Embrace diversity to strengthen unity

FOR many decades after the Malayan independence in 1957, we celebrated National Day in a grand way, with parades, and performances, and fly bys, oh my! After all, losing the colonial yoke is understandably something to be proud of.

But we were still a loose federation of states on Aug 31, 1957. We actually only became the nation that we are now six years later, when we officially became “Malaysia” on Sept 16, 1963.

Tomorrow we celebrate Malaysia Day. The national-level event this year is being held in Sabah; last year, it was held in Sarawak.

It’s fitting indeed that of late, Malaysia Day has been marked in Sabah and Sarawak instead of the peninsula. It’s a good reminder of history that Malaysians – especially the younger generation – seem to need. Because it’s still common to hear “Sabah and Sarawak joined Malaysia” in conversations about our history. That’s not only a factual mistake but also a sore point for the two Bornean states.

Malaysia was formed when the Federation of Malaya, Sabah (or North Borneo, as it was known then), Sarawak, and Singapore signed the Malaysia Agreement in 1963. (Two years later, Singapore left Malaysia.)

We need to know the history of Malaysia Day not only because, as they say, to know Malaysia is to love Malaysia, but also because it gives us an understanding of how we got to where we are and why our diversity is so unique.

And with political parties in Sabah and Sarawak having much wider, national-level, influence nowadays, we should all understand the issues around the Malaysia Agreement, or MA63 as it’s known.

Currently, the two Bornean territories are striving to regain the “Equal Partner” status they had when MA63 was signed that has been diluted over the years by political exigencies.

We also need to understand the geography, which has a bearing on how this country works: The South China Sea separates Peninsular Malaysia from Sabah and Sarawak; it takes about an hour and 50 minutes to fly from Kuala Lumpur to Kuching and two hours and 30 minutes from KL to Kota Kinabalu. And it’s costly for Malaysians from the peninsula to visit Sabah and Sarawak, and vice versa.

The South China Sea is like a barrier preventing Malaysians from integrating both parts of the nation through physical interaction.

Even if we can’t travel as often as we like, we should at the least tighten the variety of cultural bonds that the formation of Malaysia created.

Because our diversity is our strength, we should remember that while most socioeconomic, historical, and academic discussions mention the usual Malay, Chinese, Indian, and Punjabi groups, our nation is also made up of the colourful cultures of Sabah and Sarawak – Kadazandusun, Iban, Murut, Melanau, the list goes on.

When we embrace our diversity by learning and understanding a little more about our country, we also strengthen our unity.

Happy 61st Malaysia Day, people!