“Ask not what Sarawak can do for you—ask what you can do for Sarawak.”
As we celebrate Sarawak Day today (22 July), we at SarawakYES! thought it might be a good time to think about something other than just our studies or our careers. And with that in mind, we thought the immortal words of the 35th President of the United States of America John F Kennedy during his inaugural address on Jan 20, 1961 would be a great way to reflect on our role as the people of Sarawak.
Obviously the quote at the top wasn’t verbatim from the President’s speech but we thought it would help us focus on something important on Sarawak Day – what is it that YOU can do for Sarawak?
If you’re currently a student, that answer should be easy; it’s to do your best in your school, or college or university. Your extra effort, especially in academic endeavours and sporting activities, would also potentially bring glory not only to yourself and your school, but also to Sarawak. It doesn’t just apply to studies and sports though, as you can also contribute towards creating a better Sarawak by taking part in extra-curricular activities to benefit your local community. As for those of you who’ve just started working, you may feel there might not be much time in your busy schedule now to think about doing something for the service of Sarawak, since you have to focus on building your career right?
Actually, there’s a lot you can do for Sarawak and that includes volunteering in social work or at the very least giving your financial and moral support to social causes you believe in.
Or if you’re working in the public sector, maybe you can think of how you could improve your work to benefit not only your organisation but ultimately provide a better service to society.
Just remember, our contributions need not be grand gestures or sacrifices. They can be small and simple things.
As the recent World Cup showed us, even the simple act of cleaning up your stadium seat areas after a match can go a long way towards raising the reputation of your nation. That also brings us to an important point about how we could act when we travel outside Sarawak’s borders – if you’re proud to be Sarawakians, then you’d better be ready to also represent Sarawak in the best way you can. We could all probably start by not littering.
And so, fellow Sarawakians, as we celebrate this important day, please spend a few seconds to contemplate how each of us can do more for Sarawak today, tomorrow, and every day.
Happy Sarawak Day!
This is a weekly column by SarawakYES! – an initiative driven by Faradale Media-M Sdn Bhd and supported by Angkatan Zaman Mansang (AZAM) Sarawak – to provide advice and stories on the topics of education and careers to support Sarawakians seeking to achieve their dreams. Join us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
This article first appeared on The Borneo Post, visit this link: http://bit.ly/2JOBFbk
