Celebrating Merdeka in Shanghai

Temperature: 26 c

Weather: Fair

In 10 minutes time, Malaysia will be celebrating its 50th birthday (strictly speaking, it should be 44th birthday, but we have long ignored the feeling of Sabahans and Sarawakians) and I am here again sitting before my laptop in the hotel and blogging.

I didn’t bring a Malaysian flag to Shanghai and I doubt I will be able to get one here. So I am not able to raise my flag or hang it in a visible place. So according to the standards of our wise leaders in Malaysia, I am deemed not patriotic. If raising a flag or sticking a mini flag on my windscreen is conclusive proof that I am a patriot and thus will be awarded at least a PJK, I will be the first to do so because NOT doing so will be a great insult to my intelligence.

But for argument sake, if I have a Malaysian flag with me now, will I hoist it up high? Emm… that depends whether I have reason to celebrate Merdeka this year. Harnniann what are you talking about? You are a Malaysian and that alone is a reason to celebrate Merdeka! I know I know. But I am not buying that now, may be when I was still in primary school I would still buy it.

I remember when I was 10 years old, my form teacher told us to wear school uniform to the Stadium in the early morning of Merdeka. It was a very cold morning. When I was in the Stadium I was given a mini Malaysian flag and I was very happy because I saw the mini flag as a toy. Then I joined the rest of my classmates sitting on the bench of the Stadium waiting for something big to happen. Now come to think of it, ALL my classmates were Chinese because I was from Chinese primary school. So all the Chinese from Chinese school sat in one area, Indians from Tamil school sat in one area and Malays and a handful of other races from national school sat in another area. I only spoke to my classmates in the Stadium and of course I spoke my mother tongue. We waited more than an hour though we were not sure what were we waiting for.

Then some big shot (I did not know who he was but I guessed he must be someone very important and contributed a lot to the country because he let almost 2 thousand people waited for him for more than an hour) came into the Stadium and my form teacher who was sitting next to us stood up and quickly asked us to stand up and wave our mini flags.

We sang Negaraku (not the Namewee’s version) and other patriotic songs. Then some hot shots gave speeches which I did not pay any attention to. I was busy talking to my friends and my form teacher was very busy asking us to keep quiet. After all the speeches, one big shot of all big shots stood up and walked to the microphone. He raised his right hand and shouted “Merdeka” 7 times. We happily and hysterically shouted “Merdeka” back too.

After that the all the big shots happily left the Stadium leaving 2 thousand people behind. I walked home waving my mini flag after that. When I saw my father I asked him, “papa, you hang the Malaysian flag so high because you love Malaysia right?”

“Son, if I don’t hang it, MPKT will ‘saman’ me.” he replied. I was puzzled.

Though I was still young and naïve, I was able to make the following conclusion:-

I had to waive my right to sleep until the sun burn my backside on a public holiday and go to the Stadium early in the morning to celebrate Merdeka BECAUSE attendance will be taken and if I failed to turn up I shall face disciplinary action.

I had to stand up and shout “Merdeka” 7 times BECAUSE my form teacher asked me to stop talking to my friends and start shouting “Merdeka”.

My father had to raise Malaysian flag BECAUSE if he didn’t do so he will be fined.

Emm… though I was able to draw the above conclusion, I was unable to figure out the logic behind it.

Aren’t we supposed to raise the flag and celebrate Merdeka BECAUSE we are patriotic and love the country? BUT we are doing all the above BECAUSE we wanted to avoid the penalties for failure to do so!

Now I am no longer a student and I do not need the town council to issue me a business license. Nothing will happen to me and I will be fine even if I forget when our national day is. I will not face any penalty if I don’t celebrate Merdeka. So, should I celebrate Merdeka?

Our wise leader accused the Chinese of being unpatriotic because Chinese do not stick the mini flags on their vehicles. Our wise leaders also accused the Chinese of being unpatriotic because Chinese are not keen to join the police force.

Well, I don’t have a mini flag with me now and I don’t have a car in Shanghai. I can’t join the police force too because I am seriously underweight.

But I believe there are many ways to celebrate Merdeka and show patriotism. The “official” and politically correct way is just one of the many ways.

Since I am a Malaysian, I will celebrate Merdeka.

So, this is my way of celebrating it:-

At exactly 12 midnight, I will face south and wish Malaysia happy birthday. After that I will go to youtube to play Namewee’s Negarakuku. If you are hurt by that song, please accept this fact: the truth hurts.

Happy birthday Malaysia!