In the US, everyone is equal, at least on paper.  But not in Malaysia, where if you’re a non-Malay, especially Chinese, you’re a second class citizen.  My parents had friends arrested in the middle of the night for some trumped up political charge.  If you think the police in the US are bad, check Malaysia out.  In fact, one of the reasons why I became a prosecutor and police advisor in the US, is because my opportunities to do so in Malaysia would be limited.

Regardless, I am proud to have been born and raised there (12 years). The best food in the world.  Two seasons – monsoon and hell.  Sea turtles, beaches, the rainforest.  Night markets, temples, caves.

A friend recently told me that one of his friends married her Malaysian husband because Malaysians seemed capable, passionate, and fierce.  Truth.  She forgot funny, intelligent, and humble.

Being Malaysian shaped my life.  It taught me how to work with different cultures. To learn to fight and live from a weaker position.  To punch above my weight.  To strive  to the end. To appreciate freedom.

Nonetheless, Tanah Tumpahnya Darahku.