Now why is it so important? Malaysia Day is held on September 16 every year to commemorate the establishment of the Malaysian federation on the same date in 1963.
According to Wikipedia:
It marked the joining together of Malaya, North Borneo, Sarawak, and Singapore to form Malaysia. The formation of the new federation was planned to occur on June 1, 1963, but was later postponed to August 31, 1963, in order to coincide with the sixth Hari Merdeka.
Several issues related to the Indonesian and the Filipino objection to the formation of Malaysia delayed the declaration to September 16 of the same year. The postponement was also done to allow the United Nations team time to conduct referendums in North Borneo (now Sabah) and Sarawak regarding the two states participation in a new federation.
The formation of Malaysia was made possible through the introduction of the Malaysia Bill to the Malayan Parliament on July 9, 1963, and consent from the Yang di-Pertuan Agong on August 29, 1963.
Prior to the formation of Malaysia, Singapore and North Borneo unilaterally declared independence from the United Kingdom on August 31, 1963, thus coinciding with the sixth anniversary of the Malayan independence.
I was still toddling around when that historical event occurred and it was only a few years later when I understood what it all meant, thanks to the patriotic songs that were played over RTM then.
Some wonder why it has taken the authorities such a long time before they gave this day its much belated recognition.
Sim Kwang Yang wrote an interesting post in Malaysiakini about this issue and he said:
Our nation is now poised to be transformed by a new system of government. The powerful BN has lost its two-thirds majority in Parliament and has been rocked by a shocking defeat at the hands of PKR-PAS-DAP in five states in the peninsula.
Overnight, the previously insignificant states of Sabah and Sarawak have emerged to be the kingmakers in Malaysia. If they decide to swing and throw their support behind Pakatan Rakyat, then national power will fall into the hands of the opposition.
The million-dollar question in Malaysian politics today is this: who will the BN component parties in Sabah and Sarawak back in future rounds of general elections? In Sarawak at least, part of the support for BN has been lost to the opposition DAP. The tight grip of the BN strongman, Abdul Taib Mahmud, seems to be loosening. CLICK HERE for more.
In a nutshell, he opines that "Sarawakians will have a chance to play the role of a national kingmaker in the face of so many contradictions among the ruling elite. In the immediate post-Taib era, the political situation and the balance of power will become very fluid, and anything is possible. Sarawak could very well be placed on the cusp of change, with the possibility of major reshuffles among the political elite."
There is always more than meets the eyes. Personally, I believe that the time has come for us to be more aware of the history of our nation-building journey and to have the right perspective of our past so that our present is more meaningful as we look ahead to the future.
As the sun sets this evening, may we try our best in our own ways to make this nation a better place for all. Take care and enjoy your evening. Do leave a comment to share your thoughts. Thanks!
Anonymous You are being taken for a ride by the BN> As soon as they win GE13 all wil be forgotten and this time Sabah will be plundered together with Sarawak.