The Malaysian Insight

FOR many younger Malaysians who voted for the first time in the 14th general election, this Merdeka celebration feels different.

Many contributed to the decade-long struggle by the then opposition to remove Barisan Nasional from power. 

Unlike those before them, this batch of first-timers helped make it happen with their votes.

Now, they feel upbeat about the future while they hope their decision on May 9 will bring a new and better Malaysia.

“We want to repair what is needed to build a new Malaysia. Young voters like me are placing high hopes on this change,” said Saiyidah Zafirah Muhd Zafri, 24.

“I am very proud that I helped Pakatan Harapan win to change the government.

“It is not that I hate the former BN government but I just thought it was time for a change in the administration.”

The teacher from Setapak said she was more excited about putting up the Jalur Gemilang at her home and on her car.

“The feeling is really a little different from the previous years. I think maybe this excitement also represents how we feel as Malaysians, who are united regardless of our race,” Saiyidah said.

Universiti Malaysia Sarawak student Nurul Ihsani Abd Ghani, 24, is just as excited and is even planning to hike up Gunung Serapi in Sarawak with her friends. 

“We will take the national flag along, too,” the sociology and anthropology student from Perak said.

“I often go hiking but never with the Jalur Gemilang. This Merdeka, we all just feel different. It’s a positive difference because we have a new government.”

Nurul Ihsani wanted to see a change in government for years, since she registered as a voter when she turned 21 three years ago.

First-time voters are generally those aged 21 to 29. They make up 17% of the 14.94 million voters in the electoral roll up to April. 

The states with the highest number of first-time voters are Selangor and Johor.

Nur Laila Rahmat from Ampang is not as adventurous as Nurul Ihsani and her friends. She only stuck a Jalur Gemilang on her car to celebrate Merdeka with the new government.

She said she wanted to do it because she felt she was part of the change on May 9.

“I never felt like doing that in previous years because people would not see it as an act of patriotism or love for the country.

“It would just mean you supported BN. That sort of thing was politicised,” said the 28-year-old first-time voter in the recent polls.

Palpable excitement

Meanwhile, in Penang, first-time voter Teh Pei Thing, 24, also said she found Merdeka more meaningful this year since the change of government.

“I feel more excited this year. ‘Lebih bersemangat’, you know? I plan to put up a small Jalur Gemilang at my house,” the tuition teacher from Kepala Batas said.

She said before the government changed on May 9, like many other youth, she felt hopeless.

“Many of us didn’t like the old government, and felt like moving away. Talent were unappreciated. You felt like you didn’t have opportunities and could not develop your potential.”

Although Teh realised that the new government was just less than four months old, she said she felt more optimistic about the future.

“I know we don’t see much difference yet. It’s still too soon to know how well this new administration will do. But at least now I feel we have hope.”

Aqil Junaidi, 24, who also voted the first time in GE14, said he felt different this Merdeka, too.

The Kajang youth said he felt more relieved and at peace this year, compared with the National Day celebration last year. 

“It is like we are celebrating Merdeka 2.0. The first Merdeka was independence from the colonial masters. This time, we freed ourselves from the old government.”

But Aqil, who works for a civil society organisation, said he has no plans to fly the national flag on Merdeka.

He said one did not need to show patriotism and love for the country by displaying or waving the flag.

“I believe we will do that best by serving our society and local communities. We should show how we love Malaysia through more meaningful actions like helping others,” he said.

At GE14, Aqil was involved with Liga Pemuda Malaysia, a youth organisation with members from all kinds of background who wanted to make Malaysia a better place.

The organisation also helped PH candidates campaign.

The Merdeka celebrations this year are held in Putrajaya.

When launching the fly the Jalur Gemilang 2018 campaign, Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad said the Merdeka celebrations this year would be more meaningful as the people have saved Malaysia from kleptocracy. – August 31, 2018.