Happy 49th Merdeka, Malaysia

As we all know, Malaysia celebrated its 49th anniversary of independence from the British on the 31st August 1957. So as part of our patriotic duty, a Jalur Gemilang was proudly hung in front of our house (actually after much pestering from Aiman and I think it will stay there until Raya much to the chagrin of the other half).

So far, Merdeka day for me meant sitting in front of the dumb box, watching the parades. I’ve just realized that I’ve never taken part in any Merdeka day parade. So somehow, it stirred the patriotic sense in my heart hence decided to visit the National Monument, or Tugu Negara. It’s been almost 15 years since I’ve visited it, and actually wondered whether anything has changed.

What I noticed is the new andscaping surrounding the monument and a new plaza was built to cater for tourists. There were quite a number of visitors around, some foreigners and some local. The inner area was the same, probably hasn’t changed since it was opened. Walking into the monument, you are made aware of the struggle it has been to keep our country independent. To most of us, the inscription on the walls represents just names but lest we forget, those were real human beings than and they gave up their life to defend the nation. They have committed the ultimate sacrifice and were given an honorable mention in the annals of the nation’s history.

The visit has somehow made me wonder whether I would have the ability to pickup a weapon to defend our nation in needed times. I honestly didn’t know the answer to it, but one thing for sure I would do everything in my capacity to fulfill my duty. To all Malaysians, please do not forsake the sacrifices that have been done. Together we could build a better nation for the next generation.