The Malaysian Insight

WHAT is your Merdeka? Happy? Sad? In despair? Angry? Fuming mad? Hunky dory? Blue skies and everything nice?

If you trawl through what the chatterati are saying in Malaysian cyberspace, you get a deluge of anger and despair, but if you went for the parade this morning in Putrajaya, you get smiles and laughter.

We have much to be angry about. Yet, we also have much to be happy about. Yes, black days for Sisters In Islam, for an insolent fugitive preacher, for those who think this country belongs to only one demographic and so many other issues that rile most of us up.

Yet, today is an exceptionally clear blue skies day in the Klang Valley, at least for those taking time off from their social media to enjoy the day Malaya got its independence 62 years ago. 

It is said that Malaya got its independence on a silver platter, for the right to rule ourselves and not by colonialists from another side of the world who took our riches of tin and rubber and services to build their empire.

But it took our own blood, sweat and tears to keep it together, if you care to watch this.

These soldiers have a story that many of us don’t know or remember. That we take what we have for granted and focus on issues that divide us while seeking for the government of the day to solve these issues to our satisfaction. 

That won’t happen in the delicate balance that Malaysia stands. 

So, some of us are happy, some of us are pissed off. It will always be that really.

See, we will always these moments in which we don’t want to fly the flag, in which we feel we’re less and less the Malaysia we know and love.

We will always have these moments when we despair and get disappointed with fellow Malaysians and leaders, who we feel are less and less the Malaysians we know and love.

We didn’t choose to be Malaysians; we were born here, unlike some who want to be part of Malaysia. But we can choose to be the best Malaysians by doing our part in making it a better Malaysia.

We can and should keep the government honest; we can and should ensure there’s a better Malaysia. We can and should work together for all of us to have a Malaysia we want.

Our responsibility doesn’t start and end with a vote. It is a continuous process, starting with a vote and then ensuring promises are kept and no one is left behind. 

Because no one can take Malaysia away from you, except yourself. So, go enjoy this Merdeka and Malaysia Day in 16 days time. 

And work for the Malaysia that we should be. For all of us Malaysians. – August 31, 2019.

* Jahabar Sadiq runs The Malaysian Insight.