Independence Day

Today is Malaysia’s 56th year of Independence.

 

What’s the country’s Independence means to me? Well…here goes.

 

I was born after the country gained her Independence. YEARSSSS after. So I don’t actually know what happened then or what happened before we got the Independence. But I’ve heard a lot of stories from my grandad and my grandma. Theirs were gruesome stories of the Japanese and communists era and how terrified they were then. The effect on my grandad was that he couldn’t stand us throwing away used clothes and wasting away food. It was scarce, during the Japanese invasion, he said, and also during the communists terrorism. They had to hide how little food they had so that it wouldn’t be snatched. Not much was complained about the British. Though my grandad despised Mat Salleh. He could understand English even though he didn’t speak it (I learned what ‘unconditional love’ means, through him).

 

No, honouring the Independence of Malaya and thereafter Malaysia, was not something that was ‘taught’ to me. It was just through observation and reading the histories apart from listening to my grandad’s recounts of events. Sad enough that we had to declare an Independence of our own soil which was actually invaded and colonised by others. We were not naturally colonised, weren’t we? Something like a Trademark or Intellectual Property that we created and was taken by others and then we won the legal battle to get it back.

 

Not necessarily am I not patriotic when I speak English more than I speak Malay. As I usually said “I think in Malay but I write and speak in English”. Not necessarily am I not a patriot just because I seldom wear the baju kurung and rarely wear the batik sarong. Not necessarily am I lacking of patriotism when I applauded the major development of Malaysia.

 

No, we can’t judge one’s patriotism through just an observation. We cannot pass judgement against the spirit of nationalism in others just because they fail to observe the Malaysian culture. Who knows, the spirit is much stronger in others.

 

Listening to the deafening sounds of the jet fighters flying above KL Sentral earlier today, I couldn’t help but imagine if I were to hear that kind of sound every day and every night, coupled with the sound of explosions, burning buildings, dead bodies all around and chaos. Couldn’t imagine the type of life my fellow brothers and sisters in war-torn countries are living right now. Couldn’t imagine the fright of having to lose my house and my family to a frightful hurricane or tornado or earthquake or erupting volcanoes. Then the deafening sound faded away and I was glad. I was grateful. I was happy. I was contented. That I am here, in Malaysia. That I was born to this beautiful country; grew up; made a lot of friends namely Malays, Chinese, Indians, Serani, Sikhs, Muslims, Christians, Buddhists, Hindus and others; worked with many foreigners including those from France, Holland, Netherlands, Germany, America, Japan,Taipei, Thailand, Singapore and Indonesia; had my education from primary school until I graduated and now working HERE, in this blessed land called MALAYSIA.

 

What more could a human being asked for?

 

Independence is about appreciating the harmony, diversity, robust development, opportunities, abundance, prosperous and peaceful environment that we are enjoying right now. I might want to go abroad. I might want to go and visit other countries, had a taste of different weather and foreign cultures. But never, the thought of migrating to another country.

So if you ask me about my patriotism…this is my answer : I am a Malaysian. Always have. Always will be.

- This article was published on Wordpress August 31, 2013.