Malaysian flag

Happy Birthday Malaysia.
Happy Birthday Dad.
Happy Birthday Yvonne.
Happy Birthday Reucas.

Dad, Yvonne and Reucas and their birthday cake

Photos taken on Sunday 27th Aug 2006

Meanwhile racial politics in Malaysia continue to be played out on this, the 49th year since independence from the British. Here are a collection of posts from around the Malaysian blogosphere about Merdeka, some sombre and some upbeat:

I’d like to be optimistic and say that if one compares another country when it was 49 years old with Malaysia, I don’t think Malaysia is that bad. Yes, it is not that bad but it can be so much better. To be a truly first-world global country, Malaysia needs to get rid of its third-world mentality.

In a multiracial country, no one race needs to lose out so that the others can gain. Unity is strength and divisive racial politics is one huge hurdle slowing the country down. Everyone gains when the economic pie increases, because everyone’s share increases proportionately. Of course there’d still be arguments over how big everyone’s relative share should be, but baby steps yeah?

I may no longer live in Malaysia but I have many friends and family who do. And I identify with it so intrinsically. Even when I eventually become Australian as a formality, I’d be proud to say I have my roots in Malaysia. My birthday wish for Malaysia is to see it achieve first-world status by 2020 as planned and leave all the ugliness behind.

Selamat Hari Merdeka. Selama Hari Kebangsaan Malaysia.

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