What is the meaning of independence? No I am not going to give a dictionary meaning. I am going to give the meaning through my own perspective. I am going to give the meaning through how and what I feel independence is.
First let me tell you what is independence to a school boy or girl. Independence is decorating classes with as many Jalur Gemilangs as possible without even knowing what do the colours symbolise, why the number of stripes is such and why there is a moon with a star. Independence or Merdeka is to decorate the school with whatever they can think of. Merdeka is never complete without spending a fortune to hang a very-very long flag.
Merdeka to a school boy/girl is to not attend the countdown in school because there is a wild gathering elsewhere sponsored by the state government. Merdeka is where school children gather into the wee hours of the morning, drinking and behaving like hooligans. Merdeka is going for concerts where the aim is not to enjoy the show but to pick up boys or girls and have illicit sex. Merdeka is the time for young boys to gang rape naive but not innocent young girls whose parents should know better than to allow their daughters out in the first place.
Merdeka is when Mat Rempits put up their best show to the applause of the young schools boys/girls. Merdeka is when these young school boys/girls see how the Mat Rempits make fools of our police who are helpless in apprehending these devils.
What is Merdeka to a Mak cik and Pak Cik in the kampung? Merdeka is to proudly display the Jalur Gemilang most conspicously without knowing what Jalur Gemilang symbolises. Merdeka is getting ready to go to town to watch a concert. Merdeka is a public holiday where after a late night in town they sleep right up to the afternoon.
What is the meaning of merdeka then? Merdeka is fun. Merdeka is not the appreciation of the blood sweat and tears of our founding fathers and mothers. Who cares about that because it is not fun. Merdeka is not the realisation that one is a free man; free to chose, free to speak and free to associate. Merdeka is never seen to have anything to do with justice because everyone is too occupied having fun. Maybe that is the intention. Merdeka is never seen as celebration of living in a country where there is no corruption.
Maybe fun activities where millions of taxpayers money is spent are purposely held to stop people from thinking what have they got from Merdeka. Maybe it is to stop them from realising that they are not that free after all. Maybe it is to prevent them from realising that somehow they are being regulated. They can hear what some people want them to hear. They are to read what some people want them to read. Maybe it is to stop them from realising that there are many tiers in justice. Maybe it is to close their eyes to the rampant corruption that is fast becoming an accepted way of life.
I am not saying that people should not celebrate Merdeka Day. By all means go ahead. By all means make Merdeka Day an event to be remembered. Make it meaningful, not madness. Let the people be wiser about what Merdeka is the day after the celebration. Let school children appreciate Merdeka more because they learn from the whole month of celebration. Let a virgin school girl remain a virgin on the 31st not lose it in some wild celebration the night before.
What is Merdeka or Independence Day to me? Merdeka is freedom and sanity. Some may agree, some may not and it is their right. I am not going to say that those who disagree with me are crazy people and neither should those who disagree say I am a lunatic because then we would be going against the very spirit of Merdeka.
Happy Independence Day. Selamat Menyambut Hari Kemerdekaan.
"A man of principles will resist an evil system with his whole soul. Non-collaboration with evil is a sacred duty!" -- Gandhi
25 comments:
have never really celebrated it before.
I have never celebrated Merdeka myself except for the occasional celebration in school where we have countdowns but the response was very depressing.
Salam che'gu:
Another merdeka celebration which will make me upset due to unnecessary and huge spending form the govt coffer, which will make many become 'temporary insane' for several hours and some smiling all the way to the banks.
And the many who become 'temporary insane' will definitely be Malays.
Merdeka! Merdeka! Merdeka!
Salam Cik Gu
What's Merdeka to me. Heem, I don't know´?
1963 ,KL was a far far away city from my royal town, only the rich can go to KL. The only shout of Merdeka! Merdeka !can only be heard from the radio and if the radio run out of baterries then you go to sleep early at 9.00 pm to save fuel from our gasoline lamp.
1973,KL was just a 6 hours train ride away from my royal town, only the rich can travel first class. And the Merdeka clebration can be seen on TV, only the rich can have coloured TV . And if there is a black out, you can played guitar with your friends by the road side.
1983, KL was just 4 hours of bas ride from my royal town.Only the rich can travel by car .I can joined the Merdeka celebration after a break at Pudu Station for my trip to Temasek.
1993, KL was just 3 hours ride in a proton car from my royal town. Only the rich can buy Toyota. I can joined the Merdeka festivities at the stroke of 12.00 and went to sleep in the wee bit of the morning in China Town hotel.
2003, KL was just 2 hours ride in a Toyota car from my royal town.Only the rich can have a Mercedes. I enjoyed the festivities spirit with the family in a hotel at the Putra.
2013, KL is just KL, its two hour ride from Temasek, JB what JB, it is KUan Yew City . Merdeka is celebrated on the 10th of Aug.
cikgu,
nicely written.
only that there are still morons amongst our society with a backward mentality who loves snorting on other people's life. whats the deal with that i wonder.
salam merdeka to you, cikgu.
Doc,
Temporary insanity will lead to permanent insanity. Yes, the Malays simply love to go insane on Merdeka Day. They turn a blind eye on everything else as long as they are allowed to bathe in fun. Its sad.
bru99,
Yes, Kuan Yew City and the Malays would still be enjoying Merdeka with their Merdeka Samba irrespective of what city they are in.
Kerp,
It was tough but we managed to do you the favour, we blunt the spurs.
wah.. now u have the ManU videos in ur blog? cool cikgu!
i like ur entry. Merdeka for me means nothing except cuti. Our country can celebrate all they can but we were never merdeka....
too bad...
Salam Che'gu,
Seingat saya, hanya sekali menghadiri perarakan Merdeka ni, sebagai spectator je. Itu pun kerana diarahkan berbuat demikian. Selain itu tengok melalui tv je.
Rasa macam tengok Sureheboh dan seumpamanya je. Walau apa pun,
Merdeka, Merdeka, Merdeka.....
Monster Mom,
What can I do, I am just a sucker when it comes to Man Utd. To all MU fans, you are welcome to watch to those who do not like MU, this is not meant to insult you.
Zabs,
I have never gone to any Merdeka parades. A long time agi I used to watch them on tv, but not anymore. I would rather watch cartoons on 60 - 63.
cikgu,
anything but those scums on the gay side of north london.
Kerp,
Maybe you know the fixtures, when will we meet each other?
cikgu,
our first encounter head to head will be in november. first week of the month kot. @emirates
Kerp,
May the best team win.
Cikgu,
For like 90 per cent of Malaysians, Merdeka day means cuti. That's it. Period. Me included.
The remaining, kena paksa gi berbaris.
Mior,
Thats the problem. It means the government has failed in instilling patriotism in the people. All these shouts about merdeka is just hullabaloo thats all, 'full of sound and fury, signifying nothing'. The only thing they managed to do is to make some cronies rich.
Soooo kata tak nak...what about present atmosphere in celebrating the Merdeka Day?
Is it celebrating UMNO great achievements to divide and rule..play dirty race and religion politics or real Freedom...as we both old guys used to celebrate.
I will take the opportunity to read a book and play with my grandchildren...as especially for the Chinese and Indians...what so much to celebrate about?
Monty,
The divide and rule policy is the gov's main weapon and we Malaysian fall for this trick.
As for me on this 31st, there will be a prayer session to mark the brother's 100th day. So I'll keep myself busy there, otherwise I would just stay at home and blog or play games on the computer.
happy merdeka day....:)
Hi Cikgu Nazir,
Adoi...
"Let a virgin school girl remain a virgin on the 31st not lose it in some wild celebration the night before".
I sure cracked up on that one...;)
As for spending tax payers' money, the money should be spent on the rakyat, and not on over-bombastic celebrations...
After all, fireworks, which cost a few bombs will only last a few minutes, but extra monetary schemes/projects etc for the people (esp the elderly, disabled and hard-core poor) will last a lifetime, and remind the rakyat we do matter...
That does not mean we should not celebrate on a grand scale...I just feel that more expensive does not mean better...Grander can mean many things: A picnic of 100 families at the same time, each family bringing a Malaysian flag and their own picnic basket is grand too! At least there's meaning, and really, all we need would be food, a basket, a mat and a flag...But it brings Malaysian families together...
Whatever it is, Happy Merdeka Sir!
Daphne,
I am not against fun myself. Humans need fun for what is life without it but if fun also means decadence then it is not fun anymore. What you suggested is the real meaning of healthy wholesome family fun.
About the virgin part, sadly it happens you know and tonight more naive wet behind the ears school girls are going to fall prey to these predatorial animals and why? coz their parents thought it alright to let their charges off into the wolf's lair. Yes the millions, my god how they waste money but these are done at the urgings of blood sucking cronies who see this as an opportunity and there is nothing patriotic about their intentions.
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