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I wish now is 1957.

Dear Jeff ..
There's nothing to shout about our nation's 49 the birthday.
Maybe I had one wishes ... A Bachelor PM for M'sia. Then only we wont have problems from his/her family members.
Remember India's BJP leader Atal Behari Vajpayee. A Great Bachelor leader !!

I wish Malaysian can grow-up.
Happy 49th Merdeka!

sure, roll back the clock. given the benefit of hint sight, i suspect sarawakians and sabahans would not have voted to form malaysia with the malayan states. or at least would have left with lky...

lsk,
We S'wakians dont really have a choice back then, so we live with it.

Peace! and Prosperity!

We are more unite last time compared to now.

We are unite when we out from Malaysia and we call ourself Malaysian, but when back to Malaysia, it totally different scenario. We will call ourself Chinese, Malays, Indian, etc.... But i think the root cause is still man-made policies by Government thru out the years even before Merdeka. hai...

Happy Merdeka, Malaysian...

jeff:

just use your channel to inform your esteemedreaders that Desi has been hosting, with six/seven other bloggers, an Essay Series on "My Merdeka Wish for NegaraKu" since six days back. Would like to invite your "conversationists" here to come over for a tehtarik, and if like, leave some foot, or paw prints. Yeah, shoot the hoRst if you're thus inclined. I ain't no Guna clone, tho journalist I'd be, not very rpoud tho the way the estate is working out, or down? "AP Merdeka everybody, despite ..." ~~ Desi

mkm says something that's a hangover from history in:

http://tinyurl.com/mpyrw

it would however only be linear if the other communities are not citizens born of the same land that in the same breath is asked of them to espouse in spirit by govt and all.

Safe the fireworks, do something useful.

i agree with chia. what's there to celebrate with all these gaduh-gaduh from our MPs, esp. on racial/religion matters (and not forget silly actions like burning of US flags). 49 years old already and yet out MPs are behaving like kids.

what is my wish? no point as it won't come true. :(

Wishing for the Reps and Government to come clean instead of fooling lock, stock, and barrel out of its citizens.

Wishful thinking, maybe.

I wish Malaysians will be colorblind. Maybe it would be better for us to see the nation just like how most of us, who never managed to see Tunku Abdul Rahman proclaimed "Merdeka!" in real life, see the famous photo, black and white...

Happy Merdeka Day!!!

I wish the magic lamp really works! It's frightening to know what's happening in this country.

I WISH TO BE REBORN AS UMNOPUTRA!!!!!

I suppose slogan shouting is favourite past time for some. My wish is to have all racial-based political parties to be abolished, and move forward as Bangsa Malaysia, Malaysian Malaysia. As long as we continued to fight and pursue the rights and privilages for each individual race, I see no end or light at the end of our current situation.

Happy Merdeka to all.

I shall stand up straight at midnight tonight with my right hand over my heart, weeping while I hear the Negaraku being played.

Happy Merdeka! Are we?

Bare in mind that the real Malaysia national day are September 16, 1963.

I don't think this country will go far if politikus keep ignoring the REAL MALAYSIA DAY.

lsk : it is bold thinking since nobody can predict the future. In the 70's to early 80's, many Malaysian refuse to accept Singapore dollar because of "smaller values" compare to ringgit. And not to forget the 70's ringgit are KING in Taiwan. then everything is history now.

Emm...

In terms of politics... wish we will have a strong multiracial-based party that can challenge BN in the next or next-next general election. What about having a Gerakan-Keadilan merger, since both are multiracial-based parties?! With their vast experience in governance, Gerakan can help to strengthen the party, while Keadilan, with their multiracial image can continue to attract Malaysians from all walks of life.

Sounds ridiculous? :)

Hi everyone this is my first posting..MERDEKA?? Is this the time to think about how we achieve it or just another public holiday? Another parade going on during 31 August 2006, you can see Jalur Gemilang everywhere but the main issue is do you know what’s the use of Jalur Gemilang? What’s the purpose? Meaning of the flag? Each and every part of it has a meaning but I don’t see Malaysian (only applicable to certain ppl) really know the reason behind Jalur Gemilang, they just know “Oh that’s a Malaysia flag” and that’s all. For example the dark blue canton in the upper left quarter symbolises the unity of the Malaysian people. Is there any UNITY in Malaysia? Go figure it out yourself. Therefore those who do not trust unity or do not have any idea the meaning of unity can just ignore 31 August and treat it as a public holiday. It’s a total disgrace to us fellow Malaysian and you can just address yourself according to your religion.

Happy celebrating Merdeka to those who are proud to be a Malaysian.

let us remember, on merdeka day 2006, the founding fathers of malaysia. surely they will weep with us when they see how the initial ideals have been forgotten, how the constitutions have been eroded and how the judiciary was destroyed and the country being gradually islamised/arabised.

On the eve of the 49th Merdeka Day, many thoughts go through the mind. It is a time of stock taking for Malaysians. The country has gone through all these years and have we in any sense move closer to National Unity. If not, dig in and find out why? If yes, is there any vestiges that suggest that we are a united nation!

There is a need to have a clear mindset and a mindset devoid of vestiges of discriminating practices. We must remember that no community in this country is a whipping boy of another community!

This goes to young and upcoming politicians who always want to rise through 'helicoptor' ride to the top using racial connotation to damn one community so as to show that he is the champion of the race and feel very proud to be so! So political chicanery must be condemned. Again loyalty to a country does not mean loyalty to the government of the day, it is LOYALTY to KING and Country!

On the eve of this 49th Mederka celebration, my only wish is to see that there is equity, fairness and justice for all communities which make up this country so that we can be an example of a united nation of diverse people and culture.

Going home now for BBQ. We got chicken, prawn, hotdogs, and ermm... pork (gotta have it while we can still get it). Finally, I got my passport done. Well, you just never know. Now I don't really need to "change my lifestyle" because of that matter.

Celebrate? I think the government has failed to differentiate between love for the country and love for the political power of the day. National Day celebration should be devoid of any political undertone. It must cut across all barriers of races, culture, religion and political inclinations. However, I still see UMNO flags being flown on the lamp-posts when we should only be seeing our Malaysian flags. I somehow feel that the Malays have hijacked the country to be their own; they does not value the roles played by the non-Malays in nation-building. It is little wonder if the non-Malays feel alienated. So what if the government now call for more non-Malay participations in the universities, immigration, police, army and the other civil services to better reflect the racial composition? I feel really sad that we have retrogressed very badly in race relations and mutual tolerance.

I am much older than the country and I have seen how we lost the muhibbah touch that we had in the 60's and 70's. I believe that the Mahathir administration have destroyed the goodwill among the races by allowing the education policy and the economic policy to further separate the races. Our education system did not teach the children to love one another as fellow human beings. They were not taught to be caring and loving. Instead of integration, we have grown further apart. I read the web blogs and weep at the amount of anger, hatred and venom expressed. How did this happened? Why are the young people today so angry? It was not so during my time. This is a very bad omen for the country.

With less than 3 hours away from Merdeka, my spirit does not rejoice. I cannot rejoice when I see our leaders, insptead of holding the nation together, are tearing it apart instead for their selfish political agendas. In fact, I am hoping that there is this glimmer of hope that our senior political leaders will have the courage to step out and arrest the decay that took place since the early 80's.

May God be merciful to our nation.

My wish for this Merdeka Celebration is to have the PM act aggresively in curtailing corruption, the root of all evil in Malaysia. Fire all those corrupted Ministers and politicians just like the President of Chad firing three Ministers at one go. Show them who is PM or who is Boss Mr PM.

rocktree: "I read the web blogs and weep at the amount of anger, hatred and venom expressed. How did this happened? Why are the young people today so angry? It was not so during my time. This is a very bad omen for the country."

______________

As I write this I can see fireworks exploding from my window. Just now when I bought something, the young Malay girl at the counter wished me in English: "Happy Independence Day!"

At the same time I meet people who tell me to my face that it's crazy to stay in Malaysia or ask me what I think. And really, what is there to say in response?

Farish Noor wrote in The Sun today that there is nothing essentially Malaysian about us. It's just that we all happen to live on the same patch of land. And you, someone who is older than this country, said the Malaysia of old is dead and gone. So the question is, what should we do next?

Like Rocktree, I am older than the nation. And I recall a time when things were different. Much different.

Not only more muhibbah, but also a government which was to my mind more trustworthy and more trusted. Ministers who worked for the good of the nation, not a particular race only. A time when one's word was honoured, not used for propaganda purposes and discarded at will without batting an eyelid.

I do not recall folks spouting "for bangsa, agama", and then finally, "negara". With the number of folks spouting that line nowadays, I do not think it is some simple error; rather it may point to a sizeable number of folks actually putting bangsa above negara. Our loyalty in those days was to the nation, now, it is often put as "to the kerajaan", which, if we look carefully, is more likely to mean to the ruling coalition and by extension, certain race-based political parties, and that means a bangsa.

Nor did we have the widespread kiasu culture infecting practically all aspects of Malaysian activities these days, from the way people coud not care less how they park to smoking in air-conditioned restaurants to using "grab and tar-pow" tactics (and they go well armed with plastic containers even!) at AGM buffets.

Back then anyone who was so blatantly selfish was frowned upon by everyone else around, and soon stopped their nonsense. Nowadays, the worngdoers are more likely to retaliate with something like "So what? Who are you to tell me off?" or worse.

Back then, when we made a mistake, we apologised for our error. When we said something which hurt others' feelings, we offered our sincere apologies even when we had not intended to offend. We never said "if we truly fight for our race, one should not apologise".

The nation has moved forward in many ways, but in many other ways, it has gone way downhill. Indeed, this has been one of the saddest Hari Merdeka I have ever had.

So my Merdeka wish is for Pak Lah to be blessed with all the wisdom, strength and health to lead the nation away from the dark paths ahead.

And may some new young leaders emerge who can salvage the future of the nation. Some young people with integrity, moral fibre and true sense of fairplay and justice.

Keranamu Malaysia.

This year, the "merdeka spirit" seems weak, very weak. The government knows it. That is why there is a "decree"
for prominent businesses to fly the flag "or else" they (the businesses) may get a surprise visit! I can't remember when the last time this
government (or any other government) issued such threats. I always thought that patriotism comes from the heart and cannot
be forced down someone's throat. The number of residential houses and cars flying the flag is negligible. I was given a flag to
adorn by car, but it will remain curled up in the boot. It will not see the light of merdeka day.
Why? Because there is no feel good factor. Almost every day/week, we are bombarded by idiotic actions and by equally idiotic
inactions by politicians and people entrusted with power and responsibilities.
Let's start at the top ie our "work-with-me" PM. Since coming into power, and up till last week, I can only think of 1 deed that
I can give him credit for. By this week though, that tally is now 2! 1st was when he declared that the National Pollution Index is
NOT a national secret! Hooray! 2nd was when he said that SME loans are for all SMEs irregardless of race! It remians to be seen
whether this will be filtered down the hierarchy.
Conversely, I can think of many inactions which shall go down as missed opportunities. Missed because if appropriate actions had
been taken, his status in the eyes of Joe public would have been elevated and would have contributed to the feel-good factor.
1) After taking a helicopter ride with the "semua-nya-ok" CM, he should have demanded for his resignation. The controversies
surrounding this CM is still brewing and his sacking of the mayor does not help.
2) He should have revamped his oversized cabinet and got rid of some dead and rotten wood. Instead, he enlarged it!
Why is there a need to have a lower education and higher education ministry? Recent events in some local universities and the atrocious
english tests in some primary schools bears testimony that these ministries are not doing their jobs properly.
3) His own deputy at the Internal Security ministry should have been sacked or demoted after he opened his big mouth without first
engaging brain. Truly a missed opportunity.
4) The Umno youth chief should have been publicly told off for insensitive keris wielding. He is still being adamant about his action.
5) The deputy Umno youth chief should also be publicly told off for uttering sensitive matters in a back-fired bid to attract/divert attention.
6) The fat lady "don't-come-here-if-you-dont-like-our-rules" minister is experiencing burnt out syndrome and should be retired to graze.
7) The sports minister should be publicly whipped (or do 50 pushups) for hatching a stillborn idea of spending an obscene amount on an
overseas sports centre whose benefits are at best, debatable.
8) The "act-of-god" works minister is obviously past his sell by date what with the MRR2, hospitals, trade centre fiascos.
9) If the Local Authority minister has no authority over local authorities, then either the name of his ministry be changed or laws be amended
to give him/her such authority. Otherwise, the little napoleons will progress to become little emperors.

I can think of many more such examples but I will be hogging the blog. Tell me, is there any reason to celebrate? I, for one shall celebrate with a cold beer not because today is merdeka day but because it is a holiday! Cheers everyone.

Usually on this day declared as our 'Independence Day' I'll slowly watch the fireworks from the Sunway Lagoon theme park which is situated behind my house (some 2km's away). At the stroke of midnight (since 1999) I can see the Sphinx silhouette and the Pyramid illuminated from the fireworks coming from the affiliated theme park next to it.

Sis will call me from my room and I'll join her to watch (her bedroom window is wider). Mum will be awaken from her sleep via our joyful "Oohs and Ahhs" and steps up to the window with us to watch the 6 minute pyrotechnics display. After that it was gone. Mum goes back to her sleep while Dad is snoring away downstairs on the couch with the TV blaring "MERDEKA!! MERDEKA!!" set to a backdrop of revellers at Dataran Merdeka (Freedom Square) or KLCC in Kuala Lumpur.

I wonder how many of us do remember the significance this day is? I'm sure this question has been asked many times and been answered rhetorically.

Since 2001 after the devastating 9/11 incident. The following Merdeka had it in me to realise (at that time) that Malaysia's independence makes it different from other countries that are suffering from war, strife and poverty. That I am lucky to be living in a country that is safe and peaceful.

But that held bubble will be burst looking at the current tensions of politics ridden within the government and party leaders. No longer was the ideal of the Independence forefathers are held; everyone to their own or should I say each race to its own. The very fabric of our multiracial society is slowly torn asunder by these developments; I echo the sentiments of the other commenters on this blog who are pessimistic of this years Merdeka.

Ironically this is the year onset before we celebrate Independence of Half a Century. As bleak as it seems, I can only make a wish of hope on this country's 49th Birthday that Malaysia will pull itself together and work towards a meaningful 50th.

Selamat Menyambut Hari Kemerdekaan Yang Ke-49 Kepada Para Pembaca dan Komentar Laman Blog Ini.

I wish we never got independence from the British.

Same here, spaceman.

For what it worth,

I will be able walk down the street and swear at the PM (Tony in this case) for his stupid decision, without fear of being "executed".

Having a chance to shoot at Oxford and study medicine. (Just to state the fact, not to brag.. I was probably ranking within top 20 in the whole nation that time) In bolehland, due to my race, I wasn't even offered a seat in public university. After graduated from one of the local private university. I realize my degree weight less then a piece of A4 paper if I try to venture outside bolehland. Whatever I learn is obsolete, outdated or outright useless in real world.

Thank you Malaysia, for being independence, for making me cling to my current career because of my cert is useless, for legalize racial discriminations and finally for screwing up my life.

Happy Independence Day.

"Happy Holiday" will be more apropriate.

Does anyone knows who was the VIP dressed in strips sitting on the far right while Tunku raised his hand... 'Merdeka' ?
Why were they not standing during this improtant moment?

Bare in mind that the real Malaysia national day are September 16, 1963.

I don't think this country will go far if politikus keep ignoring the REAL MALAYSIA DAY.

bear in mind too that malaysia day is totally different than merdeka day. both serve different purposes lah.

Our Merdeka theme/slogan is 'Keranamu Malaysia'. I really wonder what it really means. Does it means, that we celebrate because of Malaysia, the land that gave us aplenty and a right to live in peace and harmony? Or does it means something else?

The many banners I see attached to the lamp-posts still carried pictures of the national monument to remind us of the slain soldiers who fought for our independence. Why, I ask, must we be shackled to the past as if we are demonized by it? That we cannot move forward in unity of our strength? Why not a picture of our multi-racial enthnicity with joy and laughter reflected on our faces? I really miss this. We need to be reminded of our achievements and not be chained to what has already happened. As a country blessed with so much natural resources and freed from natural calamities we only read about but almost never experience directly, we SHOULD BE relishing in our common bond of enjoying a nationhood. Look forward, not back. Look at the greatness of who and what we can be, not be infantile in our thoughts, fighting the ghosts of our past or fearing each other. There is enough for every race to share if we are not greedy or demanding. We ought to be strong by recognizing the strength and contributions of every races that make up our great nation. Instead we are destroying our society by implanting doubts, fears and hatred. I dare say that much of the so-called muhibbah today are put up for show, with sincerity lacking. I really want to feel a brotherhood and sisterhood with my Malay brothers and sisters without having to worry over the keris of religious intolerance and racial threat over my head. My wish for Malaysia and all our people today is this:

That we see beyond our skin colours, beyond our religion, beyond our material and social status. That we see each other as sojourners on this blessed piece of land that we called HOME, not by choice but because we were born here. We struggled together to make Malaysia what she is today. We must make it even greater. So my other wish is that we do not allow narrow-minded politicians and extremist elements in our midst to destroy our faith for each other. I really hope that whatever I read on the blogs are not representative of the common feelings of the raakyat for each other, whatever our background. Hidup Malaysia because we are sane enough not to abandon ship or fight each other. Let us learn that unity is indeed strength.

I wish you all well, in health and in spirit.

Banjaran wrote:
Farish Noor wrote in The Sun today that there is nothing essentially Malaysian about us. It's just that we all happen to live on the same patch of land. And you, someone who is older than this country, said the Malaysia of old is dead and gone. So the question is, what should we do next?

Malaysians are funny people. When there are real issues affecting us, we remain quiet, like lambs being led to slaughter. But we are quite happy to be in the protest lines demanding the withdrawal of Israelite troops from Lebanon, etc.

What can we do next? I believe our political leaders know what to do but are imprisoned by the culture of corruption and fear of severe racial and religious repercussions NOT to act as they should. I believe they are aware that acting correctly and according to their conscience is like removing a crucial piece from a building block set because it will only cause the entire set to collapse.

I am sad that we have reached thus far in our nation-building to see that we have really not built much at all. Instead, like the building block set, we have built it haphazardly which is in real danger of toppling by some insensitive actions or remarks. We do not have the luxury of starting all over. Only a tragedy will force us to do that, like what happened to Japan after the WW2. I shudder to think of this possibility for our nation.

Instead, I believe there is something we can do. Raise up alternative leadership for the citizens to make a choice. A BN Baru ought to be a feasible step. The Internet is another area that responsible citizens can protest to the government their unhappiness. Although we may not see changes immediately, at least there is the hope that people power will move the way the government act. People power has been the way many regimes have given way to change government so is a practical way for us to change our government policies.

Remember the football tournament, Piala Merdeka. We we so strong then, in the 70s & 80s. Now, what had happened?

It is the same that is happening to our country now. Can we save Malaysia?

Selamat Cuti

Remember the football tournament, Piala Merdeka. We we so strong then, in the 70s & 80s. Now, what had happened?

It is the same that is happening to our country now. Can we save Malaysia?

Selamat Cuti

Came across this somewhat dated article - but on this Merdeka anniversary, lets relook at ourselves as "Malaysians" ...

MALAYSIA - “Truly Asia” or An Illusion of Purity ?

There is still time to return Malaysia to its tradition of liberal Islam and being regarded as “Truly Asia”.
- SUNANDA K. DATTARAY. The Telegraph, December 2002.

You can get away in Malaysia by recalling that Tunku Abdul Rahman’s mother was Thai but mention of Mahathir Mohamad’s Indian father is strictly taboo. Nor are the imprisoned Anwar Ibrahim’s Tamil antecedents or the Chinese ancestry of his wife, Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, the National Justice Party leader who says Sonia Gandhi is her role model, ever spoken of.
Ironically, from the first prime minister to the present incumbent, almost every architect of the Bangsa Melayu and bumiputra policies to accord political and economic primacy to Malays has himself been of mixed descent. The second paradox is that the very words bangsa and bumiputra (like hundreds more) contradict the illusion of genetic purity that shapes Malaysian politics. They reveal a cultural mix, especially a Hindu leavening that makes Malaysia attractively relaxed and unique in the Islamic world.

With Mahathir about to step down after more than two decades in office, and Islamic extremism threatening to ravage society, the continued need for ethnic discrimination is being closely examined. Malaysia has made epochal progress under Mahathir. But senior politicians predict that globalization will necessitate a review and that though affirmative action served a purpose, “these privileges can’t be expected to last forever”. Even Mahathir sometimes speaks of Bangsa Malaysia, suggesting a common identity that takes precedence over the dubious notion of Bangsa Melayu on which everything still hinges.
Race is a beguiling myth in Southeast Asia. Two handsome young men at a party whom I took to be Malays turned out to have Bengali surnames and a Chinese mother. I have since come across the term Chindian. Malays are that and much more. But demographic expediency has extended the bumiputra label beyond Indian Muslims to the tribes of Sarawak and Sabah. Many Chinese (26 per cent) and Indians (9 per cent) also question the validity of Bahasa (India again!) Melayu, holding that Bahasa Malaysia would be a more apt description for an eclectic tongue that has no script of its own, uses phonetic spelling — stessen, kaunter, tiket — to indigenize everyday English words, and is not the exclusive prerogative of the Malays.
One day, perhaps, pragmatic arguments will prevail over fantasy and someone who is not a bumiputra becomes prime minister. It might be the only way of arresting the tide of fanaticism reflected in the onward sweep of Parti Islam seMalaysia (PAS), the rise of madrasahs and of militant groups like Jemaah Islamiah and Kumpulan Militan Malaysia, with Pakistani and Afghan links. It would also be a worthy achievement for a nation whose history can be traced to Srivijaya glory.
Indian influence did not end there. An elderly Chinese recalls that he saw Nargis’s Mother India no fewer than nine times in the Malayan kampong of his youth. But such tastes are frowned on today. Condemning the Hindi cinema’s influence, the deceased poet, Usman Awang, winner of Malaysia’s National Laureate award, deplored, “Even my small grandchildren know how to sing Hindustan (sic) songs like Kuch Kuch Hota Hai.”
The complex is strongest in Melaka (Malacca) and Kedah, both sites of early Hindu civilizations whose existence is vigorously denied or studiously ignored. Authority bestows approval on Parameswara, the Sumatran prince who ruled Temasek (Singapore) before crossing the straits to Melaka, only after he converted to Islam and became Iskandar Shah, ancestor of the sultans of Perak and Johore. He was a bad monarch for thirty-two years in Temasek, they say, but wondrously good as Melaka’s sultan for eleven. But even as the paragon of Islamic piety, he called his laws the Hukum Kanun Melaka.
Kedah (Kadaram) on the Thai border, the first landfall of Indian navigators and ultimately incorporated in the Srivijaya empire, is Malaysia’s richest architectural site. Describing the fourth century Hindu deities found in the Bujang Valley there, Anthony Spaeth wrote in Time Magazine that “the official literature does its best to downplay, even denigrate, the Indian impact on the region.” The grudging admission that maritime trade led to Kedah’s “Indianization” prompted Spaeth’s conclusion that “an Indian Malaysian visiting the Bujang Valley might come away feeling demeaned rather than proud — and that would be no accident.”
Thus is the past distorted to serve the present. Princes and politicians worship the rising sun. Iskandar Shah sent tribute to the Ming emperors. Mahathir’s 1982 Look East policy abolished Bahasa Inggeris from schools because it was possible for Japan to flourish without English. Now, he has turned to booming China, setting a target of half a million Chinese tourists for next year. India in decline ceased to count. But fresh economic ties, especially huge and lucrative highway projects and palm oil exports, are being forged as India opens up to the world.
Eventually, this profitable new connection is bound to benefit Indian Malaysians who have the lowest share of Malaysia’s corporate wealth: 1.5 per cent against 19.4 per cent for Malays and 38.5 per cent for the Chinese. Not surprisingly, Indians (85 per cent Tamil) claim the highest rate of infant mortality, illiteracy, gangsterism, domestic violence, suicide and arrests. Some 15 per cent of the Indians in Kuala Lumpur are squatters. Astounding amidst such rapid progress, a small Indian community in Kedah was without electricity.
In contrast, the Chinese rode piggyback on the special favours meant for Malays to control commerce, manufacturing, construction, sophisticated banking and financial and capital services. Robert Kuok, the Hong Kong -based tycoon, is Malaysian; so is Lim Goh Tong, the billionaire contractor who runs gambling casinos in Genting, Malaysia as well as in Connecticut, USA. Even the Chinese businessman, Heng Suan Lim, accused of match-fixing in the Bruce Grobbelar scandal, was Malaysian. It is not only that the Chinese are more enterprising; they are also far better served by their political organizations and leaders.
Overlooking these internal contradictions, many Westerners see Malaysia as ideal ballast for stability in an increasingly volatile region. Malaysia could fulfill that promise but only if it takes full advantage of the multi-racial, multi-cultural legacy with which it has been blessed. The contrary insistence on a mythic unitary culture encourages fundamentalism, with the Parti Islam which already governed Kelantan scoring a stunning victory in oil-rich Terengganu at the expense of Mahathir’s Barisan Nasional coalition. The full horrors of hands being chopped off and people being stoned to death are being discussed, but, as in India, such is the crippling power of vote banks that Kuala Lumpur is unable — or unwilling — to take a public stand against state laws that violate the federal constitution.
Mahathir has turned what was a village farming cum plantation society into a prosperous trading community. He has built glittering highways, airports, dams, mass transit systems and the Twin Towers. The per capita income has soared from $1,357 to $4,305 without destroying Malay society’s simple charm. His failure includes the weakening of the judiciary and tolerance of corruption; and in the government’s primary education policy which forced the three races to retreat into ghettoes - 95 per cent of the Chinese attending Chinese-language schools and 70 per cent of Indians going to Tamil schools. Malays favour madrasahs that are a breeding ground of fanaticism.
There are other straws in the winds of bigotry. A Malaysian friend declined a drink in my hotel bar because, he explained, the religious police swarmed everywhere, indistinguishable in civilian disguise. Young couples are constantly being charged with the offence of khalwat, or close proximity. If this continues, Malaysia runs the danger of becoming the Saudi Arabia of Southeast Asia.
America’s war on terrorism is only one reason why a country with a rich past and a richer potential must be rescued from such a bleak future. Malaysia’s own heritage provides the more compelling argument for rejecting the stampede into fundamentalism. Mahathir has begun to revise school policy, reinstate English, cut madrasah grants and clamp down on fundamentalist organizations. In the 10 months that remain, he must also revive the liberal Islam that is the Malay’s birthright if Malaysia is to remain one nation emotionally instead of splintering into three.

And then hope that the next Prime Minister – Abdullah Badawi – follows through on this …

For the first time in 47 years, I have no mood for Merdeka. One of Malaysian endearing spirit was 'to forgive and forget' both ways. Come tomorrow, will the government extends an olive branch to our Tun Dr.Mathadir? Will Guna and Jeff patch up for the sake of internet freedom? Probably not...and I have to take side...sigh.

I wondered who's Merdeka is it this time.

I will never forget last years merdeka celebration. i was let down by a drinking buddy who had to leave early and I instictively made my way by putraline to titus blues in chinatown. By then the pub had changed management and was renamed "the wall". That was a shame as Titus was a Malaysian of Indian origin and his manageress was a sarawkian. The new owner was an Ang Moh who was a frequent jammer on stage during the time of titus.He kept the manageress though. Inside there were Malaysians of all types and more Ang Moh's. There were drug addict looking malays, with their ruffle long hair, pretty spg's, chinese, gragos and more indians. I came at the right time as Fazy, A muslim from mauritius had just walked in with his drummer and bassist. both Indian or unknown origin. His music was ecstatic. He played the guitar with gutso and everyone was mesmerised. The malay (or sarawak) bartender was cheering him on and the atmosphere was fantastic. It was one of those magical nights i will cherish. they hung a huge Malaysian flag at the entrance. I left at 3am just in time to catch the last monorail for home.
Nobody in that place care a damn about any moral police force. We would have known how to deal with that kind of situation. Most are pub veterans. And jalan bandar police station is just a stone's throw away. I suppose the last bastion of multiculturism is in the pubs.

I have always been very proud as malaysian... always BEEN... Unfortunately, now if you ask me again... i am really not sure :( I had some discussion with many close associates... they are saying the same over and over again.

Now I am very much convinced. It is always good to have a plan B... FYI, I am looking forward to a new migration plan...!

I might sound pathetic... but the fact is on the daily basis, I cant help losing faith in this country.... God Bless.

I agree with some of the comments here. We would be better off if merdeka never happened. Our merdeka fathers would never have envisioned being second class citizens in a country where they fought for independence. I rather sing God Save the Queen than Negaraku.

I can certainly understand the feelings of many who opine that they are planning to emigrate to greener pastures, or at least have that 'escape plan' ready.

I can understand the feelings of the large number of my own family members and friends who have already left.

But I personally feel that this is my homeland. My ancestors toiled together with the ancestors of most other Malaysians (of all races) to build the nation up.

(c.f. the lineage of some vocal loud mouths whose ancestors may not have done so! Or at least for as long.)

JEFF OOI says: Historically true.My grandfather came down from Fujian to northern Malaya in 1912, lived through the Japanese Occupation, the Emergency, and the Konfrontasi, and remained in Kedah till he died, as a citizen,in 1977. He actually rooted us in Malaysia earlier than the fathers of Syed Hamid Albar and Khir Toyo. Of course, that's only historically speaking, which carries little political significance.

Together with Tunku, Malayans of other races fought for Independence. Indeed, PAS recently commented that even the Communist (as in MCP) played a role in fighting for Independence, and their opinion is correct, I think.

We all have a right to be here.

Indeed, we all have a duty to be here.

If their are racist out to spawn disunity, if there are those out to disenfranchise certain races, if there are those out to undo much of what the nation's founding fathers and our ancestors strove so hard to build, it will be so much harder if large numbers of Malaysians, especially those in the groups which are facing threats to their rights and the fair-minded Malaysians, leave.

At the end of the day, the power to influence govt decision making is all a numbers game.

Those who leave make it very much harder for those who stay, either because they have no choice, or because they want to stay.

(To put it in another way - think about why the racists try so hard to make it uncomfortable for certain groups of Malaysians. Would leaving be helping and abetting the racists?)

As I have already stated above, we all have a duty to be here.

Keranamu Malaysia.

We could be better off if we are left with the British rule. We could even be better than Singapore but it the other way round. A very sad day to celebrate Merdeka.

If the UMNO Ministers/Youth can learn from this ordinary rakyat from Penang (MOHD JAMIL BIN ABDUILLAH), then the road to unity in Malaysia will not be too distant. Hope that it will not take another 49 years.

The Straits Times
Saturday, September 02, 2006

S'pore Malays can hold heads high

MALAYSIA'S Deputy Home Minister has drawn fire for a remark made last week that he sympathises with Penang Malays who do not want to end up like Malays in Singapore.

Datuk Dr Abdul Latiff Ahmad made the remarks while opening an Umno delegates conference in Bukit Mertajam.

'I understand they do not want to end up becoming like the Malays in Singapore,' he told delegates at the meeting.

But, reacting to his remarks, a reader of The Star newspaper has written to the paper and urged the minister to visit Singapore.

'The fact is that Singapore Malays feel more superior to those across the Causeway,'' said Mr Mohd Jamal Bin Abdullah of Penang.

Pointing out that he worked with many Singapore Malays, he said Malays in Singapore could hold their heads high and many had found employment elsewhere simply because they were more fluent in English.

He added that the successful ones climbed the hierarchy on their own merits as they played on the same level field as the other races without asking for concessions.

'I am not ashamed to say that my son is studying in Singapore ever since he was quite young,' he said.

He said he had deliberately sent his son to Singapore because he wanted him to enjoy its superior education and to develop the right attitude of 'no crutch please as I can walk on my own'.

And he added: 'If the Malays in Penang (or elsewhere in Malaysia) can be like the Malays in Singapore, then we will not need former premier Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad or current Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to remind us from time to time to seek to become 'towering Malays'.'

The STAR
Opinion
Friday September 1, 2006

Towering Malays across Causeway

YOUR REPORT, “Give up PBA post, Dr Koh urged” (The Star, Aug 28) quoted Deputy Health Minister Datuk Dr Abdul Latiff Ahmad as saying at the opening an Umno meeting in Penang that he sympathises with Penang Malays because he understands they do not want to end up like the Malays in Singapore.

I strongly urge the deputy minister to visit Singapore more often to see for himself the true situation there. The fact is that Singapore Malays feel more superior to those across the Causeway.

I know because I work with many of them and I often heard remarks like: “Why is it that Malaysian Malays, including your so-called graduates, cannot speak or write English as fluently as we can?” or “You know, in Singapore, my success is entirely due to my own hard work and capability.”

Malays in Singapore can hold their heads high and many have found employment anywhere in the world simply because they generally are much more fluent in English and also the successful ones climb up the hierarchy entirely on their own merits as they play on the same level field as the other races, without asking for any concessions.

I am not ashamed to say that my son is studying in Singapore ever since he was quite young.

I deliberately sent him there because I want him to enjoy the superior education there and also to develop the right attitude of “no crutch please as I can walk on my own”.

As our saying goes, “bend the bamboo while it is young.”

If the Malays in Penang (or elsewhere in Malaysia) can be like the Malays in Singapore, then we will not need former premier Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad or current Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to remind us from time to time to seek to become “towering Malays.”


MOHD JAMIL BIN ABDUILLAH,
Penang.

The STAR
North
Monday August 28, 2006

Give up PBA post, Dr Koh urged

BUKIT MERTAJAM: The Bukit Mertajam Umno division has called on Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon to give up the Penang Water Supply Corporation Sdn Bhd (PBA) chairman’s post to Umno.

Division chief Datuk Musa Sheikh Fadzir said Dr Koh had “snatched” the chairman’s post away from Umno’s Datuk Ahmad Saad, who was former Penanti assemblyman, in 1999.

“If Dr Koh is truly sincere in wanting to help the Malays progress, he should resign as PBA chairman and give it back to Umno,” he said at the Bukit Mertajam Umno delegates conference here yesterday.

Musa said there were only three Malays who presently held top positions in PBA.

He said that although 60% of the company employees were Malays, most of them were low-ranking officers.

“I also understand there are plans to set up subsidiaries under the PBA, which will be done in a similar manner like the Penang Development Corporation (PDC),” he said.

He said he hoped Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Abdul Rashid Abdullah would reject any proposal to form subsidiaries and instead resolve the lack of high-ranking Malay officers in the company.

Deputy Health Minister Datuk Dr Abdul Latiff Ahmad, who opened the conference, said he sympathized with the Malays in Penang.

“I understand they do not want to end up becoming like the Malays in Singapore.”

I wish AAB has more daughters.

In this stage of Malaysian history, it will be wrong to be calling Head of Departments to be appointed based on race. Penang has set a good example where the majority of appointments are made based on an individual's talence, although some 'politiking' may have to be involved. But if UMNO wants to decide who should/or should not be appointed as HOD, I think we will be regressing in life.
Koh has done & is currently doing well - so why do these UMNO jokers want to topple the apple cart or in our case the 'durian cart'?