Next year, 16 September is a public holiday in Malaysia.

Guong

At last, after 46 years, 16 September would be a public holiday starting next year. Or is it? Well, our PM might have just announced it today but I'm not convinced yet until it really happen next year. Who knows, everything is possible nowadays.

To tell the truth, I see this announcement more of a politically motivated move to gain the support from us Sabahan and Sarawakian.

But let's pretend that it is not politically motivated and take it as it is.

Then, what about the history fact behind this date? Would the people of Malaysia know anything about it? Or is it only the people of Sabah and Sarawak?

IF the facts about this historical date remain untold to all Malaysian, IF the facts about this historical date remain distorted, IF....there are a lot of IF... Then, this date would be nothing more than just another holiday.

Well, let us see next year. I hope it would not be another meaningless celebration like last years.

16 September....

Guong

Happy 46th Malaysia Day!!

Malaysia: Patriotism or Nationalism?

Guong

Today is the Independence Day of Malaya. As I'm sitting here writing this post, I can hear a lot of fireworks sound blasting in the sky. Quite a noisy night.

One thing for sure, our government STILL propagating a very misleading information regarding today's Independence Day. It is NOT the Independence Day for Malaysia. There is no such thing as Independence Day of Malaysia.

Malaysia was formed in 16 September, 1963. I've blog about it last year.

Now, as the title says, Patriotism or Nationalism? What are these two words mean anyway?

1. Do you feel proud of your country achievements and also recognize its shortcoming yet still love your country? If you answered Yes, that's Patriotism.
2. Do you love your country no matter what and put its interest above other country or nation? If you answered Yes, that's Nationalism.
3. Do you show your love for your country by doing something to make it better? If you answered Yes, that's Patriotism.
4. Do you show your love for your country by talking (only) about its achievement? If you answered Yes, that's Nationalism.
5. Do you feel proud of your National Flag and has goosebumps when seeing it raised along with your National Anthem? If you answered Yes, that's Patriotism.
6. Do you feel proud waving your National Flag or sticking it on your car during Independence Day? If you answered Yes, that's Nationalism.

Now here is the problem. Malaysian tend to confuse our self when it comes to loving our country. We talk about Patriotism but our action portray Nationalism. Nationalism towards West Malaysia.

How? By distorting history facts on this Merdeka Celebration. It's Malaya not Malaysia Independence Day. What sadden me is, the younger generations are fed with this distorted facts each years. A lot of them even thought Sabah and Sarawak got her independence through the forming of Malaysia which was NOT.

We talk about how great Malaysia has been since achieving independence yet we fail to see it was Malaya achievement not Malaysia.

No, we are not pointing fingers or blaming others for our shortcoming yet it's a reality it never was a Malaysia, just Malaya.

I love Malaysia. But the problem is, we were never considered as Malaysian.

..................Except during Election Day.

16 September Celebration...

Guong

"Normally, the closing of the independence celebration is held on Malaysia Day on Sept 16," he told reporters at the breaking of fast with the media at the National Museum here tonight.
Quote by Unity, Culture, Arts and Heritage Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal taken from Bernama news as published in Yahoo news. link

"Normally"? Since when did this so called closing of the independence celebration started? And this coming from a fellow Sabahan?

When I first read this news at the Utusan Online, I thought that 16 September have been declared as a public holiday. And surprise, surprise, it was not. Read it and I'm sure you'd be confuse too. Well, since it was from them, I should have expected the 'confusion'.
The full story was this,

On the call for Sept 16 to be declared a public holiday, he said it would not be entertained as it would confuse the people between the independence day and the Malaysia day.
taken from Yahoo News. link

Why is it that this date is so 'sacred' to Sabahan and Sarawakian?

• It is sacred because it was a date of the forming of Malaysia when Sabah and Sarawak joined Malaya as Federal Government and not as one of the Malaya state.
• It is sacred because it was a date where Sabah and Sarawak joined Malaya not to achive Independence but accepting Tunku Abdul Rahman invitations. The real independence date for Sabah was 31st of August 1963 and for Sarawak was 22nd of July 1963.
• It is sacred because it is a reminder for the Malaya Federal Government on the 20-point agreement for Sabah and the 18-point agreement for Sarawak before forming Malaysia.

I've went to a number of local forums on the web which are based in the Peninsular of Malaya and it's really sicken me when most of the forum members doesn't even know the history on the forming of Malaysia. They only see 16 September as something political. Some even say that the Sabahan and Sarawakian demand it as 'candy' due to our huge contribution on the winning of the current government during the 12th general election.

It is more than just politic. It is about our rights. Rights that have been long ignored by the Federal Government. 45 years to be exact.