Merdeka!- Malaysian National Day message.

When the first Malaysian Prime Minister, the late Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al Haj was raising his fist and exclaiming, "Merdeka!" I was six years of age waving a small flag among my fellow primary school mates of Malays, Chinese and Indians at Padang Kota Lama or the Esplanade. I had no idea what was happening then but was thrilled none the less that i did not have to be in classes for the day and the following day was also a holiday. We watched the military parades and were thrilled by the flyover by the Royal Australian Airforce planes. Although vague in my memory it i was still a day I remember because my uncle was in the parade as a member of the Civil Defence Force (CD). As the Tunku was hailing a new era in our history, I was enjoying being among my friends fellow Penangites (Anak Pulau Pinang), having a good time.

Today the Independence Day has taken a different kind of meaning for most of us Malaysians, we are no more as united as we used to be, no more patriotic and no more genuine in our declaration of a nationhood. Today each and every one of us are troubled by how the country has come to divide itself and how it has become a victim to scandalous corruption and racial discord. Today the flag is the only thing that symbolizes the true meaning of our nationhood and even the flag has become a victim to controversy of late. Face it, we are not what we used to be as a nation and we are a nation living is denial of an impending upheaval , as in the words of our present Prime Minister, not too long ago, we are a nation sitting on a time  bomb and the sooner we wake up to realize this the better for us or for the future of our children and theirs. We have to stop kidding ourselves and stop being made tools for those who are exploiting every possibility into making a fast buck out of the the lack of interest and even ignorance we have been showing with our "tidak apalah" or "never mind la" spirit. 

If there is any meaning to our Independence it has to be our freedom from the noose that has been run through our noses to be dragged by the power that be in any direction they deem fit to suit their interests. It is the freedom from the very men and women we elected into office to run this country whose salaries we pay and whose promises we have bought hook, line and sinker. It is the freedom from our own self serving ignorance that we have to be independent from, we have become a nation that is being played about by those who does it simply because they can; we live in fear of the retribution for they hold the laws at their convenience. As a nation we the people have to become aware of the truth even if it hurts us to accept it, for only the truth can set us free. 

Merdeka! My fellow Malaysians! Wake Up! Stay Awake! Don't let them fool You!