While on my way to KK yesterday, I passed by a big billboard that read "Hari Kemerdekaan Malaysia ke 54" and over the past few days, I also read about a Sabahan minister and officials lamenting that flying the Jalur Gemilang has not caught on with Sabahans.
I don't know what they grumbling about because I see loads of our national flag lining on both sides of the road while on my way to the farm everyday. Perhaps these people are referring to city folks whom are generally not gullible and know their history than kampung folks do.
Deliberate or not but don't you find it annoying that some people insist on being not corrected? What's the word to call people who doesn't want to learn from their mistake or be guided? Is it recalcitrant? For heaven's sake, didn't the Prime Minister acknowledge the importance of Malaysia Day by making it a national holiday last year? It took 47 years before they realized that they had their facts wrong about when Malaysia was formed but hey, better late than never(ehem.. even if it took 47 years..). Whoever that is perpetuating this erroneous fact is like slapping us Sabahans in the face. You know how it feels when you tell someone that he has wronged you and he goes, "uhuh..Oh ok.." and you think that he will stop doing it but then continues to do it anyway? I think that is how most Sabahans feel.
I WILL NOT FLY THE JALUR GEMILANG ON 31 AUGUST and that's not because I'm not patriotic but on the contrary, it is precisely because I'm patriotic that I will not fly it on 31 August. Try getting your wife's birthday wrong, she will send you to the dog house, so please do not insult the sanctity of Malaysia's anniversary by getting her birthday wrong. I WILL FLY IT PROUDLY ON 16 SEPTEMBER.
Malaysia was never COLONIZED! So it is erroneous to say Malaysians are celebrating 54 years of independence. Malaya gained its independence on 31 August 1957, so it is the people of the former Malaya that is celebrating 54 years of independence and I congratulate them but Sabah, the former Crown Colony of British North Borneo gained its independence on 31 August 1963. Therefore, independence for Sabahans has only been 48 years this coming 31 August.
Even if our "country" only lasted for 15 days, it was by choice and on our own terms. By forgetting our independence day, we are doing a disservice to our forefathers who had worked hard to convince the natives of North Borneo that it was to our benefit that we came together with the former Federation of Malaya, Singapore and Sarawak to form Malaysia.
If it weren't for them, there won't be a Malaysia today. Therefore, on 31 August 2011, I WILL PROUDLY FLY OUR SABAH FLAG in remembrance of our forefathers.
Happy 48th Independence Day Sabahans! P.s/- I got my Sabah flag from a local bookstore for RM1.50, it came with a holder/stand. On 16 September, I will add the Malaysian flag on the right side of my car.
