Many historic events took place in Malacca, the nation’s oldest heritage city.

For instance, on 20th February 1956, Bapa Malaysia Tunku Abdul Rahman chose Padang Bandar Hilir in Malacca to announce that Malaya would achieve independence on August 31, 1957.

Closer in time, in 1984, the people of Malacca spearheaded an impossible mission when they successfully led a “Save Bukit China campaign” to preserve the oldest cemetry heritage hill in the country.

This is the country’s 60th National Day anniversary to commemorate the nation’s attainment of Merdeka on 31st August, 1957.

Yesterday, the country lost a great patriot and nationalist with the death of Kerk Kim Hock, the fourth DAP Secretary-General and a two-term Member of Parliament as well as a one-term Malacca State Assemblyman.

Kerk had dedicated his life to his ideals to make Malaysia a great nation worthy of the Merdeka Proclamation 1957 and Malaysia Proclamation 1963 that the nation “shall be for ever a sovereign democratic and independent State founded upon the principles of liberty and justice and ever seeking the welfare and happiness of its people and the maintenance of a just peace among all nations”.

When the country achieved independent nationhood on August 31, 1957, it heralded the beginning of a new era where all its citizens could dare to dream big dreams to remake the world.

But have we been able to achieve world-class status in every field of human endeavor, whether political, economic, educational, social, environmental or on good governance after sixty years?

We have not and we have seemed to have lost our way, and if we do not change course, we are in the trajectory towards a failed and rogue state.

In Parliament today, there was chaos and pandemonium when the Barisan Nasional MPs tried to distract focus on the rampant corruption in Malaysia, which has turned the country overnight into a global kleptocracy because of the notorious 1MDB scandal and the infamous appellation of “MO1”, by creating a “MO1 vs CM” or “MO1 vs PO1” tirade.

“MO1” is the result of a global kleptocracy while “PO1” is the result of the federal government fast becoming a kakistocracy, i.e. a government run by the worst or most unscrupulous people, who are prepared to do the worst to distract attention from the 1MDB scandal.

The national institutions, whether Parliament, Judiciary, Attorney-General’s Chambers, the Police, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, even the Inland Revenue Board (IRB) have lost their independence, impartiality and professionalism.

Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has called on the authorities to investigate Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak and his wife Rosmah Mansor’s wealth, as well as Najib’s son and son-in-law and not just focus on his children.!

Will this be done as independent, impartial and professional institutions in a country which have not degenerated into a kakistocracy will do?

A Royal Commission of Inquiry into Bank Negara foreign exchange losses a quarter of a century ago started work yesterday.

Where is the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the 1MDB scandal, which had transformed Malaysia into a global kleptocracy overnight?

The wake of Kerk Kim Hock is a suitable occasion to call on the people of Malacca to return to play a historic role in the affairs of the nation and to lead a national campaign on the 60th National Day anniversary to “Love and Save Malaysia”.

I am sure wherever we go in Malaysia today, the most frequently-heard political comment even by the most unpolitical people is: “The country cannot go on without change or the future will be unthinkable.”

Just as the people of Malacca successfully spearheaded the “Save Bukit China Campaign” three decades ago, I call on the people of Malacca to answer the nation’s call to spearhead a “Love Malaysia, Change Malaysia” national campaign.

This is the best way to remember the life-long struggle and sacrifices of Kerk Kim Hock.

(Statement at the wake of Kerk Kim Hock at the meeting of Pakatan Harapan Malacca leaders on Thursday, 10th August 2017 at 9.30 pm)