Bapa Malaysia: Say No To Propagandists, Save Malaysia

Although Malaya got its independence from the British in 1957, it was on Malaysia Day that Malaysia as it is today came into being.

It would be good as we remember our birth, that we recall the last words of Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj in 1988, on Merdeka Day, before he passed away two years later:

"This is where we are born, and this is where we will die. Let me die in my struggle, as long as I do not let go when I see such happenings in this country. So, here I have to advise to my brothers and sisters, to those who have been united all this while, do not follow propaganda by those who govern - to all the villages that they go to, bringing much propaganda, whatever that they do must be followed. Think for yourself, are their actions right or not right?

"Do not follow blindly, use your brains and use your thoughts. What is happening, whatever is good, they (said) they did, and what is bad, their opposition did. The wrongs they do, they hide and they blame it on those who oppose them. This is what is happening today - the newspapers do not have a voice, if asked to speak up, they cover up, as if those who oppose them do not want to speak up. Everything is ordered by the government but the one who really holds the power is the PEOPLE.

"So, if you do not weigh and use your brains to weigh out whatever they say, this country will be spoiled. The people must understand that at the end of it all, the vote is in the hands of the people and the people can decide who becomes the leader.

"Weigh it out, as the magic lamp is in the hands of the people, so that we do not return to the times when the Malays were weak and without voice, without strength. The strength is in the hands of the people and the people should use their brains to use their strength to keep this beloved country of ours. For it is not only us who depend on this country, on the justice of this country, but our descendants too depend on who will rule this country.

"If we keep it safe, either this Merdeka we save it or give to the meaning “save Malaysia”, we will be safe till the end of time. That is our responsibility; I pray everything will be safe."

The first Prime Minister of Malaysia, who was the architect of Malaysia, died on 6 December in 1990, still in his struggle to keep Malaysia away from corrupt leaders.

Today, as we celebrate Malaysia Day, we already have a new government, Pakatan Harapan, voted in by the people who said no to corrupt leaders. It is best that we remember what Tunku had said as his last words to the nation, to remind us the struggle to save Malaysia is still in the process.

This is because the real power - the magic lamp which Tunku mentioned - is in the hands of the people. The power to resist and desist those who are in it for themselves and the responsibility for all of us to keep this country for our future generations.