I must be dreaming. Some of us must've waited a life time to hear the words spoken by Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi on Merdeka Day.

All that talk about how Malaysia can be great, how we are all equal, all the talk about honesty, efficiency and integrity. All the talk about everyone having a role to play. But sadly, I feel this is a dream, for you see, all this is talk, not action or reality.

When Abdullah became prime minister, most Malaysians were hopeful that after 22 years of mindless autocracy and corruption, we may at last have a chance at real freedom, transparency and democracy.

Sure, we feel freer and more relaxed with Dr Mahathir Mohamad not around to knock at our heads everyday with his grandoise theories and wacky ideas, but people are also getting restless with Abdullah fast gaining a reputation of a 'Cakap Tak Bikin - all talk no action' prime minister.

Sometimes, I get the eerie feeling that he is like a robot programmed to say the right thing for the right occasion, never mind if there is no credibility behind the words. But I hope I am wrong. I hope Pak Lah is the 'real thing' who will bring about real change and make Malaysia a great nation.

I hope we do not get another 22 years of sandiwara, for I fear we may never have another golden opportunity as we now have to be a great nation.

Pak Lah is a man of destiny. Will he walk the talk and establish a legacy of being the greatest Malaysian statesman to walk this earth, a leader who dared bring his people to the global stage as a free, equal and united nation? Or will we, Malaysia, revert to a has been, third world nation?

Only time will tell and I am counting on Pak Lah to not waste this opportunity of a century to do the right thing. So help him, God.