I have tried so hard to find something I could celebrate, come Merdeka Day.
August 31st is a day we mark the freedom of the country and its people.
But are we free?
We, as citizens, can’t speak publicly without the government coming down harsh to clamp down on legitimate dissent.
Racism and xenophobia is at its worse and like never seen before.
The Sheraton Move and race to the top job saw the toppling of a legitimately elected government.
How do we celebrate freedom when the people’s vote and choices were dragged through the mud?
The mushrooming of race-based parties and bullying of other religions, quietly endorsed by the powers that be, continue to divide Malaysians down the middle.
We saw the erosion of the Malaysian spirit of caring and sharing when Prime Minister, Muhyiddin Yassin, and his cabinet members failed to show leadership by condemning the heinous xenophobic backlash against migrants and refugees.
And the shrinking of legitimate democratic space by harassing NGOs, the media and especially Malaysiakini, and politically motivated charges against Lim Guan Eng, the DAP chief.
There is so much ugliness, that just won’t go away, because the ruling elite continues to fan hate, intolerance and disrespect.
The government hasn’t done enough to ensure adequate social protection for those who fall through the cracks and can’t access aid distributed to tide over job losses, evictions and shutting down of business due to Covid-19.
In short, the country is under the clutches of leaders whose sole motivation is power.
It pains me to grasp at straws to find an inspiration to celebrate “our freedom”.
The words sound that much more hollow when I repeat it aloud.
But I find comfort in the fact that we continue to fight this oppression, together.
So, maybe we will celebrate hope come Monday.