A sublime show of patriotism - on both sides

This is the introduction I wrote for my project page on the renditions of patriotic songs (notably, my ideas for Jalur Gemilang and La Marseillaise) :

A sublime show of patriotism - on both sides

On both sides, you ask ? Malaysians are meant to show allegiance to one homeland alone. Yes, I pledge my allegiance to Malaysia, and that is where my allegiance shall be, full stop. But also, I'd like to do a special something for my French brothers and sisters.

And how might I do this ?

Give everyone a heart-stopping rendition of the anthems/patriotic songs.

You may think this sounds crazy, but hey, crazy ideas are always the ones which work, in the end. It all started in 2007 when I wrote a two-part score for Jalur Gemilang (a Malaysian patriotic song). Only two parts, because I was pressed for time - I could have written three if I were given two weeks, but I only had two days to complete the score. The parts are simple, but they can move anyone - even the hardest of hearts - to tears. And that was exactly what I did during the Independence Day Congress back in 2007, in Putrajaya. The 1000-strong crowd was moved, at least. It's become a staple song for my choir, Ressonnant Inc., ever since.

So if I can transform a pretty bland song into a song brimming with emotion (note : the radio edit of Jalur Gemilang sounds pretty boring despite its marching pace), I can surely do the same for lots of other works.

Like, Negaraku and La Marseillaise, for instance.

Well, my purpose for actually commencing this project is just the same as that of my other songs : to touch the hearts of the normal civilian. I don't have the power and the calibre to move kings and dignitaries, just as was proven in the Independence Day Congress. What I can do, however, is move the ordinary person walking on the street, riding the bus or the subway, handling the household chores, or even going through the rigours of everyday life - and there are thousands out there, regardless of rank, ethnicity, belief or social class, that need to be fed with something that gives them strength, courage to carry on. There are lots of people everywhere that need to be given a reason to live, and I truly want to address this.

In the case of the project, which I shall hereafter call "Patriotism and Gift-Giving", there are thousands of people in Malaysia who walk the same roads day by day, asking themselves bleak questions that run along the lines of, among others,

What am I doing here ?
Why was I born here and not anywhere else ?
Where is there a trace of boleh in Bolehland ?

I am sometimes categorised as one of these people, and I don't need to look too far for signs of despair. A programme of three months, such as the National Service (which I'm bound to go for, very soon), does not seem to suffice to instill patriotism amongst our beloved compatriots. And recently, our Prime Minister launched the 1Malaysia campaign to reunite the people of Malaysia, but I don’t see many people walking the talk. The select few people who do so should be lauded.

And so I write - or, technically, rewrite - these songs of patriotism, and from the way I see it, they should be sung in one voice by all the people of the nation. I rewrite these songs in such a way that the people will see traces of hope in our beloved country. I rewrite these songs so that everyone sings together and no one shall ever be marginalised. Bringing back unity and hope to the people is what the reasonable Malaysian would do if he goes the extra mile for his compatriots : that is a true show of patriotism. Sadly enough, I don’t see this happening. I want to make it happen.

I'm sure the same thing happens in France, whose culture I have grown to love.

The subpages that follow include every single idea that comes to mind as I think about the melody and chords of each chant, and the emotions that arise with each word. It's a profound process, and perhaps a crazy idea at that, but I know it will bring hope.