I Hope

We, Malaysians have long accepted the fact that we are no sporting giant – not now and probably never in the next 10 years at least. But that is not saying that we have stopped hoping. If there’s one thing I know about us is that we are just being realistic (after years of disappointments). We hardly believe in miracles but we believe in hopes. We like to dream.

The dream that someday our country will be.



Last Sunday night, I, like many other "realistic" Malaysian, watched our “golden boy” Lee Chong Wei tried to take on the giant – China’s Lin Dan. It was an emotional moment for me. There was a surge of overwhelmingly feeling of hopes and dreams. The chance has finally come by. I was ecstatic.

Alas, it wasn’t meant to be. Our only hope for the first Olympic gold is still remained…a hope. It still pierces through my heart to think about it but I concur the time is not now. It has not come yet.

I won’t go over technical ground on why we lost - other sport pundits have already covered that - but still I think props should be given to Chong Wei. He managed to ignite a little spark of hope inside all of our hearts. After two Olympics and eight years, we finally got something more to be proud of. A silver is still a medal. A recognition of sport supremacy. There’s still a glimmer of hope.

I wish I would live long enough to witness our national anthem - Negaraku being played at an Olympic venue, as the Jalur Gemilang begins its journey up into the Heaven.

That would be the most remarkable thing I could have ever witnessed.

I can only hope.