Let S All Hit Streets Of Putrajaya In Strong Show Of Unity Come Merdeka Day

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THE ringing speech of Tunku Abdul Rahman on the day he proclaimed Independence for the country seems to have faded away in the mist of time.
Today, although we have become the “masters of our destiny”, we do not seem to be able to master our destiny as we lurch from one side to the other like an unsteady ship in a stormy sea.
Our first prime minister had led Malaya by the  hand down the road to nationhood in the face of uncertainties and troubled times and had dreamt of making our sovereign state a beacon of light in a disturbed and distracted world.
How we wish Tunku’s dream had come true! As our newly-independent nation slowly travelled down the long path to nationhood, and eventually evolved into a greater state called Malaysia, we looked up and saw the beacon considerably dimmed.

It is still a troubled world distracted by the emergence of all kinds of noises that at times threaten to upset the apple cart.
We keep asking ourselves: Are we on the straight path? Are we clinging tenaciously to that ideals of justice and liberty that the Tunku envisaged 68 years ago?
Have we been consistently united in facing the new, daunting challenges that have cropped up over the recent years?
Events in the past few years do not seem to indicate we have become a stronger, more confident, more vibrant nation.
Instead, the country appears to be drifting further away from unity as the din from the foul mouths of politicians grows ever louder.
Something did go wrong along the road to build Malaysia with our hand and brain. And what is it? Partly it is the rise and spread of all sorts of divisive doctrines and polemical preachings that can debilitate the health of our country.
Mostly, it is the intense unseemly politicking that has become a permanent feature and a bane of our national life.

We see newly-minted heroes whose only credential is to champion causes at the expense of multiracial harmony.
We witness the display of power to intimidate citizens who make honest mistakes but whose patriotism is beyond reproach.
Time and again we hear incessant clatter about toppling the government, even seeing people taking to the streets to try bring down the tower in Putrajaya.
All those lawmakers—be they in Parliament or State Legislative Assembly—are, most of the time, busily mapping out plots on what is the best short-cut way to grab power.
Instead of helping the country bloom and flourish, these so-called elected representatives are more interested in seeing strife, partisan warfare, and power play take a grip on the national psyche.
In the 68th year of its independence, Malaysia in the 21st century should have become a dynamo in all fields of endeavour—excelling in education, science, technology, industrialisation, including protecting, enhancing and entrenching human rights and freedoms.

In this modern era, Malaysia should have stood out as the brightest star, at least, in the Asian skies.
But Tunku, watching from above, must be shaking his head in dismay at all the happenings that have given his “child”, now an adult, a bad name.
The Father of Independence would never have imagined all the ugly things that have come to past and marred the once pristine landscape of this golden peninsula.
He would never have thought that leaders entrusted with power would abuse it and even steal public funds.
How he must have wagged his finger at all those rabble-rousers—young and old—who want to turn Malaysia into a battleground instead of a playing field where all races can enjoy each other’s company.
However, the Tunku had won for us our precious independence and it is up to us to use our hand and brain to continue to build, and not to destroy, our one and only homeland.
Come Aug 31, let’s hit the streets of Putrajaya  with a strong show of peace, unity, and concord and reject emphatically the jarring notes of disarray, discord, malice.

Independence is more than the old narrative of freedom from the yokel of colonial rule. In today’s context, Merdeka must mean freedom to live a life of your choice based on your religion and culture.
In the spirit of Merdeka, let’s all—commoners as well as politicians—put our shoulders to the wheel together and keep it turning so that the beacon of hope lighted 68 years ago will glow again.
No one can do the job of nation-building better than us because the welfare of this beloved land is our own responsibility. Those wise words of Tunku still ring true—then, now, forever.
Phlip Rodrigues is a retired journalist.
The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of MMKtT.
- Focus Malaysia.

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