There was a time when I would hang the Jalur Gemilang with pride. It wasn’t out of obligation or performative patriotism — it was muscle memory. A ritual that said: we made it, we’re still standing.
But this year, on Malaysia’s 68th Independence Day, the flagpole remains bare.
Not out of disrespect — far from it. It’s out of self-preservation.
Because with the current climate, all it takes is a freak storm, an innocent gust of wind, or a few mischievous neighbourhood kids treating the national flag like it’s part of their pirate game, and the next thing I know, the Jalur Gemilang is upturned or ripped. And before I can explain the situation to my neighbours, Akmal Nasir is at my front gate, kerosene in one hand and an effigy in the other.
Such is the fragility of patriotism these days. It no longer breathes from the heart but is policed from WhatsApp groups and TikTok feeds.
Let’s be honest — for many Malaysians, this year’s Merdeka feels less like a celebration and more like an obligation. It doesn’t matter which administration it is — 1Malaysia, Mahathir 2.0, Abah, Keluarga Malaysia or Madani — the speeches are on loop, the parades are predictably extravagant, and politicians from all sides are busy clapping their own backs for things the rakyat never asked for.
Meanwhile, the everyday Malaysian is doing mental gymnastics just to stretch the ringgit to the end of the month. But at least there’s RM100 in your e-wallet, thanks to the government’s gesture of appreciation.
We’re grateful for the freedom our forefathers achieved. But after 68 years of “independence,” can we really call it freedom when we’re still shackled by political fatigue and the economic anxiety of not knowing whether our children will do better than us?
Inflation is playing hopscotch with our wallets. There are still no clear winners in the subsidy game — the middle class, who pays the most in taxes, can only find respite in cheap petrol. Alas, our good friend Ron (95) may end up being a high-maintenance love affair.
But don’t worry, there’s always the My50 unlimited travel pass on Klang Valley’s public transport system. The rest of the country, I suppose, can keep relying on their bicycles and kapcais.
Still, there are well-lit billboards promising that Malaysia is “on the right track.”
Politics In A Permanent Midlife Crisis
Merdeka should be about unity, resilience and hope. But when Parliament behaves like a badly cast drama with stale plotlines and recycled villains, the rakyat tunes out. Voter apathy is not because Malaysians don’t care — it’s because they cared too much, and were left disillusioned.
Each new coalition promises reform, only to inherit the same old habits. This is even more evident in a unity government that is a motley crew of strange bedfellows.
Anti-corruption slogans fade into silence when friends and allies are in the hot seat. All because concessions need to be made.
Meanwhile, racism and religion continue to be valuable currency.
Days before Merdeka, the Urban Renewal Bill — billed as a way to ensure healthy demographic representation in our cities and towns — was instead accused of being a “Chinese enactment” to elbow out the Malays and Indians. (It’s not often you hear PAS standing up for Indians, but Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man championed the minority group, which is still seeking a seat at the table in Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s cabinet.)
Meanwhile, the narrative around the Gig Workers Bill warns of reducing the nation’s majority community to food delivery riders — once again stoking a potential elitist divide.
We are not tired of the country. We are tired of what’s been done to it.
The Flag Isn’t the Problem
So no, I haven’t hoisted the flag this year. Not because I’ve stopped loving this country — but because I’m tired of defending that love to people who weaponise patriotism.
Real patriotism is not judged by how many flags you display. It’s shown in how you treat your neighbour, how you raise your kids to be kind and colour-blind, and how you hold power to account — even when it’s uncomfortable.
I refuse to be bullied into performance. If loving Malaysia now requires a daily pledge of allegiance to whichever party has hijacked the meaning of Merdeka this month, then we’ve truly lost the plot.
This country is still beautiful. Her people are still her greatest strength.
From the makcik nasi lemak who throws in an extra sambal when you’re having a bad day, to the young undergraduate moonlighting as a barista who slips you an extra shot of espresso because “you look like you need it,” Malaysia endures — as she has for six decades.
So happy Merdeka, Malaysia. May the Jalur Gemilang fly high — just not upside down. Some of us can’t afford another visit from the flag police. – August 31, 2025
Kelantan-born Terence Fernandez who is the Editor -in- Chief of Big Boom Media will always regard Malaysia as home — warts and all. It’s a love worth fighting for.