Roar together: in tough times, our Malaysian community spirit becomes our safety net


A spirit-lifting scene seen at the 'Ola Bola Merdeka Tour' performance at Majestic Theatre in Penang in August 2019. Photo: Filepic

It's another Aug 31 in lockdown. I’m in a nostalgic mood, reminiscing the days we used to celebrate this occasion with much more fervour... I miss the old Merdeka day magic. Granted, we’re living through a unique moment in world history with Covid-19 still dominating the narrative, and then there is the continuous drama of our political landscape. I can understand some of us feeling ambivalent about being patriotic at this time, as the nationwide dialogue advances around how to adapt to the "Next Normal", with the finish line still nowhere in sight.

Indulge me for a moment as I revisit some of my memories of Merdeka growing up as a child in the 1980s. Throughout each month in August and September, there would be patriotically-themed advertisements and telemovies on TV, and nationalistic songs would play over the radio. Buildings would be draped in the Jalur Gemilang, and you would see flags flying proudly from houses, shops and cars.

Subscribe now and receive FREE sooka plan for 1 month.
T&C applies.

Monthly Plan

RM13.90/month

Annual Plan

RM12.33/month

Billed as RM148.00/year

1 month

Free Trial

For new subscribers only


Cancel anytime. No ads. Auto-renewal. Unlimited access to the web and app. Personalised features. Members rewards.
Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel for breaking news alerts and key updates!

Merdeka , National Day , Old Bola Musical , Arts , Theatre

   

Next In Culture

Did Dutch master Van Gogh have a Goth phase?
BBC's 'The Arts Hour On Tour' show set for a live date in Malaysia
Pulitzer-winning musical on mental illness to play in Malaysia
Aswara alumni gear up to stage 'Sakti Merong Mahawangsa' musical at KLPac
Children's book by Jamie Oliver pulled after criticism by Indigenous Australians
Japanese organ builder 'honoured' to restore voice of Notre Dame
Asterix published in rare Nordic dialect translation
Detective comic book digs into Belgium's past
First artwork by humanoid robot sells for over US$1mil
MPO’s 2025 season: Pink Floyd rock orchestra, 'Harry Potter', 'La La Land' shows

Others Also Read