DURING his maiden address to the nation on Aug 22, Malaysia’s new Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob introduced his idea of the “Malaysian Family”. I agree 100% with his words, that we are all a Malaysian Family and thus must help each other, trust one another and work together to save and rebuild this nation. What an apt call in these trying times of Covid-19 and great economic duress!

WHEN I sat in the cinema in Balakong, Selangor, to watch the film Ready Player One in 2018, I knew I was about to embark on an unforgettable, fantastical experiential journey that would have massive implications for what we call reality.

Why is a group of young people expressing their opinion about what’s happening in the country a threat?

For this columnist, the nation’s independence is our own personal and individual independence and independent responsibility.

When a professor’s work is reduced to KPI numbers and ringgit and sen, can it really contribute to society?

Seasonal affective disorder, when people don’t get enough sun during winter and become depressed, is actually a thing. Here, we get so much sunlight, yet we’re not making sure our kids get enough of it.

A permissive culture of allowing crude, sexist and racist comments to be made without much censure has created a house of representatives that can be far from august.

Failing to honour differences is not only failing at being a united nation but also failing in life in its entirety.

We need an education system that will produce a new generation of students and graduates who value differences and possess questioning minds.

WHAT do we tell our children is the soul of this nation called Malaysia?

There is value to be found in the legendary story of a Malay warrior who was a model of courage, loyalty – and progressive cosmopolitanism.

With a little rewriting, a ‘national’ cartoon series acknowledged by many to be a Malaysian success story can help create a generation that appreciates each other’s cultures and differences.