WHEN asked “What does Merdeka mean to you” my simple answer is that, based on present standards, unfortunately of little to no real resonance.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m a fiercely proud Malaysian (born into freedom and never experiencing the evils of colonialism) but I find myself frustrated that this privilege fought for us by our founding fathers & mothers have been squandered.  65 years on, Malaysia struggles to provide the basics of a dignified life for its citizens:

Shelter – Lack of affordable housing < RM282k where demand (48%) outstrips supply (28%)

Health – High levels of adult NCDs (17.5% diabetes, 30.3% hypertension, 47.7% hypercholesterolaemia and 17.7% obesity) with RM12.88 billion productivity loss

Income security - >80% of Malaysians earns less than RM4k/mth with >900k individuals from 26k households hardcore poverty and cripplingly high household debts (82% to GDP ratio) with low savings (-6.2% household savings rate excl pension contributions)

Nutrition - 20% of children under 5 are stunted

Education - 72.1% of SPM students not continuing studies

Retirement - A decade’s worth of EPF savings (RM155bn) wiped out in less than a year

Mobility – 4th and 43rd worst traffic in ASEAN and world respectively causing approximately 1 million wasted hours annually (RM10–20 billion productivity loss).

Getting the basics right are critical as without a solid foundation, we can never soar to the heavens. The present challenges facing us are of planetary impact eg climate extremes with Europe recording its worst drought in 500 years and Pakistan suffering from floods causing >USD10bn damages. We are ill-equipped to address large issues such as technology (eg CRISPR, AI, space exploration) and fast societal / demographic changes. Crafting a solid response requires an all-society approach and this will be impossible so long as political masters continue to employ the very same divisive strategy of colonial Britain to ensure the different races didn’t unite to throw off the yoke of Malayan oppressors.

I find inspiration and relevancy in Tunku Abdul Rahman’s Independence speech when he said

“Let no one think we have reached the end of the road: Independence is indeed a milestone, but it is only the threshold to high endeavour—the creation of a new and sovereign State….I call upon you all to dedicate yourselves to the service of the new Malaya: to work and strive with hand and brain to create a new nation, inspired by the ideals of justice and liberty—a beacon of light in a disturbed and distracted world.”

31st August 1957 is not a static point in history but a principle that needs to be transcended and it’s ideals to be continually fought for and fiercely protected. In being part of this struggle, I begin to appreciate the essence of Merdeka and why it MUST mean something for all of us.