----- went to see you on the same matter and the manner you treated him was not only rude but uncouth.

I will be back in KL soon. I assure you that I have the intent and the ability to take you to court and pursue the matter of not only what is my due, but what is also due to Aruah ----- children and what is due to -----, to its conclusion. I hope, before we get to that stage, you will do the necessary. This will be my last letter to you on this matter. The next letter you get will be from my lawyers.

Hussein Hamid.

Yes, this eminent cardiologist brother of mine has issues with his other siblings which is due to greed...his greed. All that my late father had generously left for us all has been taken by this eminent Datuk cardiologist brother of mine. Nothing went to any of us.

And the youngest sibling, my dearest sister, whom I have not also seen for at least two decades, does not take my calls and will not speak to me for reasons best known to her.

Politics have brought our family money. Politics brought to our family greed. Today, the family that my parents left to inherit their part of the world is broken because of politics and greed.

There are other Malay families like mine. Most prefer to keep their imperfections hidden away in the closet. I write about it because that is what I do...I write. I write about the failings of the family my parents left because I do not want my own family to fail. Even if my daughter and my granddaughters are in Canada, we love, respect, and adore one another and when it moves us, we speak and see each other via the wonders and magic of social media.

My son lives with me. I see him every day and every day he gives me joy. He is the rock in my life. My dear wife, alas, is no longer with us, but I know she will be comforted in the knowledge that the family she left behind is intact and will be there for each other...always.

So, I earnestly hope, my own family will be the Malay family that my parents must surely have wanted it to be. The rot stops with me. It has been easy because there is no politics and no money in our life....and what politics there are in our life stays here, in my blog...and what money we have is enough to keep body and soul together...just enough.

This has been difficult for me to write. Enough for now.