Malaysia just celebrated its 64th Independence Day.
Growing up, the significance of this day was hammered home to me by my teachers and my folks.
It was a day that commemorated the momentous occasion of our colonial masters returning this land to us. We were its rightful owners, and it was the day we took charge of our own destiny, as a nation.
This was always a happy occasion.
Malaysia’s first Prime Minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra al-Haj, is reported to have said, “I boasted that I was the happiest prime minister in the world, and that was because the people were happy, then.”
Today though, Merdeka Day feels different.
I ask myself if Malaysia is a happy place now. Is it a truly happy place to live and make a living? Is it a country filled with hard work and glad hearts, like Tunku said?
Two days ago, on Merdeka Day, there was a poignant article in FMT.
In the report, a resident of the hillside village of Kampung Kionsom, Inanam, which is a part of Kota Kinabalu in Sabah, asked when the people of his village could celebrate their Merdeka from their dreadful water situation?
Even as some parts of the country have seen rapid development, these Malaysians still depend on river water, which they must collect every day.
This is just one of the many examples quoted in that news report.
So, are these Malaysians happy? No
I am part of a WAG (the ubiquitous WhatsApp Groups we all belong to) with a range of Malaysians that include distinguished luminaries, both past and present.
They hail from various sectors including the government, civil service, the judiciary, politicos, top corporations, the media, and the like.
Every day, about 100 to 150 messages are shared in this group. Some are very pertinent, and others, perhaps a little frivolous.
But one thing is for sure. Most of the messages are centred around unhappy sentiments about Malaysia.
Are these Malaysians, who have made significant contributions to our nation building, happy? No
Last week, after six months, I finally saw my parents. They arrived in Kuala Lumpur courtesy of their medical appointments at the National Heart Centre, and armed with police permits to travel.
I thought I’d better clear this up, before a bunch of keyboard warriors specialising in “cancel” culture, complain about me for breaking SOPs.
In the few days that they were here, sometimes the conversation veered towards the state of the nation. On a few occasions, I noticed them raising the topic of my wife and I emigrating somewhere else.
By virtue of my non-Malaysian wife, I think I have residency rights in her country. And my folks, whom I have only known as patriotic Malaysians, had no hesitations about suggesting that we should leave.
So, are they happy Malaysians, if they are encouraging their first born to leave the country? No
On Merdeka Day, I popped around to a friend’s place to pick up some items that they were leaving behind, before they departed from Malaysia.
This friend spent six years working for Malaysian broadcasters to modernise their studios. Together with his wife, they then decided to retire under the Malaysia My Second Home scheme.
And, they made Malaysia their home for a further ten years.
But after ten years of battling the inefficiencies of the Malaysian administration; the numerous occasions of being subjected to double standards; and the general lack of compassion with which they were treated, my friends have now packed their bags, and are shoving-off.
Incidentally, they brought in considerable sums of currency to the country.
Are visitors, whom we used to encourage to come and make Malaysia home, happy? No
In a Merdeka Day forum, Malaysia’s pre-eminent constitutional law expert, Professor Shad Saleem Faruqi argued that our country’s education system has polarised the population by race and religion.
He says that our education curricula at all levels have been infused with so much religious and ethnic dogma, and asked, how can we now expect our children to live together in a multi-ethnic society?
Are our kids growing up to be happy Malaysians? No
So, having said all this, what then can we say about the state of our happiness in Malaysia?
It is common knowledge that corruption is flourishing. And, this pandemic has shown clearly that the wellbeing of the people has been shattered by the lack of focus, good governance and concerted efforts.
Political vexations have intensified. Our politicians have failed to rescue the nation from trouble. And, we have a government, which doesn’t actually represent the will of the people.
I think this much, we can all agree on.
In August 1962, after returning from the successful “Malaysia Talks” in London, our treasured Tunku said, “This is the only country in the world that has provided funds for all faiths to prosper, that has provided money for the running of schools of all languages of the peoples of this country…. And so, I am a happy prime minister and I have cause to be so.”
Is this current Malaysia, the nation that Tunku Abdul Rahman and his compatriots fought for?
Now I ask you this. When exactly is the right time to stand-up against racial and religious bigotry? And when should we speak for equality for all?
It is time we rediscover this central idea of happiness that Tunku spoke of.
