Today Malaysia celebrates its 53rd National Day. The Prime Minister called on Malaysians to contribute to the development of the nation. He also said that Malaysia should nurture an environment that would encourage its citizens to use their talents to help their country progress and to reduce the brain drain that has been occurring for many years.
It is ironic that our country educates the young and among these talented youth, many who go abroad to study do not return home to serve their country. Today I learned that someone we know is emigrating with his young family. Many young families have migrated in search of greener pastures and these are the crème de la crème of the nation.
The government has tried to woo those working abroad to return by giving them incentives but there have been few takers. I find it strange that many of my former students, when they happen to meet me on the street always tell me that they thought I had migrated to another country. My answer has always been the same: “Why should I? Malaysia is my home and this is a great country with fabulous food and friendly people.” The only thing that I don’t like is the hot weather. Sometimes it gets so hot that it becomes unbearable to be out in the open.
I was there in the Selangor Padang ( now known as Dataran Merdeka ) when the Union Jack was lowered and our Jalur Gemilang was raised. I was a pre-teen then and my dad had taken three of us there to witness the historical declaration of independence. Crowds of proud Malayans thronged the field and at the stroke of midnight, an independent Malaya came into existence.
Then in 1963, Malaysia was born when Malaya, Sarawak, Sabah and Singapore agreed to its formation. Today Malaysia consists of the Federation of Malaya, Sarawak and Sabah, 13 states in all. Singapore left to make her own way.
Today the current Prime Minister is urging all Malaysians to unite under the slogan “1Malaysia”. As far as I can remember, we have always been very united. In the schools that I attended, we never thought of ourselves as ethnic Chinese, Malays or Indians. We were simply young Malayans.
We schooled together, played together, argued together, ate together. I remember sharing meals in primary school. Not all of us had pocket money to buy food. Some of us brought food from home while the poorer friends had nothing. We did not think twice about sharing what we had. We used our hands to eat together. Drinks were just putting our mouths to the tap and drinking the water that flowed from it.
Come festive time, be it Hari Raya Puasa, Chinese New Year or Deepavali, we would visit one another in groups, going from one house to another and enjoying the food in the “open house” concept. One did not need any invitation and everyone was welcome. Such was the hospitality of those days. I believe that these days, one often has to be invited before one would go visiting. Somehow there is this shyness, a reluctance to visit when there hasn’t been an invitation. Something from the yesteryears has been lost along the way.
I think the “1Malaysia” and the constant reminders that we are all Malaysians are one way of rekindling the old spirit. The adults can take a leaf from the children’s book. Children do not differentiate skin colors and are very happy to play together, learn together and grow together, sharing and giving. Children have a lot to teach us adults. “The child is father of the man.” Happy Independence Day to all Malaysians!
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