Merdeka 2008
My family have been in Malaysia for many generations. Not sure exactly but we're talking about 5th or 6th generation. We are of Chinese descent (as far as I know but I've been told I don't look Chinese) but have no link in China anymore. Our country is going to celebrate its 51st year of independence on Sunday.
When I picked Adam up from school, he was waving a flag he made in school. Yesterday, Laura came home with a handicraft she made in school. An astronaut with a Malaysian flag to be attached to a pencil. I want to start a family tradition for Merdeka day. I want my children to be proud to be Malaysians. But for the life of me, I can't think what to do. Putting up a flag on my car doesn't make me more Malaysian than I already am. I get annoyed when I see the Malaysian flag getting dirty and torn a week after Merdeka. 31 August has come and gone and Malaysians are not patriotic enough to treat the flag with respect.
I welcome suggestions for something I can do with my family for Merdeka. Maybe have a Merdeka day picnic!
When I picked Adam up from school, he was waving a flag he made in school. Yesterday, Laura came home with a handicraft she made in school. An astronaut with a Malaysian flag to be attached to a pencil. I want to start a family tradition for Merdeka day. I want my children to be proud to be Malaysians. But for the life of me, I can't think what to do. Putting up a flag on my car doesn't make me more Malaysian than I already am. I get annoyed when I see the Malaysian flag getting dirty and torn a week after Merdeka. 31 August has come and gone and Malaysians are not patriotic enough to treat the flag with respect.
I welcome suggestions for something I can do with my family for Merdeka. Maybe have a Merdeka day picnic!
Labels: Malaysia, merdeka, patriotism
posted by Min Chan at
5:49 pm
12 Comments:
don't much feel like celebrating.
people's budget indeed! HAH! people shiok sendiri more like.
With the sick kids, haven't had a chance, a picnic sounds like a fab idea. I like to have a "muhibbah" spread, some lanterns etc (cos mid autumn festival mah), things like that. We have some mini flags in the playroom etc..
Im trying NOT to colour their perception of what's happening in our country, gotta start em young in the sense of proper national pride :)
duddeeee! im so gonna show you our pole for merdeka pictures! =D heheheh
Min...you can tell pre-merdeka stories told to you from your parents to your Laura and Adam so that they will be more grateful of what they have today. This suggestion may sound lame...but I think it's good to tell the young today about those pre-merdeka stories. I think a lot of kids these days have no idea what it's like to live in pre-merdeka times. Storytelling time can also be a wonderful quality time with your kids too. :-D
Hi Min, was at Jabishah's noticed your callsign.
I see you live in Ampang.
I too used to live around there wayyyy back in the 50's, 60's, Lower Ampang, Jalan U Thant vicinity.
My playground was Ampang,...only last week posted a story re Ampang...about fishing at the disused mining pools there.
I still remember Ampang yong tau fu.
Is it still there, that restaurant....
Used to date girls to the Ampang dam or catchment areas, ha ha. As well go poaching for fish there.
Min, you keep well and have a great week, Lee.
LoLa, yes please! I'll see you at the Clorets thing this Friday. Will be there a little later though.
Cleffairy, my parents never told me any pre-merdeka stories! We visited PT's aunt at a nursing home though. She's there to recuperate after hip surgery. She broke her hips in the bathroom last month. Made some mini cupcakes for the other residents.
Lee, I love this area. There are still lots of places I'm not familiar with, having only moved here a few years ago. Lots of development here now, including the new DUKE highway.
Fishing in the lake, visiting the dam. Those are things I will like to experience with my children :D I shall look for these places.
Yu take care too, Lee.
I am rather surprise that given the political shambles the country is in and the pathetic state of our education system, that you are still in a patriotic mood. I can understand being sentimental about growing up in Malaysia etc but the reality is that many Malaysians are not happy given how they are being treated e.g. Ahmad Ismail's comments must surely have hurt you a little. Why are so many smart productive Malaysians deserting Malaysia ? Coul it be because they are not welcomed here due to their background or color?
Anon, for too many years, Malaysians have been empathetic and not caring much about the way the country was governed. The result is the shit house we're in now. Nobody to blame but ourselves. It is very easy to talk about leaving to live elsewhere but why should we? This is home. Ironically, I've never been very patriotic growing up. My parents were not patriotic. My dad made a decent living, my mom could be a stay-at-home-mom and we were comfortable. So leave the governing to the government lah.
I wish things were different. I wish the press would stop using "Malays, Chinese, Indian living in harmony". There are more to that. We are first and foremost Malaysians. The PM and DPM have been given the opportunity to start using Malaysians collectively and they're throwing away that opportunity. Perhaps they're speaking from their heart. They do see "us" as different.
Dear Min,
I never meant to upset you and I can certainly see where you are coming from. Its so sad that our country has reached this pathetic state that it has today. Check out Malaysiakini for Ahmad Ismail's ranting against us Chinese, warning us not to be like the American Jews. Of course I realise that he is just trying to provoke the Chinese to his advantage - so tragic.
Like you , I am idealistic but I do not blame ourselves for the state of politics today. Asians being asians, particularly from a minority group here after the May riots, it was prudent to be diplomatic (translates to " tolerant") these past 10-20 years.
What I hate that the victims of this chaos is really our kids. Let's hope the politicians will get a grip of themselves, think less of themselves and do more for other Malaysians :)
Suzie, no I wasn't upset :D Just a friendly discussion on a topic we both obviously are passionate about.
So far, the tolerance have IMHO been one sided. Don't you agree?
Dear Min,
Yes, I agree. I think that most politicians are generally more concerned about themselves as opposed to carrying out a moral and social responsibility. Lets wait and see what happens today. I doubt that the racist would be sacked but he is clearly a pathetic fly on the wall. I have also commented on this issue in Wong Chun Wai's blog, newmalaysia.
Fact is that this debate on whether to dump Maths and Science being taught in English, is really a waste of time. In order to have a sound education system, it requires long term planning. I know of friends who wrote to the Minister of Education but I think he's more worried about keeping his job than the sad state of schools here. We need a strong sensible political will to make major changes to our educational system.
By the way, are you not curious as to who I am ? :)
Migrate.
The only way to be a Malaysian (and feel like one) is to be one in another country.
Here we are just Malay, Chinese, Indian, or worse, 'lain-lain'...
And the racist is but another pawn in an elaborate chess game, in which BN is but an amateur playing again the Grand Master.
Suzie, my curiosity is piqued! Do I know you?
Sorry, haven't responded sooner. Too much to say, too difficult to say... Observing what's happening to our country and trying not to gag!
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