Quo Vadis Merdeka?

Where is the Merdeka spirit? And I'm not just talking about the sea of Jalur Gemilangs that magically appear on vehicles and buildings each year in August. I'm talking about the pulse, the excitement and pride in celebrating a crucial date in our nation's history. Where is it?

Maybe last year's big five-zero was a more significant milestone to celebrate compared to this year's mundane 51 and subsequent years to come until we reach 75 or 100. Nevertheless, I am quite glad not to be drowned by the myths, the same few patriotic songs and the unforgettable scene of the proclamation fervently replayed on the mass media.

This year's somber mood provides a good climate to reflect on the real meaning of Merdeka and where Malaysia is heading. The year 2020 is inching closer.

Some may argue that the Merdeka joy has been eclipsed by the myriad of other issues we, as a young democracy, are facing; the petrol price increase, the injuries sustained by the ruling coalition during the March 8 general elections, the recent Permatang Pauh by-election and the continual whispers of a purported change in government.

"If we leave it to public personalities to lead the way, we can never be free."

Merdeka has lost its meaning.

Fifty-one years later, we are still unable to shed the Imperialist's constructions of race. We still view the Other with suspicion and race remains a "sensitive" issue. Our leaders continue to perpetuate racist ideology and implement racist policies. The unquestionable Malay rights, Islam, vernacular education, indigenous rights and a host of other issues continue to spark bitter, unproductive arguments. The colour of our skin still confines us.

Fifty-one years after Merdeka, we are still living in "emergency". Our colonial masters and the overplayed threat of communist insurgents have long since left us but the two colonial legislations that allow detention without trial are still strangling our nation.

The Internal Security Act 1960 continues to be used to put away "subversives" and inconveniences to the dominant powers. The ISA's less popular cousin, the Emergency Ordinance (Public Order and Prevention of Crime) 1969 (EO), currently holds an estimated 1,000 suspected criminals who are detained at the pleasure of the authorities without going through the judicial process. As long as these two legislations continue to loom over our people, we cannot be free.

Confidence in the judiciary is at an all-time low, particularly with the recent revelations of the infamous "Lingam tape" where a secretly-filmed video exposed shameless abuse of power and judge-fixing. The 1988 sacking of Lord President Tun Salleh Abas is still reverberating, with the legal fraternity, civil society and the public angered by the long history of executive interference with the judiciary. Furthermore, enforcement agencies, particularly the police force, the Anti-corruption Agency, the voluntary corps Rela and Immigration department, also suffer from similar lack of confidence. These authorities are seen as beholden to their political masters.

Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's administration has spectacularly failed to live up to his 2004 election promises to clean up the government. Sure, some may say these are merely promises, sweetly uttered during rounds of campaigning. But don't we, the rakyat, deserve better than that?

More recently, the Permatang Pauh by-election saw Parti Keadilan Rakyat poach Merdeka as one of their campaign's theme. For ten days, that small town on Penang's mainland was adorned with many colourful banners featuring PKR's charismatic leader and candidate Anwar Ibrahim promising Merdeka.

"Merdeka dari kesengsaraan hidup" (Independence from life's suffering), "Merdeka dari penindasan dan kezaliman" (Independence from oppression and cruelty) and "Merdeka dari pengangguran, jenayah dan rasuah" (Independence from unemployment, crime and corruption).

On the other side, Barisan Nasional responded with "Merdekakan Permatang Pauh" (Free Permatang Pauh). Free Permatang Pauh from what, may I ask?

Suffering, oppression and cruelty – very strong words and very big promises by the newly-elected opposition leader and self-styled prime-minister-in-waiting. It remains to be seen whether the opposition coalition Pakatan Rakyat can bring the change they have been arguing for. These are interesting times for Malaysia.

If we have learnt anything from recent times, we know that the rakyat cannot and must not wait for political leaders to bring change and a new Merdeka. If we leave it to public personalities to lead the way, we can never be free.

Academic Farish Noor aptly wrote in the introduction to his book The Other Malaysia: "For politics and history to be truly democratic, open and plural, they need to be won back by ordinary people like us who will take them back to the level of everyday life."

For the next fifty years and beyond, it is up to you, my fellow Malaysians to fight for a Malaysia that we can be truly proud of.

We can free ourselves from the pre-existing racial categories and its associated assumptions. We can free ourselves from being led to become active citizens who question the status quo and demand better governance.

-Malaysia Today