YouTube is a great medium of communication, especially when you are quite far away from your country.

It has been my daily staple of information when I want to know more about Malaysia or the world, but of course I am very careful of fake news.

If you are savvy you sort of know what is a lie and what is the truth as you can sift through reports and stories.

I stumbled across videos of a talented young Indonesian singer, Putri Ariani, who is blind. I have been watching videos of this new Indonesian sweetheart who has grown and matured.

She was given the golden buzzer by Simon Cowell after rendering a beautiful original song at the Americas Got Talent {AGT} 2023, capturing the hearts of Americans and people around the world with her very unique voice.

Back in Indonesia, Putri Ariani was given a sweet hero’s welcome by the whole country and by Indonesian president Jokowi Widodo.

While I was sifting through the medium one morning, I stumbled upon a video of an Indonesian celebration the country’s 78th year of Independence, after over 300 years of being ruled by the Dutch.

At the celebration of the country’s independence in the compound of the Presidential Palace, or Istana, it begins with a pomp and ceremony, and an army orchestra.

In that video, the Indonesian president and his wife and other dignitaries, such as the former presidents, heads of all the Indonesian provinces and many foreign leaders and diplomats, were given a very special treat of being serenaded by a very special singer, Putri Ariani.

Putri Ariani sang her heart out. This was what happened later.

During her second rendition, everyone, including the president’s wife started to shake their bodies and move to the beat of Putri Ariani’s song.

Then everybody started to dance including the soldiers who were at the palace compound.

It was indeed a very joyous and a happy occasion for everyone who attended the ceremony. They were all expressing their happiness by showering the moment with warmth and a very happy human feeling.

Precisely at this point, a tinge of jealousy came upon me. For a moment, I wished I was Indonesian, who should join them in celebrating that country’s independence.

Let me be honest here, as I always like to be, by saying that my Malaysia is not as happy this instance, as I have always remembered it for a long time now.

Politics in Malaysia has gone south, mainly marred by greed, corruption, compounded by racial and religious divides.

Malaysia can’t even express that simple primordial feeling of good and simple happiness, without being checked by the thought police. Is this indeed the case? I don’t think so.

But this has been the perception. The number of those harbouring this fear may not be overwhelming but there is this creeping sense.

It is true that Malaysia does not seem to know how to truly enjoy life as life was meant to be.

You see by suppressing these feelings, Malaysians have retreated into their own rabbit holes and to never coming out again.

I say we must stop sharing only things that we perceive to have gone wrong. We must rebuild quality journalism. It is a career of choice. I have always been a journalist.

This sense of despair. It is not good!