Discussion: N-day theme song controversy

[shuwenteo]

[Xon]

I am being true to myself now. I dislike the fact that the ruling Government hijacks the National Day theme song and make it a PM/BN-song. It might has just idolised the PM to me.

What more to say when the whole National Day concept is wrong here. Malaysia is formed by Persekutuan Tanah Melayu, Negara Sarawak (Independence on 22th July 1963), Negara Sabah (Independence on 31st August 1963) and Singapore on 16th September 1963. 31st August 1957 is purely a Persekutuan Tanah Melayu Independence Day.

Just my humble two cents.

[henry_yew]

Personally, I think a lot of people were making an unnecessary fuss out of this issue. While it is true that 31st of August is the Independence Day of Malaya and that Malaysia was formed on 16 September 1963, to me, arguing that the National Day shouldn't be on the 31st of August of every year is like saying that the king's birthday should be celebrated on his real birthday, instead of the first Saturday of June.

For all I care, National Day can be celebrated in May, August, September, December or any other dates. All that matters is what we are commemorating the day to. I believe that now 16 September is celebrated as Malaysia Day, so it commemorates the day Malaysia was formed.

You don't hear Hawaii and Alaska making a fuss about celebrating the 4th of July which is known as Independence Day, which isn't the day Alaska and Hawaii joined the Union.

Why should such nitty-gritty details be the potential source of a political rift?

[frostbyte13]

"Janji ditepati" explicitly blurts out propaganda for BN. Who else has been idolizing these revolting words? A better set of questions I'd like to ask PM is ;

why MUST the entire theme surrounding N-day this year is on a so-called 'policy' by BN that has been fulfilled? Why can't it reflect a general idea looking to the future ; eg A corruption-free nation, developed status in the coming decade, natural geographic beauty of Malaysia.

[Xon]

Originally Posted by henry_yew

Personally, I think a lot of people were making an unnecessary fuss out of this issue. While it is true that 31st of August is the Independence Day of Malaya and that Malaysia was formed on 16 September 1963, to me, arguing that the National Day shouldn't be on the 31st of August of every year is like saying that the king's birthday should be celebrated on his real birthday, instead of the first Saturday of June.

For all I care, National Day can be celebrated in May, August, September, December or any other dates. All that matters is what we are commemorating the day to. I believe that now 16 September is celebrated as Malaysia Day, so it commemorates the day Malaysia was formed.

You don't hear Hawaii and Alaska making a fuss about celebrating the 4th of July which is known as Independence Day, which isn't the day Alaska and Hawaii joined the Union.

Why should such nitty-gritty details be the potential source of a political rift?

Alaska and Hawaii "joined" the union. We "formed" it together. It seriously means something, to me.

[Nicholas92]

Originally Posted by henry_yew

Personally, I think a lot of people were making an unnecessary fuss out of this issue. While it is true that 31st of August is the Independence Day of Malaya and that Malaysia was formed on 16 September 1963, to me, arguing that the National Day shouldn't be on the 31st of August of every year is like saying that the king's birthday should be celebrated on his real birthday, instead of the first Saturday of June.

For all I care, National Day can be celebrated in May, August, September, December or any other dates. All that matters is what we are commemorating the day to. I believe that now 16 September is celebrated as Malaysia Day, so it commemorates the day Malaysia was formed.

You don't hear Hawaii and Alaska making a fuss about celebrating the 4th of July which is known as Independence Day, which isn't the day Alaska and Hawaii joined the Union.

Why should such nitty-gritty details be the potential source of a political rift?

Originally Posted by Xon

Alaska and Hawaii "joined" the union. We "formed" it together. It seriously means something, to me.

Exactly as Xon said. We weren't "Malaysia" before Sabah and Sarawak joined, we were just independent states - so in commemorating it's perfectly fair to ask that Malaysia Day be given a little more due recognition.

That said, it also has to be said that the 31st is Independence Day...I wouldn't call it National Day because that rightly lies with Malaysia Day, but there's nothing wrong in celebrating Independence Day too.

Rather, I think the debate over 31/8 vs 16/9 is sort of a focal point for the issue of Sabah and Sarawak being pretty screwed over as states. They've been the worst off for joining the federation, and I think the whole Malaysia Day problem just became this symbol of how they're essentially treated as secondary when the whole point of joining Malaysia was because it was supposed to be the better deal.

As for the song, what can I say...Rais Yatim is one shitty song-writer. And a shameless one at that. Seriously the man has a PhD not experience as a lyricist. Why the hell was he penning the song in the first place?

Lyrical quality aside, it's just disgusting how it says it's 'kini masa balas budi'.

[Xon]

Originally Posted by Nicholas92

Exactly as Xon said. We weren't "Malaysia" before Sabah and Sarawak joined, we were just independent states - so in commemorating it's perfectly fair to ask that Malaysia Day be given a little more due recognition.

That said, it also has to be said that the 31st is Independence Day...I wouldn't call it National Day because that rightly lies with Malaysia Day, but there's nothing wrong in celebrating Independence Day too.

Rather, I think the debate over 31/8 vs 16/9 is sort of a focal point for the issue of Sabah and Sarawak being pretty screwed over as states. They've been the worst off for joining the federation, and I think the whole Malaysia Day problem just became this symbol of how they're essentially treated as secondary when the whole point of joining Malaysia was because it was supposed to be the better deal.

As for the song, what can I say...Rais Yatim is one shitty song-writer. And a shameless one at that. Seriously the man has a PhD not experience as a lyricist. Why the hell was he penning the song in the first place?

Lyrical quality aside, it's just disgusting how it says it's 'kini masa balas budi'.

I rephrase: there is no Malaysia before we "formed" it together. It has been the worst decision in "forming" Malaysia together seeing how the two "down-graded" states progress now. The whole scene is very disappointing and disgracing.

[Nicholas92]

Originally Posted by shuwenteo

Holding on to hate, will not only hurt people who care about you, but also yourself.

God loves you, and he sent his son to die for our sins, so we can live in his presence forever.

I love you friend, and I will pray for you.

...what?

I assume you're telling us all to take a chill pill or something, over our reaction to the song. Wow. Hey we really don't like the song but I doubt any of us will lose sleep over it or let it bother us.

What other reaction did you expect from opening this thread? Just for us to laugh at it?

[henry_yew]

Originally Posted by Xon

Alaska and Hawaii "joined" the union. We "formed" it together. It seriously means something, to me.

Well, OK. Fine. So Sabah, Sarawak and the states in Malaya formed the Federation of Malaysia together. It's a very big deal. And I sincerely mean it when I say it's a big deal.

It still makes me wonder why it took about 50 years before people start questioning about this whole issue.

Also, no doubt that day is an important one to commemorate, but I'd seriously not want to see parliamentarians and the public debating about this issue so frequently when there are more pressing problems that require our attention.

The situation of Sabah and Sarawak after the formation of Malaysia may be bad, but that's another issue altogether.

[Nicholas92]

Originally Posted by henry_yew

Well, OK. Fine. So Sabah, Sarawak and the states in Malaya formed the Federation of Malaysia together. It's a very big deal. And I sincerely mean it when I say it's a big deal.

It still makes me wonder why it took about 50 years before people start questioning about this whole issue.

Also, no doubt that day is an important one to commemorate, but I'd seriously not want to see parliamentarians and the public debating about this issue so frequently when there are more pressing problems that require our attention.

The situation of Sabah and Sarawak after the formation of Malaysia may be bad, but that's another issue altogether.

Like I said I think it's become a symbolic problem.

Honestly if the government just dealt with the hundred other problems present over there (logging, NCR land, the immigration issue etc.) then people would gripe a lot less about the matter.