We're still fighting for Merdeka in Malaysia

Malaysia's National Day celebrations on Aug 31, 2023. But have we truly achieved Merdeka, independence, if we are still not yet free and open enough in our thoughts and beliefs? — AZMAN GHANI/The Star

In this year’s National Day speech delivered a day ahead, on Aug 30, Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim quoted Datuk Onn Jaafar from 1946: “Bercakap tentang kemerdekaan terlalu sahaja mudah tetapi hendak kemerdekaan itu kekal di tangan kita adalah perkara yang berat dan susah.” My translation: “It’s easy to talk about independence, but maintaining it is a challenging and formidable task.”

Anwar used this quote while talking about the meaning of Merdeka – not only independence from a colonial power but also in spirit and thinking. He said that although a country might be free, its spirit can still be shackled. He also pointed out that although the ruling elite may change, arrogance and exploitation remain too familiar for comfort, which I assume was code for something everybody understands but feels it’s too inconvenient to say out loud.