Politicians, religious leaders and all citizens have a single moral responsibility to the millions of children who are yet to be born on this beloved land. But unless and until we have the moral decency and courage to commit for a future, we risk running aground and certainly be no different from what we witness across the globe today.

The dust storms being kicked up in the wake of the statement by the deputy prime minister recently of Malaysia being an Islamic state is not going to take us forward if we remain blinded in our own follies. But eventually, we will have to take responsibility for the mistakes that will be hurting the innocent children of this land permanently.

To all and sundry, I appeal please stop this madness of seeing each other through the lens of religious, racial and economic discriminations. And to our prime minister - the icon of a democratic young nation like ours - I implore, 'Please Mr Prime Minister halt this runaway wagon that will only crash with a disastrous magnitude'.

Can we not learn from the bitter knots that other nations are suffocating from and get smart? And to make matters worse, our bunch of politicians are no solace either with their untimely and shortsighted statements spewed without discernment.

We have come a long way from days gone by whence our forefathers were walking among rows and rows of rubber trees, wadding in murky mines, fishing for a day just to feed hungry mouths. Today, as we trot the globe - either by covering physical distances or hitting a button on our computers - we take pride in our nation's history. Many a visitor to our land has left with songs of praises. Do we now want to destroy all this over a veil of distortions?

Merdeka would not have been possible if the citizens then had discriminated amongst themselves. Why then do we need to walk separate ways now?

Yes, we are not a perfect nation. There may be no Utopia on planet Earth. But that is no reason to let dichotomy take control over our souls. Such divisions along racial, religious and economic parameters can only come from selfish hearts that travel the distance with a tunnel vision.

With the spirit of Merdeka behind us, and the broad-end Vision 2020 ahead of us, let us get back on our feet to march on as one nation of people with diverse beliefs and colour. In that diversity let us anchor our unity. What better time to think of such noble aspirations than in the wake of our 50th anniversary of independence.

Each and everyone of us needs to preach, sing, hum, talk and act as one nation of people that respect each other without placing one above another or pitting one against another. Therein lies the defining difference between a nation that progresses and one that crashes.

Our leaders from all fronts - religious, royalty, political, government, opposition parties, non-governmental organisations - must step forward with their right foot if we as a nation are to find our footing in these dangerous times. And it must start with the honorable prime minister. It has got to be now or sadly never.