Merdeka Messages From LoyarBurokkers

In conjunction with Merdeka, LoyarBurok was mind-controlled by His Supreme Eminenceness Lord Bobo to organise a small project. Everyone was invited to take part. The premise was simple: If you could say something which would be heard by every single Malaysian this Merdeka, what would it be? As with all things LoyarBurok, anything could be said — there were no limits, and it did not have to be serious, or it could be damn serious, or it could be ridiculously unrelated.

These are some of the best messages we received. They are all worth reading, and pondering upon. Selamat Hari Merdeka, folks!

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A mother mourns the inexplicable death of her son in police custody. An ethnic race is singled out by the Prime Minister for his political coalition’s electoral losses. A Catholic Iban is told that he cannot worship his God in the language he chooses.

56 years have passed since Merdeka, but are we any different from the proverbial bird trapped in a golden cage?

At 56, even the “cage” appears to be losing its golden lustre.

At 56, instead of soaring high, this nation is tired, confused and divided.

At 56, the rakyat need to rise up so this nation can truly and finally, take flight from the cage that entraps it.

Derek Kok Qi Ren, 21, law student at the University of Liverpool.

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Land of many

Minerals aplenty

Seas of blue

Mountains of green

A nation so rich

This is home

~

Azans, bells, crosses

Laksa, umai, rendang

Tuak, samsu, toddy

Sape, gong, chande

Each so sweet

This is home

~

Perkasa and Utusan

BN and Pakatan

Dogs and arrests

Sedition and corruption

We have come to accept

And this too is home

~

Run or hide?

Stay or go?

Dissent or accept?

Cower or rise?

What should I do?

For this is my home.

Chan Kok Leong, 42, jobless.

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Sebelum 31 Ogos 1957, negara kita dijajah. Rakyat yang bersuara pendapat tidak disukai oleh pemerintah dipukul, dipenjarakan, dikenakan diskriminasi. Hak asasi dinafikan. Kekayaan rakyat dicuri oleh pemerintah, manakala rakyat hidup susah, berkerja keras tapi melihat hasil titik peluh dirampas oleh pemerintah.

Selepas 31 Ogos 1957, negara kita Merdeka! Orang putih dihantar balik. Kini, negara kita sudah berubah. Rakyat yang bersuara pendapat tidak disukai oleh pemerintah dipukul, dipenjarakan, dikenakan diskriminasi. Hak asasi dinafikan. Kekayaan rakyat dicuri oleh pemerintah, manakala rakyat hidup susah, berkerja keras tapi melihat hasil titik peluh dirampas oleh pemerintah.

Perubahan? Hanya pertukaran orang putih dengan penjajah berkulit lebih gelap? Merdekakanlah minda, barulah negara boleh Merdeka.

Arvinder Singh, 24, Software Engineer.

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Anak Merdeka

Kita kan semua, Anak Merdeka

Atau biri-biri menunggu gembala?

~

Jika disuruh diam lantanglah bersuara

kita kan semua Anak Merdeka

~

Jika diarah jangan berarak

Jika disuruh diam sahaja

Jika diarah jangan bertanya

Jawablah kita Anak Merdeka

~

Jika laungan disahut baton dan air kimia

Jangan kita takut dan jangan kita gentar

Anak Malaysia kita di jalan yang benar

Penjajah dan pencuri akan jatuh jua

~

Dibaham semarak Anak Merdeka

~

Kita kan semua, Anak Merdeka

Atau biri-biri menunggu gembala?

~

Lantanglah bersuara.

Ksatriya, 29, Poet and Songwriter.

(The spoken word version of the above poem will be available on Ksatriya’s upcoming album)

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How I wish I could turn back the clock to the time when I was still studying in school.

Those were the days when we were less sensitive, and more open-minded. No iPad, no Facebook, no Candy Crush… but no problem, because had so much fun whacking each other with jokes, name-calling, and tricks. None of us got hurt, none of us were labelled racists, no police reports were lodged, and no politicians tried to be race champions. Sigh… anyway, cheer up Malaysians, this Merdeka Day!

Eric Chen, 44, Structural Engineer.

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In 1957, we were ‘liberated’ from the British colonizers. Today, we struggle with ‘new colonizers’ of our pockets, our trees, our minds, our hearts, and our future.

In 1963, Malaysia was born. Today, we fight day and night so she won’t die in the hands of totalizing forces or surrender to cynics.

Was 2008 the year Malaysians woke up? Today, we remain restless and unsure of what tomorrow may bring.

It’s 2013, a ‘revolution’ did not happen. But now, perhaps the notes for ‘real transformation’ look clearer.

So, Malaysians for transformation, recompose… ‘Liberation’ is not fully here yet. Let us keep hitting the right notes!

Sivin Kit, 41, Lutheran Pastor, PhD Student in Religion, Ethics and Society University of Agder, Kristiansand, Norway.

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Our nation did not magically come together in a fairytale land of multi-ethnic mirth. There was no spontaneous rainbow combustion.

‘Malaysia, Truly Asia’? This is a mere slogan, crafted by those in power. It can only ring true through the rakyat’s efforts.

Remember the time we were children? Our hearts and minds were open to difference because it was not ‘Difference’. It was just ‘Learning’.

Instead of expanding with age, hearts grew smaller, more confined.

This Merdeka, my hope is that we put aside lazy catchphrases — 1Malaysia, Malaysia Boleh etc — and return to channeling the Malaysian child in us, everyday.

Koh Lay Chin, 34, Freelance writer.

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Merdeka itu bukan cuti,

Merdeka itu bukan bendera,

~

Merdeka itu bukan senjata dan perarakan

Atau simbol-simbol yang kita cipta sendiri.

~

Merdeka tidak cukup dengan laungan

Tanpa janji yang ditepati.

~

Merdeka bukan lagi kebebasan dari penjajah,

Merdeka itu selamat dari penjenayah.

~

Merdeka itu hati, Merdeka itu jati-diri,

yang Merdeka dari perasaan yang memudaratkan rohani.

~

Merdeka itu bebas, tetapi bukan bebas kompromi.

Merdeka itu perit, Merdeka itu sakit

kerana

~

Merdeka itu cinta, Merdeka itu kita

yang Merdeka dari hasad-dengki.

~

Merdeka itu kita, Merdeka itu cinta

yang tidak berbelah-bahagi pada Tanahair kita.

~

Merdeka itu cinta, Merdeka itu kita

yang cinta-mencintai, faham-memahami.

Noreen Ariff, 30++, Legal Advisor.

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Sejak 1957, Malaysia sudah merdeka. Orang asal, asli, pendatang, penjajah, pemastautin dan warganegara, masing-masing telah menyumbang kepada pembangunan negara. Marilah kita mengambil peluang ini untuk menghayati bagaimana dalam perbezaan, kita mampu mencapai kesamaan.

Pada hari yang mulia ini, jangan sesekali kita lupakan pengorbanan dan tumpah darah pejuang kemerdekaan.

Merdeka! Merdeka! Merdeka!

/

Malaysia has come a long way since 1957. From the early natives, settlers, colonials, migrants and citizens, everyone had a hand in building this country. If there is one thing, just one thing, that we can reflect upon together on this Merdeka Day, is that in all of our differences, we are all the same.

Today, as we reflect upon what it means to be Malaysian, in our fervour and passion, we must not forget the price that our forefathers have paid in blood, sweat and tears to put us where we are today.

Here’s to many more years to come. Merdeka! Merdeka! Merdeka!

Woon King Chai, 25, Student – Master’s degree in Political Theory at LSE.

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You cannot truly love Malaysia if you don’t fully understand your past.

Louise Tan, 21, Student, Economics, UC Berkeley.

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Merdeka commemorates the fact that we own our destiny, that we can steer it to where WE think is right.

It commemorates gratitude for our blessings — friends from many cultures who laugh WITH and not AT each other; natural beauty, not natural disasters — and above all, the most wonderful food in the world.

If you want to be patriotic, be patriotic because it is right — not because you want to show off at a general assembly. If not, you have abused the very reason for Merdeka: to give everyone the peace to be who they are.

Tunku still triumphs, everyone.

Ahmad Azrai Ab Halim, 38 as at 31 August 2013, Entrepreneur.

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His Supreme Eminenceness Lord Bobo has commanded that I write a Merdeka Message, and obey I must.

My Merdeka Message is that we should start celebrating 16 September (Malaysia Day) as the birthday of Malaysia.

It is often forgotten that Malaysia was only formed on 16 September 1963 when Sabah, Sarawak and Singapore joined together with the existing States of the Federation of Malaya, to establish the new federation of Malaysia.

Merdeka Day should only be celebrated in Peninsular Malaysia, and the respective independence days of Sabah (also on 31 August) and Sarawak (on 22 July) celebrated in Sabah and Sarawak respectively.

As we celebrate the 50th birthday of Malaysia this year, it is perhaps timely that we acknowledge that Malaysia is made up of the many different narratives, histories, and points of views of the peoples that make up Malaysia. By reducing the complexities of Malaysia into a single narrative, we risk oversimplifying what is inherently complex. In a society which is increasingly fractured, it is important for us to recognize the valid concerns of the different peoples who make up Malaysia.

In this instance – that Merdeka Day is NOT the independence day for the peoples of Sabah and Sarawak.

Edward Soo, 43, Lawyer.

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I grew up loving and proud of my country. I still have love, but am not really that proud of her anymore.

Her cultural and building heritage are being systematically erased, while tropical rainforests millions of years old are being killed in the name of development.

Instead of nation building, we are squabbling on vocabularies, and the types of movies and music that should be allowed.

This is the land where I was born, and the only one I call home. I hope my children will also love her, and be proud to call her home.

Adrian Yeo, 31, Community Organiser.

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Independence is for every Malaysian. But not Independence Day.

When we celebrate Hari Merdeka, it must be more than because our current freedoms were fought for and won by our forefathers.

It has to be because we too, are fighting to keep our freedoms where they are eroding, or gain new ones because new forms of oppression have emerged.

Do not rely on the government to hand us our freedoms on a platter. Sometimes they are the obstacles.

Do not expect such freedoms to remain ours forever. They are usually stolen when we are drunk in our contentment.

Lisa Ng, 40, Freelance Writer/Full-time Mother.