Merdeka Golden Jubilee - National anniversary or Barisan Nasional anniversary?
A fortnight ago, the Sultan of Selangor called on politicians regardless of parties to put politics aside and to celebrate the once-in-a-lifetime event, the 50th Merdeka anniversary, as one people.
He said: “The politicians, regardless of their parties, can have all the time they want to talk about politics after National Day but for now, I do not want to hear any issues that can hurt the feelings of any community.”
It is very sad that the Sultan of Selangor’s advice was completely ignored, as the two weeks before the 50th Merdeka anniversary had produced an unusually big crop of divisive and contentious issues which further divide rather than unify Malaysians as well as undermining public confidence in the independence and integrity of national institutions — not to mention the farce of patriotism staged by some Barisan Nasional MPs on August 29, which disgraced Parliament and demeaned the Merdeka Golden Jubilee celebrations.
After the Ambang Merdeka at the Dataran Merdeka, Kuala Lumpur culminating in the 50th Merdeka Anniversary countdown to midnight of August 30, many Malaysians asked whether it was a national anniversary or a Barisan Nasional anniversary.
Instead of uniting all Malaysians, regardless of generations, race, religion, territory or political party affiliations, the Ambang Merdeka programme polarized Malaysians between those in the Barisan Nasional/Alliance and the rest of Malaysians!
Although the Merdeka Parade at Dataran Merdeka yesterday morning and the Merdeka Mammoth Celebrations at Stadium Merdeka last night were not as blatantly “Barisan Nasional” as the Ambang Merdeka programme, the tone and motif of the official celebrations had been set and it is no exaggeration to say that many Malaysians were turned off by the anniversary programme for failing to be a powerful agent of Malaysian national unity for the country to face up to the many grave challenges of the next half-century.
Where have we gone wrong? Even more pertinent, are those in authority prepared to acknowledge that mistakes have been made in missing a golden opportunity, once-in-a-lifetime, to unite rather than polarize Malaysians or will such criticisms be dismissed as lacking in patriotism and love for Malaysia?
September 1st, 2007 at 11: 24.08
This was a party of Hitlerian proportions using children…..so I left….
September 1st, 2007 at 11: 44.07
It is completely insensitive to have BN, UMNO, MCA, MIC flags beside the Malaysian flag. You immediately divide Malaysians. It is also irresponsible. What if there had been PAS, DAP and PKR flags also being displayed during the event? Won’t there be risk of clashes? How much money was spent on the event. Malaysian taxpayers also have the right to raise the question: Who paid for the extravaganza? If it is taxpayers money, then once again the corrupt BN government has used public funds to further its own partisan causes. Let the PM give Malaysians a credible answer to these questions.
September 1st, 2007 at 11: 44.12
BUt let’s give our PM the applause for not falling asleep during those programmes. And he had to wake up so early on the 31st which is very rare for him.
September 1st, 2007 at 12: 11.51
PM apologised to Indonesia. Maybe he will also apologise to Malaysians for abusing taxpayers’ money in misrepresenting the national day celebrations as BN’s celebrations.
September 1st, 2007 at 12: 16.36
Malaysia belongs to Malaysian, Not BN. Sultan of Selangor has correctly observed and commented. Did the Government invites the rest of parties (including opposition) to be there or since it is a free country, shouldnt that opposition parties also take their own initiative to attend? Correctly me if i am wrong.
September 1st, 2007 at 12: 26.40
The BN politician does not differentiate between what is Kerajaan and Negara. Corrupted leaders which form the Kerajaan ( government) is a traitor to its negara (country).
September 1st, 2007 at 12: 46.40
The 50th Kemerdekaan celebration 2007, was an UMNO charade to campaign for General Election which should be soon. How pretentious, how hypocritical! And we the people, the tax-payers’ are paying for it?
It’s daylight robbery right under our noses!
September 1st, 2007 at 14: 00.10
SIASATAN Belum habis, PM dah pergi mitak maaf . apa kena ni jang?! N o B A L L S?
TEMPO Interaktif, Jakarta:Perdana Menteri Malaysia Abdullah Ahmad Badawi telah meminta maaf kepada pemerintah Indonesia atas insiden pemukulan terhadap ketua wasit kejuaraan karate, Donald Luther Pieter Colopita.
“Malam ini sekitar pukul 20.00 WITA, Presiden Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono telah menerima telepon dari Perdana Menteri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi yang menyesalkan dan meminta maaf atas kejadian tersebut,” kata Juru Bicara Kepresidenan Dino Patti Djalal dalam konferensi pers di Istana Tampak Siring Bali, Kamis (30/8).
Abdullah, kata Dino, menganggap peristiwa itu tak perlu terjadi. Kedua kepala pemerintahan itu berbicara dalam suasana akrab, “Layaknya dua saudara.”
Yudhoyono, kata Dino, menghargai niat baik, upaya, dan pernyataan Badawi. “Pernyataan itu menunjukkan sikap arif Perdana Menteri Abdullah Badawi,” kata Dino.
Kedua pemimpin negara menyepakati persoalan diselesaikan lewat jalur hukum. Empat polisi Malaysia, penganiaya Donald, telah diskors dan dipotong separoh gajinya. Terhadap tindakan itu, kata Dino, Presiden menghargai tanggapan cepat dari Malaysia.
Yudhoyono berharap semua pihak tidak terpancing emosi menanggapi masalah ini. Apalagi Kepala Kepolisian Diraja Malaysia juga telah mengirim surat berisi penyesalan dan permintaan maaf kepada Donald. “Permintaan maaf tersebut diantarkan sendiri oleh Duta Besar Malaysia kepada Saudara Donald Colopita di rumah sakit,” kata Dino.
September 1st, 2007 at 14: 03.26
THIS 50TH CELEBRATION PARADE GOING TO BACK FIRE BIG TIME FOR BN
September 1st, 2007 at 14: 44.59
50 years of nation building. No doubt i admit that Malaysia has improved a lot in terms of its infrastructure to what it has today. But if we look into it clearly, how about our mindset and identity as Malaysian? I would say that we are still not an united nation as BANGSA MALAYSIA. 50 years after Merdeka, everyday when i flip through the newspaper, i still can see a lot of news about racist issue. Who shall we blame to? The current political party BN shall be blamed for it. BN is the party which make us cannot come into reunion as BANGSA MALAYSIA. Why do i say so? As you can see, having its “balance weight” logo for the name of BN. But inside the BN itself there are still sub-parties with their respective parties logo and objective. So how can we Malaysian come into reunited as ONE when our political party BN never show a good example to everyone of us living in Malaysia…… Sigh…..
September 1st, 2007 at 14: 47.48
Nobody to blame but us voters, BN have been robbing us blind for over 20 yrs and what have we done nothing.Each G.E it is BN that shout another may 13. BN and all its bull shit . But we are the biggest suckers.
September 1st, 2007 at 15: 10.06
I was looking for the faces of opposition MPs on the stage at Dataran Merdeka as well as Merdeka Stadium - but saw none.YB LKS they have missed an opportunity to showcase a semblence of “UNITY” by not according to you and fellow opposition MPs the respect you too aptly deserve. Even if they were present, they were left ‘unseen’
On another matter of course the UMNO kingpins are too bash, too arrogant and corruptly powerful, why would (and should) they respect the advice of HH the Sultan of Selangor or any other, including the hypocritical advice of DPM “advising” leaders not to speak contentiously. We have a bunch of arrogant, corrupt and hypocrirtical leaders governing our country!
September 1st, 2007 at 15: 39.21
If you think that is unbecoming you should read this :
“Raja Petra perlu di tahan bawah ISA†article by Khairy Norhisham on Monday, 27 August 2007 in an Umno website.
http://www.kpmu.net/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=587
“Jika kita amati dengan teliti, kita dapat merasakan ada pihak yang sedang cuba membakar api perkauman dan ada pihak yang cuba melagakan bangsa Melayu dan bangsa-bangsa asing kerana tidak senang dengan keamanan dan keharmonian masyarakat majmuk di Malaysia.â€Â
… “melagakan bangsa Melayu dan bangsa-bangsa asingâ€Â, Khairy Norhisham is referring non-Malays as ALIENS OR FOREIGNERS !!!! Chinese, Indians and other minorities are non-Malaysian !!! Suddenly we the non-Malays are non-Malaysian just before 50th Merdeka celebrate.
YB Lim Kit Siang, please comments on.
September 1st, 2007 at 16: 17.38
It has been 50 years, an aweful long time. It’s time to bury BN and spit onto the grave, just as the Thais have buried Thaksin’s corrupt Thai Rak Thai Party.
September 1st, 2007 at 16: 53.01
“THIS 50TH CELEBRATION PARADE GOING TO BACK FIRE BIG TIME FOR BN” -izrafeil
Bring in on then!! Just bring it on!
I think it is time we put an end to all the whingeing and complaining. Let the rakyat be the judge.
Pemuda Barisan, sedia bergempur!!!
Inilah barisan kita, yang ikhlas berjuang, siap sedia berkorban untuk ibu pertiwi.
September 1st, 2007 at 16: 55.10
Bring it on then
September 1st, 2007 at 17: 26.46
It definitely look a day of celebration for UMNO and BN. No one else mattered and it’s the people’s money that is being spent on the celebration.
Their tv didn’t even want to zoom in on any members of the opposition parties, not even Tun Dr Mahathir, the only living former Prime Minister around. He didn’t matter either. The Star today had a small column on Dr M’s comments re the celebration.
Was it a ‘Malaysian’ celebration ?
September 1st, 2007 at 18: 39.30
Barisan people can’t tell the difference between the nation and BN just like George Bush can’t tell the difference whether he Badawi got married again or not..
September 1st, 2007 at 18: 41.17
I watched some of the celebrations on TV1, was sickened and switched to Channel 91 CNBC; better for the soul.
As to patriotism, BN is probably the most unpatriotic bunch around, caring for their parochial and party interests above that of the nation’s.
September 1st, 2007 at 18: 43.36
BTW, the program was quite low-class. Need I say more, RTM, as always.
September 1st, 2007 at 19: 12.41
BERNAMA:
“When told by his aide that he did congratulate the prime minister, Bush laughed at his memory lapse and said: “Exactly. I’m going to congratulate him again. I’ll double the congratulations.”
It’s a wonder Bush remembers anything at all of Pak Lah. What an impression the Malaysian PM made on Bush.
September 1st, 2007 at 19: 37.54
The whole celebration was sad to say, below expectation. For a 50th anniversary -do, it should have been much better standard than that.
The total projection of umno, blatant pretense was deceptive and in bad taste. The lowering of the Union Jack was most insulting!
It just go to show this country is run by a bunch of idiots! And the irony is they are so mighty proud of it splashed across all govt controlled news media.
September 1st, 2007 at 22: 56.58
The celebration was a farce. Governed by a bunch of idiots, racists, sinners and cheats.
September 2nd, 2007 at 01: 09.42
Khairy Norhisham posts URL to website that offends the Malays in his article RAJA PETRA PERLU DI TAHAN BAWAH ISA at Kelab Penyokong Maya UMNO on 27th August 2007.
URL to RAJA PETRA PERLU DI TAHAN BAWAH ISA article.
http://www.kpmu.net/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=587
INILAH LAMAN WEB YANG MENGHINA MELAYU
Klik Sini
Click on “Klik Sini” you be direct to the site.
September 2nd, 2007 at 08: 43.49
…//..Even more pertinent, are those in authority prepared to acknowledge that mistakes have been made in missing a golden opportunity, once-in-a-lifetime, to unite rather than polarize Malaysians or will such criticisms be dismissed as lacking in patriotism and love for Malaysia?…//…†– YB LKS.
Many amongst those in authority would acknowledge the mistakes – privately but would not rectify them. And why should they? What is good for their private interests is not good for the nation’s interests and vice versa.
Those in authority (whatever the race) – and their friends – have made lots of money from power or association with power. Personal and group vested interests take precedence over national interests.
To leverage on race and religion is a well tried and successful formula towards such an agenda.
It is so because amongst the larger population there are different races, and being multi-religious and multi cultural, have no common shared norms or even laws and plenty of mutual suspicions and feelings of separateness. These divisive tendencies can only be ameliorated and bridged by evolution and forging of common interests and goals amongst the populace.
However, the communal and ethnic based politics keep driving the racial and religious schisms and wedge deeper and things have gone the opposite way.
For so long as a public morality based on values of fair-play, equality of citizenry founded on unity of all Malaysians under the Bangsa Malaysia – and differentiated only on criteria of merits – and accountability of government in management of nation’s resources does not develop and take root, a corrupt government dividing instead of uniting the people will not be booted out and will always successively be returned to power by the ballot boxes.
The expression the people (or the majority thereof) always get the government they deserve reflects the corollary that a government is only as good, decent and moral as its citizens, or at least the significant section of them that keep voting it to power……… As a nation about to celebrate 50th Merdeka anniversary, it is good to remind ourselves that our greatest threat is internal, not external….
The threat lies in the lack of shame – indeed, on the contrary, much sense of pride and well being – in taking unfair advantage of situation for personal gain, unfair gain over others for personal security and enrichment, the expression “others†being reference to people of perceived lower socio-economic standing or lower educational level or of different race, religion or political creed who, being different, are hence not entitled to considerations of equal and fair treatment, compassion or respect.
The ruling politicians have not by their policies, nurtured a higher public morality amongst the people, it is on the contrary, the other way around so that the citizenry not having a higher public morality will keep on endorsing their brand of politics based on divisive criteria of race and religion and voting them back to power in a self feeding and endless cycle of self repetition.
So the Golden Merdeka Jubilee is rightly a BN Anniversary to commmorate its successful grip on power - no Opposition leaders or flags were featured at Ambang Merdeka and many participating were school children and personnel of organisations who have no say to opt out - but celebrated at huge public expense as a national one, if only to give a strong propaganda boost to the BN’s popularity in the imminent general election.
The symbolic and ceremonial importance of the Merdeka Golden Jubilee was supposed to give meaning to the cry of merdeka : of independence, nationhood based on constitution, unity and pride in success of the nation.
Meaning however cannot be evoked by words alone. It is subject to proof and benchmarked against deeds.
Is there a point on merdeka day to speak of the harmonious relations and contributions of all races when every other day we hear of how one community is entitled by the “social contract†to special privileges over the rest? Or that, according to MB from bastion of UMNO in Johore that there is no such thing as “Bangsa Malaysia� Or that the constitution prescribes the nation as an Islamic state? Or that every act or word highlighting the mistake of governance becomes a sensitive and illegal or unpatriotic one deserving of punishment by full rigours of the law?
To be sure Malaysia has improved substantially in terms of living standards, education, wealth creation and even public facilities in the last 50 years but relative to the resources of the nation and the overtaking of her by other countries like Korea, Japan, Singapore etc, we’re at best a successful failure or a failing success depending on one’s point of view. Instead of Malaysia so far so good, it is actually so far not so bad and would get badder unless things change. That is the sentiment that has been the dampener on the celebrations.
September 3rd, 2007 at 01: 07.43
Know what i heard ,The Bumi - Quota, Will only be given to UMNO members, You must show your UMNO CARD to enjoy this preverlege , I also want to join can ahhhhh…
September 3rd, 2007 at 03: 02.54
[...] Merdeka Golden Jubilee - National anniversary or Barisan Nasional anniversary? [...]
September 3rd, 2007 at 08: 53.50
There is always the “divide and rule” policy, but never the “share and rule” policy. BN is such a coward that they dare not invite the opposition to participate in National Day celebrations. So it ends up there is a BN National Day and an Opposition National Day!
September 3rd, 2007 at 22: 55.40
U guys seem to have made a mistake.
It used to be Malaysia=Barisan Nasional
Now it is Malaysia=UMNO.
Get real guys, this is fact.
Unless the person in the mirror wakes up, and helps register voters.
By the way, did you call or SMS ur MP and inform him/her that you were disturbed that the Ambang Merdeka seemed to be an UMNO celebration and not a Malaysian celebration.
How about the TV8 broadcast? It was in Chinese. I have not heard of a live broadcast in Chinese since the early 70’s. This shows that the Government looks after all races.