Written by: Alissya Nazir
Edited by: Nur Qistina Just 16 days after the vibrant celebrations of Merdeka Day on August 31st, Malaysia comes together once again to commemorate another significant national event known as Hari Malaysia. This important date on the calendar marks the joining of Sabah and Sarawak in the Federation of Malaya, which created the Malaysian Federation on September 16, 1963.
The Malaysian diversity
Despite the historical unity, Malaysia Day was only formally celebrated in 2010. The former Prime Minister, Najib Razak, officiates the national holiday to appreciate the Sabahans and Sarawakians in hopes of also uniting the differences between the various races and cultures in Malaysia.
Fast forward to 2024, Malaysia has many creative events commemorating Malaysia Day. In Kuala Lumpur, major events like Pezsta and Keretapi Sarong are examples of festivities organised and joined by many Malaysians and even tourists. Interestingly, the main highlights for these events are the cultural costumes and performances, especially from Sabahan and Sarawakian, to showcase their uniqueness in the spotlight.
Participants of Keretapi Sarong at Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur
This liveliness should always be maintained, especially among Malay youngsters, as it serves as a reminder of the long journey in achieving an independent and united Malaysia against decades of colonisation. Not only that, such events can foster the spirit of nationhood among young Malaysians to love the richness and diversity that cannot be found elsewhere.
Peszta Celebration at Kampung Attap, Kuala Lumpur
In the long run, it may help to battle the underlying dilemma of what truly is a Malaysian identity. In The Malaysian Identity: A Social Dilemma, due to Malaysia’s diversity, the many ethnicities become conflicted with one another. Often, the Malay ethnic group is elevated and elected to represent Malaysia on a larger scale because of their large population, which obviously overshadows the other existing ethnicities in Malaysia. The situation becomes more complicated as the Malays are highly dependent on Islamic values and sometimes the Arab culture, reinforcing the idea that Malaysia’s nation-building relies too heavily on specific cultural values to define its national identity. It also emphasises that the Malaysian identity can only be consolidated if intertwined with other cultures such as the Whites or Arabs.
According to an article from News Strait Times, Malaysia is indeed facing an identity crisis as a result of the lack of effort in bridging the ethnicities together. For example, the Malay language is the national language of Malaysia, yet a significant portion of the population either cannot speak it fluently or only use it during formal events. The mentality that speaking Malay signifies a low status is still prevalent among many Malaysians. Also, Malaysia is divided not only by the differing ethnicities but also by geography, with regions like Sabah and Sarawak actively promoting their own provincial identities, such as ‘Sabahan’ for Sabah and ‘Sarawakian’ for Sarawak. These differences keep many Malaysians apart.
Thus, grand national celebrations like events during Hari Malaysia can definitely erase the gap between Malaysians and tie us together. This movement can instil deeper love for the nation and keep the spark forever.
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