“In history, truth should be held sacred, at whatever cost … especially against the narrow and futile patriotism, which, instead of pressing forward in pursuit of truth, takes pride in walking backwards to cover the slightest nakedness of our forefathers.”

- Col Thomas Aspinwall

COMMENT Henceforth my commentary on our failing state will be sparse. Others are doing a fine job of wading into the murky Umno waters of Malaysia.

Since returning from my academic hiatus in Timor Leste or as my Indonesian friends refer to it as Tim Tim, I will be looking back on a life and professional career spent in the service of a country fast becoming foreign to me.

Everything old is new again. In diplomatic circles and amongst academics, the South China Sea, the efficacy of regional cooperation but especially the influence of China, dominates the discourse...