In my interactions with the rakyat these past few weeks leading up to Merdeka Day, I was asked a number of questions on the state of our nation 52 years after achieving independence. In conjunction with this great occasion, I have summarised these questions, along with some passed along through my senior officers, and answered them below.

After 52 years of nationhood, how would you rate the state of our country in terms of race relations, development, economic competitiveness, and political maturity?

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Below is the translation of my National Day address delivered in conjunction with the 52nd year of Malaysia's independence.

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America lost a great statesman this week when Senator Ted Kennedy died. As the news poured in from the international media over the past few days, I was struck by what can be learned from this man's life. I had the pleasure of meeting Kennedy some time ago. I still remember well how warm and hospitable he was to me. I appreciated the gesture he made to acquaint myself to the Senate as he showed me around the vicinity. I reaffirmed my views then, that it was obvious that this dignified gentleman had a passion for politics in the very best sense. He wanted to make people's lives better. This is a big loss to the American people and especially to his family members and close circle of friends but we should look to his legacy to inspire us to build a brighter future.

Over his nearly five decades in the U.S. Senate, Kennedy became one of America's most important and influential politicians. He had a passion for listening to a wide variety of voices, building consensus across many different political interests, and writing legislation that made sense to the American people. Some of these issues are not easy for any country to resolve, but as Senator Kennedy's life has shown, sometimes we must accept the challenge of moving mountains if we are to move ourselves as a people.

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