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Thursday, September 01, 2005

Merdeka, anyone?

Yesterday was our 48th anniversary since we triumphed the protracted struggle against trespassers upon this beautiful land we call home. 31st August: the emblem of our national pride, something we can hold on to for years and years to come. The day upon which the spattered blood of our fallen heroes are elicited in retrospect and given due respect with ample tributes via the mass media; where history is revisited, reevaluated, relearned; where the spirit of patriotism soar across the heavens and the slogan “raise the flag high!” can never be better demonstrated with so much gusto.

Patriotism. Such a clear, unpretentious word yet engenders so many definitions. You tack on a dozen of the national flag at the back of your car and cruise around town with your callused fingers out of the window, tossing off cigarette ashes carelessly- pride swelling in your chest, feeling foolishly patriotic (or the other way round). You join the frenzied crowd at a Merdeka event, brandishing a giant national flag to show that you’re a true-blue anak merdeka, and when asked by a TV journalist you said we gained independence in 1946 (and we viewers had had a good laugh at your stupid grin). You add fuel to the televised countdown mass (and concert) as an unerring gesture of your undying love for the nation, and party till the break of dawn, your religion and morals hurled over the window in the face of inspiring nationalism.

It goes to show that being patriotic is a matter of opinion. I, for once, have never attended a Merdeka parade, but I do remember the year of our independence, mind. Our family has never flaunted the national flag on our car, but we don’t go thrashing the environment with our bloody cigarettes either. To me, being patriotic is to show love for the country by serving the land its due worth along with great compassion and integrity. Propelling ourselves to become an asset for the nation by offering good deeds- contribute to the society and pitch in our heart and soul for its physical as well as spiritual development. It is amazing how people can claim to be so patriotic and ignore these simple moral codes, thus prompting me to rephrase my word- patriotism is in fact a word with a lost meaning.

Our holiday celebrations have lately reached a new level of absurdity. Any sane people would testify that these Merdeka events (which are usually in the form of musical concerts) are markedly superficial- that they give us no indication whatsoever of the level of patriotism amongst Malaysians rather than providing some hours of plain good fun, but you know the world has gone effectively bonkers when tens of thousands of people flock to such a concert solely to see their latest acquired singing idol (no need to name names, do we?? Heh) and a leader had the grit (or maybe he’s just clueless) to proclaim that he had never seen such a great demonstration of good old patriotism amongst the rakyat (meaning the overwhelming turnout of people). Or something like that (snagged the news secondhand. hah.). Go figure, mister.

I don’t want to be discreet- I AM annoyed at those (mostly teenagers like myself) who have fallen so horribly under the reality-show (namely AF) spell and treat Mawi with unimaginable reverence bordering on obsession. Like, get a life! People who waste their money and time going to Merdeka concerts where members of both sexes mingle freely without any restrictions- what are they thinking exactly, I wonder?

I don’t condemn those who attend Merdeka events (as long as they don’t contain elements of maksiat, which is becoming quite rare nowadays) or those with the flags- raise ‘em high! But I also see these people throwing away ice-cream wrappers on the road without the slightest moment reserved to ponder upon their actions. I see people round this town burn their rubbish openly and then can easily complaint about the haze whereas they are bruising the nature guiltlessly themselves. And I see people forgetting history- how could we expect them to retrace the footsteps of our brave heroes and possibly learn something from their toils and sweats when they (yes there were plenty of them) can’t even remember the most important date in national history?

I had given this a thought before- am I unpatriotic? For it so appears that I don't feel particularly excited to watch the national parade or wave flags and stuff... so shoot me. But after some contemplation, i concluded that I AM patriotic, in the sense that I do love my country and will serve it in ways that I can and will never allow myself to put the nation to shame with my attitude or behaviour. I wish people could see that in addition to the obvious public display of our patriotism, we need to delve deeper into ourselves, see whether we are actually assets or a hindrance to the country's progress, as we are the ones who made up the country in the first place.

My first and foremost allegiance is and will always be to my religion though, and since the state of affairs in our country today so often contradicts with our so-called status as a Muslim nation it repeatedly put me at odds with myself, thus the question of the level of patriotism in my part. Many activities and events are so heavily smouldered with political motives and devoid of religious elements that they put me off. if these are the things that render me unpatriotic, then perhaps I am. but then again, we do have quite a different outlook on the word's definition itself.

I'm ranting unneccessarily, yeah... as always. Not trying to sport a holier-than-thou attitude- I am no saint myself, but even by my wacky standards the world has become almost too weird a place to live in.

ps: some original words have been rephrased/erased to preserve sensitivity.

21 comments:

Anonymous said...

I went to a seminar on Aug 31, and the ustaz mentioned something memorable. "Sebagai contoh, masa tengah2 sambutan merdeka ni, macam mana nak berdakwah. Boleh je awak pergi distribute flyers kat dataran tu, satu ayat pon dah cukup: SELAMAT MENYAMBUT HARI MERDEKA... berdasarkan prinsip2 Islam."

:)

Merdeka in every sense is beautiful and uplifting. It's a rahmah and nikmat from the Almighty, but despite the dysfunctional and meaningless things that Merdeka is being associated with nowadays, we can still hope.... this entry gives me hope.

Ikelah said...

I salute you

Anonymous said...

I second ikelah's opinion 100%

Reading your entry gave me goosebumps - and not because the air-conditioner was on full blast. Just like you, I've never displayed flags (raise 'em high!) on my car, and I certainly have not attended any parades. The only parades I'll ever go to are Subang Parade and Mahkota Parade in Melaka.

Good luck to you. You will represent the Malaysian youth well in Russia.

Anonymous said...

Spot on iFos. I would've written something just as strong - if only I had your penchant for the language *sniff*

Anyway, I don't believe in covering one's car with all those "raise 'em high!" flags. I also don't believe in spending the whole night being crushed by smelly, sweaty people in all directions just to count down 31st August. There are other, more civilised ways to show one's love for the motherland.

Salam Merdeka to you.

Anonymous said...

I salute ur article too.

There are many ways to celebrate Merdeka. The right way pun can be more than one. Therefore, it`s inappropriate to consider covering one`s car with flags as less civilized. It`s just the way some people express themselves. I have withnessed Independence day celebration in other countries with different types of people. I came to just look but later was overwhelmed by the spirit of unity and there I was singing their national anthem in full spirit seeing in my mind the bloodshed battlefield of Gallipoli keeping the crimsom red flag standing high. It`s not the soil, it`s not the hill. These can all change hands and it`s actually milik Tuhan. It`s actually the will, the spirit of fighting and dying together for the common cause and belief that brought together all those people. To remember and keep the flaming spirit of their grandfathers burning for guidance when the path darkens.

This is the English translation lyrics of the national anthem I sang.

Fear not and be not dismayed, this crimson flag will never fade.
It is the last hearth that is burning for my nation,
And we know for sure that it will never fail.
It is my nation's star, shining forever,
It is my nation's star and it is mine.

Frown not, fair crescent, for I am ready to die for you.
Smile now upon my heroic nation, leave this anger,
Lest the blood shed for thee be unblessed.
Freedom is my nation's right,
Freedom for us who worship God and seek what is right.

Anonymous said...

ifos, thats an excellent piece.

last weekend i watched a talk show hosted by linda onn. the guests were reprentatives from two student bodies (who i shall refer as kids) representing the younger generation, an event commentator/strategist and a young motivator.

i could not believe my ears when these kids say the younger generation are patriotic and understand the meaning merdeka by the display of attendance at concerts, as well as events at university campuses. if that is the measure of patriotism then i am truly alarmed at what would happen to this country's future. by the end of the show, not only was i enraged that those kids but also the level of their mentality.

wonder what do people learn in colleges nowadays?

ifos said...

sirc_valence: Indeed there are a bundle of people out there who use the name of God offhandedly towards their own benefit. This is ABUSING religion, and that in itself ought to speak for everything. Men always seem to find excuses for their own weaknesses when God has laid a straight and clear path for us to tread on. We can't blame religion OR question its incontestable neccessity in our lives because of some people who obviously do not comprehend the depth of their own religion and thus, cannot represent it rightfully. Take drugs- drug abuse is abundant everywhere but we can't say that drugs in itself are bad and unneccessary, provided it be put to good use and handled the right way ;) And there's the question, will these people realise the so-called 'meaninglessness of materialism' in the end?? After seeing the extent that men are willing to go in quest of worldly material (which has been going on since the dawn of age), I just can't be convinced.

What we need is to return to our roots of faith and seek to gain not only this world, as we believe in the hereafter as well. If we can't change the world, just take good care of ourselves then~

Anonymous, yeah I think it's perfectly OK to raise flags and stuff... Only I feel that our people tend to put a fullstop to their act of patriotism at that. We don't seem to possess the same standard of nationalism as people in the country you once lived in. Their national anthem simply and strongly portrays their undying love and willingness to fight for their land.

P5, I truly believe that many teenagers do not appreciate the true meaning of merdeka and patriotism. Whenever I tried to engage them in such discussions and point out our problems, they (friends and peers) would laugh me off, sometimes accompanied by words like "poyo". Haha~

And to the rest, thanks and Selamat Hari Merdeka =)

Anonymous said...

The reason we never stick flags to our car is because I have this fear that it will peel off the paint ...will it? :P . Seriously I just feel that it is truly absurd to go about town with flags on the car just to proclaim your patriotism. Or shouting the countdown till you are hoarsed. But then again what will Hari Merdeka be without the Merdeka Parade? The truth is it's not the mode of celebration that matters but the hearts of the people celebrating it. SO raise the crimson red flag! oops sorry, semangat Gallipoli tiba-tiba merasuk diri..:)

Anonymous said...

Love for one's own country is natural and right, but one must remember not to go to extremes. It's true that the merdeka spirit being reduced to mere 'going through the motions' during organised celebrations is bad enough, but in my mind what is even worse is patriotism and nationalism to the point of blindness/bigotry. Nationalism very much emphasises the 'us' and 'them' mentality; so much so that we overlook the fact that borders are MAN-MADE, and that drawing imaginary lines between us and other people can only hurt in the long run. To get to the point, nationalism when taken too far, I believe, is one of the causes of disunity in the muslim ummah. One only needs to look at the Middle East to see how true this is, how unnatural borders are drawn during colonial times, creating potential hotbeds of conflict. Although I love my country and would love to spend my life there, I realise that at the end of the day, we are 'citizens of the world' (to borrow a phrase from a friend) and that wherever I make sujud, that is my home.

Anonymous said...

Kesederhanaan is good. It is safe, sounds good to the ear and it is boring (Paul Moss). A big difference is made only when you go beyond sederhana but to what extreme? As extreme as the religion permits can we?
The middle east have always been a land of turmoil even before Lawrence got there. There have always been political borders separating tribes, kingdoms and empires. There have always been wars there. These borders separating us shall only dissapear when political rivalry comes to an end and a New World Order is achieved. It is for the benefit of mankind of course because then there will be no need for wars and natural resources be controlled by one for use by all.(Bush`s Idea/Civilisation3, Rise of Nation and Age of Empire). This idea also sounds good to the ear.
Nationalism is fine but not to be confused it with racism or fascism.
As for me, I am a muslim, nationalist, stategist, kampungist, homist. I don`t mind adding a few more ism. A patriot also but in my own loud way when noise is required. Yes I think we can categorize them into loud and silent patriots or singing and thinking patriots. Silent patriots for bed time maybe or during peace. There`s also the belacan patriot who since Merdeka day haunts me. Now someone will come out and say "No it`s no good to categorize people".

Anonymous said...

ifos, its them who are poyo, for not understanding and refuse to learn and understand. you should reserve some sympathy for them.

celebrating merdeka is also commemorating the sacrifice of those who fought to achieve it, as well as those who fought to preserve it. a visit down to the national mausoleum and the national monument before you depart for russia may help you appreciate the spilled blood. accompanying doa will do good for the souls too.

Anonymous said...

P5 can pesan the Zodiac boat and gas mask through comrade Ifos.

Anonymous said...

ifos,

check-out this website. maybe to your amusement..???

http://xmawi.blogspot.com

Anonymous said...

After reading around for a bit, I realise it is difficult to have a constructive discussion unless nationalism is clearly defined. Unfortunately there seem to be as many definitions of nationalism as there are species of bacteria, or at least certainly more than I care to read about at the moment. So perhaps leaving sociopolitical concepts such as fascism aside...

To continue: Kesederhanaan or the middle path has always been the true way of religion. It is too easy to go to extremes, the challenge is in keeping to the middle path, as we muslims have always been commanded to do. There is no real problem with nationalism, as long as it is based upon reason and justice, guided by divine law. Perhaps the abolition of borders will never indefinitely cancel out human conflict, humans being what we are. But a lot of strife has undeniable roots in nationalist attitudes, which can result in tunnel-vision. There is no denying the past, but if we are to get out of our 'victim mentality' there needs to be a major shift in thinking. Maybe one could start out with love for the country (maybe one simplistic way to define nationalism?) then expand that circle of love to include fellow human beings on the face of the earth. Oh boy do I sound like a hippie now. :) Idealistic? Perhaps. But if we give up on our ideals, what is left of this hollow husk called life?

P5 that mawi blog is hilarious.

Anonymous said...

The rest of the national anthem posted by anonymous (there are actually 10 verses in the original poem, but only 2 are sung) is breathtaking. In my mind, it's a pity they don't sing the whole thing (too long I guess), it is more rousing to the spirit. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Istikl%C3%A2l_Marsi

Suriya said...

Man is born free but everywhere he is found in chains Rousseau....yet man wants to be free MERDEKA!As Kenakelayan said Nationalism has to be defined.Travelling as I do to different parts of the world, I would describe my Nationalism in terms of the sheer relief and the wave of love that fills my heart when I touch Malaysian soil...no matter if I have been to a poorer nation or a richer nation, a more tolerent nation or a non tolerent nation....I 'll take Malaysia ..warts and all....

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