Merdeka! Or Merdeka?

The never ending search for Jiwa Merdeka.

Independence Day (Malay: Hari Merdeka), also known as National Day (Hari Kebangsaan), is the independence day of the Federation of Malaya from Britain. 

It commemorates the Malayan Declaration of Independence on 31 August 1957, and is defined in article 160 of the Constitution of Malaysia.

In the early days of independence, the struggle then was for the freedom and liberation from the grip of colonial masters. 

Much was written then by writers and poet on the struggle for "jiwa merdeka" (independence soul). 

Mohamed Ika Danial Abdullah touched on jiwa merdeka and the meaning of Merdeka in his NST piece for last year's Merdeka celebration. 

In his opinion, Merdeka has evolved to mean differently for generation after independence. 

He concluded that the "... reality (of Jiwa Merdeka), it is an ultimate goal to achieve by educating and shaping young people to become resilient leaders who stand firm and are not easily dictated, but still celebrate similarities and respect differences."

He failed to explore whether the similarities and differences are that of independent and liberated souls. Or a new generation of indifference and narcissism?

Dependent?

According to Cambridge dictionary here, Independence means:

• Freedom from being governed or ruled by another country

• The ability to live your life without being helped or influenced by other people. 

To the latter meaning, the spirit of Merdeka seemed to wither within the post independence generation. 

From a simple observation and retrospection, one could conclude that the 66 years of independence have not extricate Malaysians from colonial dependency. 

The economic, language, educational, cultural, and psychological dependency to imperialism were not severed.

Malays proudly considered themselves lucky over the saudara serumpun, Indonesian to be colonised by the British than Dutch. They claimed the British left us the structure and system of law, civil service, and education.

It took Indonesia longer and an ardous struggle from 1945, but they have and are proud of their unique achievements and national identity.

After 66 years, expansive London remain the main destination of well heeled Malaysians for education, holiday, second home, and history.

The British gave us independence, but it was after almost 25 years of independence before the dawn raid could reclaim the plantations and mines from colonial hands. 

Even that we seek their fund managers to keep the share prices of these companies afloat. Malaysia remain dependent on the West for capital and know how.  

To restart the economy, policymakers unashamedly declare the need for FDI, and adopt the new concern of the West for the environment and climate change they influcted upon the world.

Businesmen proudly pitch their wares as foreign technology or something latest from Silicon Valley. Anything China is still viewed with scepticism. 

A proud independent soul would have made do with what's available and painstakingly  build upon its own product and knowledge. 

If its not British or American or European, Malaysia and Malaysians rather brush aside local ingenuity and tradition in favour of the eastern satellite states of the West for solution and model to copy from for its economy, society, politics, knowledge, and technology.

There have been too many examples of Malaysians, who did good and able to succeed abroad, but could not get their products and services a foothold locally. 

Stuck in the past?

After 66 years, Prime Minister Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim still need to dwell on the basis of Malaysian nationhood on the status of Islam, rights of non-Muslim to practise their religion, Malay as official language, position of Malay rulers, Bumiputera special rights, and non-Bumiputera citizenry. 

And 60 years after the formation of Malaysia, the agreed economic and political rights of Sabah and Sarawak have yet to be fully fulfilled. 

The total number of seats in Parliament representing West Malaysian constituencies should not be more than two third. Why does it took so long?

And why are we not moving forward?

Taken from Malay Mail Online, Anwar stressed a meaning of Merdeka that have been ignored for decades under the dictatorship of Mahathir and his minions: 

"... the highest levels of leadership right down to the people must know that this country is a mandate and all the powers that exist, no matter at the lowest level in the village or in the district office right up to the Prime Minister’s Department, must shape the people whose souls are also independent.

"We must not allow this country to be used as a tool to obtain wealth for elite groups.

"A study shows that efforts to ensure the independence of souls must continue. The meaning of independence means all the country’s wealth, strength and efforts are meant to return rights to the people, raising the dignity of this country.

"And I am sure, if this spirit exists among Malaysians, Malaysia will emerge as a great and brave country in South-east Asia,” Anwar said.

To put it in the face, after 66 years of official independence from Britain, Malaysians remained in a state of old feudel dependence to aristocratic elitists or clergymen, and mentally colonised by a Kerala descendent. 

Corruption, abuse of power, and evaded tax revenue denied rakyat their rights and access to basic necessities and amenities. Strangely blatant corruption hardly angered them and willingly submit to the narratives of hate, divisiveness and 3R.

Submitting without resistance?

If that is not bad enough, the resultant shortcoming arising from masses of less than independent soul will pose a far more significant challenge in today's fast changing global environment and socio-economic make-up of the country.

Andrew Sheng wrote in The Edge on Merdeka Day 2021 during the pandemic on the "Condivergence and meaning of Merdeka". Many factors are converging and diverging the country away from the meaning of Merdeka. 

Since globalisation became the buzzword, and opening up is the Holy Grail solution to prosperity, the financiers and capitalist class kept reiterating we have no choice but to secede to the ways of the time and the futility of defending from the volatile condition. 

The ruling class conveniently abide without much deeper thoughts. There was hardly any form of resistance or far from any serious attempt to flank the obstacle put up.

And it implies those in the driver seat and blindly loyal citizens willingly submitting without giving second thought to the possibility that the independence achieved over 66 years and centuries of struggle against colonialism could slip away. 

Selamat Hari Merdeka. Merdeka! Or Merdeka?