Progressive or regressive

right after malaysia achieved independence,we had a lot of citizens who were progressive nation builders.they were dedicated to building an inclusive society that helped all to advance despite different races n religions.citizens like architect lim chong keat were bold n avant garde in their skills n professional integrity,lawyer tan sri PG Lim fought for the underprivileged,the women n trade unions,Mother Mangalam built Pure Life Orphanage that accepted orphans of all races instead of segregating them as she believed they would have better acceptance of all races if they grew up together under the same roof. but what have we turned into thro years of divisive policies of politicians who use race n religion to instill fear n hostility.have we become more open or closed to each other?have we progress or regress? does the civil service reflect the diversity of the nation?do our educational institutions reflect meritocracy?so have we made progress as we did in the early years of merdeka with forward looking citizens or have we turned closed minded n self protectionist? look at how far Singapore,Thailand n Vietnam have progressed? look at the strength of their currency and the drive to modernize the economy.where foreign investors put their money is a sign of their confidence or lack of confidence in the governance of the nation.