Why I voted in the UK's General Election

I won't be living in the UK in the next five years, in fact, I will be going back to my home country in July. So why did I still vote?

Well, simply because I can. Being a Malaysian - a Commonwealth citizen - I'm eligible to vote in the General Election here. 

Of which I didn't know about until I received a letter from the local council asking me to register to vote - otherwise I would have to pay a fine of £50. Initially I was shocked, thinking, surely they had made a mistake? Why the heck am I allowed to vote when I'm not a British citizen!? After a few seconds of panicking, I then proceed to dismiss the letter. Maybe I'll pretend I didn't receive it if they demand a fine. But after a few weeks, I received the same letter again. Okay, I thought to myself, I'll register. Since there's no harm in doing it, and... better be safe than sorry.

As the elections draw near, I found myself feeling grateful that I have registered to vote. Since I have the right to vote, why not exercise it? I quote a friend of mine, Jolene, "...because if we have the power to be heard, then let's bloody use it." So very true!

Most importantly, I want to stand up for fair and transparent elections. Thinking back to Malaysia's General Election in 2013, my heart wrenches with anguish. The hopes and dreams of many Malaysians dashed when the results came in on the 6th of May, revealing the opposite of what we had been hoping for - change. All the campaigning, all the rallying, all the support, all the enthusiasm, have all boiled down to nothing.

I will not forget the day my country plunged into darkness. If you look through the profile pictures of many Malaysians on Facebook, I believe you will spot a black photo sitting randomly among a happy and colourful collection of memories. That day, my timeline was filled with these literal darkness, with Malaysians expressing their hurt and anger on social media.

The reason why we were so upset was not solely because the outcome was not what many of us want, but because of what the current ruling party did to ensure their continuous grip on the country. Phantom voters, gerrymandering, voter fraud, you name it. Just google "malaysia general election 2013" and you'll find news coverage from the BBC to CNN about the country's political situation.

How are all these possible in a supposedly democratic country? The worse thing that could ever happen to a country is to be governed by unscrupulous leaders, employing all sorts of dirty tactics to assert power over the country.

Apparently, Malaysia's current ruling party is the "longest continuing ruling party in the democratic world". Come the 14th general election, which will be held in 2018, the party would be in power for 61 years. The sad truth is that nothing has changed ever since our independence, which, if you think about it, is pretty crazy.

However, I'm glad that things are changing. The previous general election has been the most intense and dramatic one in Malaysian history, and it is also one with the most voter turnout with many first-time voters. I'm glad that people are beginning to realise that it is time to do something with our voice.




My first ever vote has been given to the UK. Now I have no excuse to not vote in my country in the next general election (and the future ones). And I urge all of you reading this to vote if and when you can. You have the right to determine how you want your country to be governed in a democratic world, so please don't waste it. Don't be ignorant. It's time to stand up for what you believe in.

I still believe in the potential of my country, of course I do. It is where my roots lie, and it is where my heart will always belong. I believe in the power of Malaysians, especially the young people, to change our beloved country for the better. This coming general election, my generation will be able to vote - and I'm excited for it :)


(Pictures from Google Images)

Perfection

Today was absolutely beautiful. It was perfect in every sense of the word.

Perfect.

I think it is fair to use the word "perfect" to describe Lake District, because everything in it is wonderfully made by my Creator.

The scenery is not foreign to me. I have seen the lakes on the Internet, and I know how pretty they can be. That is why I was so insistent on coming here the second time, when the first time was all but clear skies and sunny weather. Today, I went through the familiarity, taking the bus and going around the lakes once again.

The photo above is just one out of hundreds of beautiful photos I took today. From the minute the bus left the town, every moment of the journey was breathtaking. As the bus drove through the valley, my heart skipped a beat as I looked across the vast mountains and hills, with sheep and lamb dotting the green expanse. I gasped inwardly when I had my first glimpse of the cobalt blue.

Trying my best to absorb everything that is in front of my eyes, but it seemed impossible no matter how hard I try. I wish I could memorise the exact way the colours contrast against each other, how the green is wedged in a nice proportion between the blue, and how the sun intensely pours forth its rays, making the waters sparkle so gracefully.

I stood right at the edge of the lake, looking up at the mountains, looking across the water, looking all around me. How is it that such magnificent beauty exists? How can nature blow one's mind and take one's breath away so easily? God, you always never cease to amaze me, really.

Too busy gushing to myself the wonders of this place, and too busy praising God for what He has created. It doesn't even matter that I'm here alone, without someone special to share these magical moments with. All that matters is that I am right now experiencing the marvelous work of God, as I stand delicately on the canvas on which He has painted with such vibrant colours.

OH GOD YOU ARE BEYOND AMAZING I CAN'T EVEN COMPREHEND.

Being surrounded by such a majestic environment, I couldn't help but feel so tiny. As I immerse myself in the nature that He has single-handedly created, looking at the sheep grazing peacefully and the seagulls swooping down to the water, even catching a deer prancing across the field, I was reminded of a particular verse in the Bible...

Matthew 6:26 says, "Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap not gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?"

...and I felt a sense of freedom inside me. The kind of freedom where I don't have to worry about my future. Because I know God has my back, as He always does. And I'm incredibly thankful to know this caring and loving God personally.

The beginning of Psalms 23, the famous psalms written by David, also came to mind when I saw the numerous sheep around the valley.

"The Lord is my shepherd;
I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside still waters."

:)

Over the years, I found myself to be the kind of person who is easily contented with life. I don't find myself defining the success of life by the extent of money or power. To me, life is so much more than having a stable job and income. I want to spend my whole life travelling, admiring and soaking in the beauty that is alive in each and every corner of the world. I want to meet people who have the ability to instill inspiration in me, while I myself inspire others at the same time. I want to do the things I love, rather than being forced to conform to the constraints of society.

However, all these are just my ideals. At least for now. I don't know what will happen in the next ten years, heck, even next year when I would supposedly have graduated. The future is scary and uncertain, but at least I can take comfort in knowing that God is with me every step of the way, and all I have to do is trust in Him. Having faith and believing that God will lead me to do His works according to His will and purpose in this life.

Looking at how God is at work with nature, I have nothing to worry about. Right now, I choose to live in the moment, enjoying every stunning second while it lasts.

A moment of inspiration

I was in town the other day (actually just two days ago) waiting for the guy who repaired my phone to arrive at his stall, so I randomly went into Waterstones (I can't believe there are so many Waterstones on one High Street - they're all a stone's throw away from one another ha ha geddit?) to while away my time. Among the stillness of the place and the pleasant smell of new books, I rediscovered my safe haven. 

I have never been into this Waterstones outlet before so I walked around, trying to absorb the charm of the bookstore. I went upstairs to the photography section, wishing I could read each and every book on display. And then, lying on a table was this huge, thick book, titled Stunning Photographs by National Geographic, that caught my eye - because a breathtaking scene of the aurora borealis, or northern lights, glazes its cover.

I immediately picked it up and flicked through the pages. Gorgeous, magnificent, out of this world photographs engulfed me in a moment where it felt like I had been transported inside the pages of the book to those sceneries. The more I looked at the photographs, the quicker I turned the pages and suddenly these two pages filled with words appeared and I stopped, because the first word, 'Discovery', jumped out at me. I read the first sentence and it took a while for the meaning to sink in but after that, I was completely intrigued by how intelligent the words came together. My eyes briefly swept across the pages, picking out some of the most impactful sentences and beginning to feel a sense of wonder gradually filling me. 

I was impressed, but I started moving on to other pages. However, something inside me made me want to go back to those pages. I decided to pick up the book, go to that one lone chair in the corner of the bookstore, and read the paragraph(s) without missing a word. It has been a long time since I have come across words that speak so powerfully to me (apart from the Bible) that I go over the sentences again and again, and at that moment it hit me right in the heart. There are literally no words to describe how truly inspired I felt - I just wanted to burst into bubbles of happiness on the spot. It is just one of those great moments where you suddenly have an epiphany and realise, hey, there's more to life than just securing a high-paying job and be in that comfort zone for the rest of your life. I need this reminder every once in a while, and I'm so glad I got it.

So before you read the (very long, but incomplete) quote from the author below, here are some contexts to help you understand my overwhelming joy: 1) I love photography 2) I used to loyally read National Geographic - definitely need to start again 3) I secretly dream of working in National Geographic - someday

"Discovery is one part curiosity, one part genius, and two parts tenacity. Those who seek it, find it, and bring it back as visual proof are more than photographers. They are scientists, geologists, ethnologists, and pioneers. These are the Tintins of our time, restlessly pursuing the highest, the lowest, the deepest, the farthest. One of the unsung perks of working at National Geographic is that you rarely have a dull lunch. The collective energy of our explorers, writers, cartographers, and photographers keeps hope afloat. These are people who have discovered species and named stars. Irrepressible visionaries, they dream about what it feels like to summit a mountain without air, what it looks like deep inside a tornado, and whether there is life beyond our galaxy. Impatient on the edge, they prefer to parachute into the unknown. Fortunately for the rest of the world, they bring cameras along. 

It's an uncomfortable business, as dangerous as it is uplifting. We photographers count among our heroes those we have lost to the mountain, the sea, the avalanche, or the wrath of a tornado. Countless others have endured frostbite, tropical diseases, and roaring seasickness. But, oh, the photographs they bring back! The world now has visual proof of the flight of a falcon. We have seen the summit of Everest and the depths of the Mariana Trench. Magma flies. Stars collide.

My friend and master of photographic innovation Jim Balog once said, "When I worked with wildlife, I learnt the meaning of patience. And when I worked with trees, I learned the meaning of humility." It is a humbling world these photographs deliver. On a planet that seems to teem with humans, it is quite something to be shown a vision that nobody has seen before, or a new view of something most of us thought we knew. These images convert doubters and confirm believers. The astounding is delivered with a flourish. The unimaginable is made certifiable. We see and believe and crave more."

— Annie Griffiths, award-winning photojournalist, author of Stunning Photographs by National Geographic


Just some of the photographs that I grabbed from Google Images that show the magnificence of nature - and people. 

Rediscovering my passion; working towards my dream.