Merdeka Stories/Essays

Still a dependent economy

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WEB EDITION :: 51st Merdeka Stories

Tan Siok Choo says we have much to celebrate this year in terms of export earnings. However, things cannot stay rosy forever.

By Tan Siok Choo, Columnist, theSun

FIFTY-ONE years after Independence, the Malaysian economy remains enmeshed in a culture of dependency. The country depends significantly on commodities for growth in export earnings, on oil for government revenue, on multinationals (MNCs) to drive output of electrical and electronic (E&E) industry and on foreign labour to man its plantations, factories and homes.

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Merdeka in Chains

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By S. Jamal Al-Idrus aka Walski69

Wednesday, September 3, 2008

No one gets to choose where they’re born. Walski knows he sure damn well didn’t… it wasn’t like there was some pre-birth geo-domicile form that he had to fill out. Well, at least that he can remember, anyway.

Nope. Just like when or under what circumstances we were born. It’s all part of this organo-cosmic soap opera called Life.

What we do have the power and ability to change, however, is our collective existence within a community of individuals, many times extrapolated, to that notion called Nationhood.

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What Patriotism Means to Me

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MERDEKA ESSAY: What Patriotism Means to Me By Sabrina Tan,a Malaysian resident in New Zealand August 31, 2008 It’s August 31st. The same Merdeka rhetoric that comes by every year, passes each person’s life in the same manner as the year before. But here’s a thought on what patriotism really means: – it’s about feeling … Read more

A Different Merdeka

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A Different Merdeka By Wan Fadzrul Wan Bahrum, YouthSpeak Coordinator August 31, 2008 I have a confession. I am not the most patriotic Malaysian out of our vast sea of 26 million. I am, in the most recognized term, an apathist; albeit one that is fully aware of what he is apathetic about. With all … Read more

What is Merdeka?

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MERDEKA ESSAY: What is Merdeka? By Eugene Chua K.H. August 31, 2008 Merdeka! Merdeka! Merdeka! Merdeka! Merdeka! Merdeka! Merdeka! This resounding proclamation of joy rang out over the Merdeka stadium fifty one years ago, representing freedom and hope to all the people of Malaya, and subsequently Malaysia. What does this word mean today, after so … Read more

A Merdeka upside down?

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MERDEKA ESSAY: A Merdeka upside down? By Dr Azly Rahman August 31, 2008 Education is the solution. I believe we need a radical overhaul of everything, philosophically speaking. We have the structures in place but we would need to replace the human beings running the system. “Our Nation, Malaysia is dedicated to: Achieving a greater … Read more

Blogging and Merdeka

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Saturday, August 30, 2008 Blogging and Merdeka Yes, it’s the eve of the 51st Merdeka Day, so soon after Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s Merdeka Mission accomplished in Permatang Pauh on August 26. At a personal level, Desiderata-YLChong has marked each Independence Day with the MERDEKA ESSAY series in his own blog, and I hope this … Read more

After 50 Years of Independence: What We All Can Do For A Better Malaysia

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This book contains Dr. Phua Kai-Lit’s ideas (based on knowledge learned from ther social scientists as well as his current state of thinking) on how all of Malaysians can live their lives so that all citizens can help to bring about a better Malaysia for themselves, their children, grandchildren and their subsequent descendants. Dr. Phua … Read more