Yes, but what are we transforming into?

In The Frog Prince, the intrusive amphibian was transformed into a handsome prince by the princess's compassion. In Beauty and the Beast, Beauty's kiss transformed the repulsive Beast into a handsome prince.

When we're talking about transformation, we tend to think of it as a change for the better. But how many of us bothered to ask why these handsome princes had been transformed into these unattractive creatures in the first place?

In the Disney version of Beauty and the Beast, the prologue very quickly tells us about an arrogant prince who had been transformed into the Beast as a punishment. I suppose the Frog Prince had also transgressed in some way to warrant his demotion.

This really is all to get me to my point. Driving home today, I saw a banner proclaiming this year's Merdeka slogan, "Transformasi Berjaya, Rakyat Sejahtera", and it got me thinking. 

(I know, I know, Merdeka day is over and yes, I knew what the theme was because my daughter told me.)

So back to what I was thinking. Of course, the slogan is all about the ETP, the much vaunted Economic Transformation Programme. And it's telling us that our happiness depends on its success so we'd better support it or else.

But the ETP aside, I do see Malaysia transforming but under a weak, indecisive leader, it's not looking pretty. There are different forces trying to drive an assortment of agendas – racial, religious, corporate, profiteering, etc – that's changing our country but not improving it.

At this point in history, as we embark on our 55th year of Merdeka, it looks like we're at the beginning of the fairytale, the part where the handsome prince was zapped into the Beast.