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.

Malaysia Day celebration...who's celebrating?

Guong

I didn't actually went there but I watched it live on RTM 1. My first impression? It was boring , misleading and I somehow felt sad with it. Ok, they celebrated Malaysia Day and I'm supposed to be fill with joy but I just can't. What was the purpose of the celebration? Was it merely to buy the heart of Sabahan and Sarawakian?

Why was there no segment that really tells the true story of how Malaysia was formed? Shouldn't they made the segment since this was the first Malaysia Day celebration? Instead they show dances, singers and others that just doesn't relevant with the Malaysia Day. Even the three narrator of this live broadcast were very misleading. Especially the Datuk (I forgot his name) where he seems like uttering nonsence and so out of the topic. They didn't touch anything on the significant of Sabah and Sarawak forming Malaysia, let alone Singapore.

And what disappoint me most were the speech by Datuk Shafie Apdal, Datuk Musa Aman and Pak Lah himself. They didn't touch anything significant about the forming of Malaysia but instead they were just propagating UMNO-BN. It really sounded like a political campaign. And they didn't even mention Tun Fuad Stephen. All of them!! Instead they mention only Tun Mustapha.

Datuk Shafie even dare to say that the poverty between ethnics were reduced under the current government administration. What?? When?? Datuk Musa Aman on the other hand only emphasize on the SDC which is yet to see any 'dust' moved until now. And Pak Lah? He was just repeating the same thing. He even admitted that this celebration was celebrated due to Sabah and Sarawak 'plea'.

"Kerajaan persekutuan, setelah mengambil kira hasrat daripada rakyat Malaysia di Negeri Sabah dan Sarawak, bahwasanya, tarikh 16 September itu bukanlah sepatutnya menjadi tarikh penutup Hari Kemerdekaan, tetapi ad juga sangat penting jika sekiranya, tarikh 16 September itu juga diperingati sebagai tarikh Malaysia ditubuhkan."- Pak Lah speech on Malaysia Day celebration.

So if the Sabahan didn't voice our 'plea' would the federal government made 16 September as a celebration?

To sum up this first celebration, It was boring, ad hoc, misleading and nothing but another attempt by UMNO-BN to gain Sabahan and Sarawakian support.