We, Kita, truly appreciate your presence. For it is a sad indictment of our politics when our citizens have to summon up all of their courage, just to attend an event such as this.

The last several years has seen a marked shift, not just in the way we conduct our politics but in the way we react to it. It has shown that when pushed against the wall, when devoid of hope, when angry and frustrated, Malaysians have stood up and stood tall.

Kita is a product of that shift. Of our constantly evolving body politic in an expanding and developing democracy...