Fly the flags and blow the trumpets!
TWO dates on the annual calendar should be celebrated by all Malaysians on a nonpartisan basis: two days of festivities free of partisan politics – IF we can survive without party politics for two days!
The proposal is not a flash in the pan or something plucked out of thin air. It’s an idea born out of personal observation during the past 57 years of Malaysia.
Fifty-seven is correct; I was not in the country when Malaysia was born so I couldn’t observe anything much.
I served this country in my capacity as a tiny cog in the wheel, at the time when the nation was in its infancy and needed special love and tender care. That’s my only credential in terms of nation-building.
I have observed that the celebrations of important significance in the history of Malaysia have been heavily politicised. I think it is not healthy.
The first important date is Aug 31, 1957, the day when the Federation of Malaya was granted independence by Great Britain. Commemorated as the ‘Hari Kebangsaan’ (National Day), its anniversaries have been celebrated in Sarawak and Sabah as if the two former British Crown colonies had also been parts of the Federation of Malaya.
Sarawakians and Sabahans were joining fellow Malaysians in the peninsula in the spirit of brotherhood. And, in the 1960s when the newly-formed Malaysia was facing external and internal threats, we were united. Patriotic celebrations in times of danger were manifestations of unity. The spirit of unity once established by our forefathers, the legacy should be appreciated nourished by succeeding generations of citizens.
In the 60s, all kinds of festivities were organised by the government on this public holiday. There were parades, regattas, and dinners for the VIPs. Buildings, offices, private homes, ships, boats, vehicles flew the Malaysian Flag with pride.
Patriotism was in the air everywhere, as symbolised by the flying of flags (federal and state colours). One celebration ended, there was always the next one to look forward to.
In 1968, members of my family were involved in the preparation for the ‘Great Day’.
Auntie Di conducted a choir of schoolchildren that bawled the ‘Malaysia Berjaya’ song at the Central Padang, Kuching – luckily the Police Band accompanied the performance, so it was more or less in tune.
The 31st day of August each year has been accepted by many Sarawakians as their Hari Kebangsaan as well, so much so that the Malaysia Day, which falls on Sept 16, was not considered to be as important as Aug 31.
For the past decade or so, it’s my casual observation that only government buildings were decorated with the flags, national or state, and buntings. Fewer and fewer vehicles display the Jalur Gemilang. I was driving around town on Tuesday this week, when I saw that the commercial houses had not adorned their premises like they used to do in the early years of Malaysia.
The same goes for private homes, not many fly the Jalur Gemilang. Instead, certain shophouses at Jalan Padungan were flying the old Sarawak Flag with the crown, which was used from 1946 till 1973. So, if you want to be exact, it was the Malaysian Sarawak flag for 10 years, and you can find any number of local folks flying it on cars and motorbikes!
The second important date is Sept 16.
This is in fact ‘Malaysia Day’, the day Malaysia was officially proclaimed. It was not until certain opposition leaders, namely former Minister of Youth and Culture Datuk Hafsah Harun, and Dominique Ng, a member of the Dewan Undangan Negri (State Legislative Assembly) and a handful of political followers, took the initiative to stage a rally on the Central Padang by raising the Jalur Gemilang, on Sept 16!
Several years later, Sept 16 was finally considered by the government as an important date, to be commemorated by a nationwide celebration.
All these events were heavily politicised: the governing authorities used each occasion as a political platform for the glorification of the party in power. On one occasion held at the Central Padang which I attended in 1987, the main speaker denounced the Opposition of the day as rebels and ‘lanun’ (pirates)!
Only selected people and organisations were invited to take part in the parades and events, which involved the use of public money, while ordinary members of the public (whose taxes had financed the whole show, by the way!) were onlookers and bystanders.
Colonial past coming back?
This politicisation of celebrations is a seriously outdated colonial practice. It was carried over to the early years of Malaysia, partly because of the fear that there would be ‘undesirable elements’ among the guests invited to attend public functions. All government-funded events, however great the significance, were strictly reserved for the supporters and sympathisers of the colonial government.
No, I am not angling for a gold-edged invitation to an official dinner, but if an event is organised on a non-partisan basis, I would not hesitate to do a bit of gate-crashing!
For the next commemoration of Sept 16, let us think in terms of citizen participation by as many people as possible, not just by the supporters of the ruling party.
Get the members of the Opposition involved in the preparations and organisation of events, especially the young people of all parties.
The government, through the mass media, can easily direct its various institutions to support such an event.
Hurray for a free-for-all Gawai!
See you there!