46.

Prologue: Oh dear, how could I forgot the significance of yesterday (September 16)! I always made an obligatory post about the significance of the day since I started this blog 2 years ago and yet I went through the day as if nothing was happen. Ok, I do have other things to attend to like assignments and AhBui surprise birthday yesterday...hence I almost forgot about it until YenPheng mentioned todays date. So now at 1.20am in the morning, I am sitting at Istimewa again to blog about it...the only reason I can do this is because there is only one class tomorrow (woohoo!)

More than two weeks ago on the date of 31st August, one very auspicious number is celebrated and cherished by the *almost* whole of Malaysia despite the subdued air due to economic downturn and A(H1N1)...

The number is 52.

Yesterday on the date of 16th September, everything goes on like any normal Wednesday. People in all walks of life go to work and school and working hard to make their life and the nation better, just like any other normal day.

Normal day, that is except that yesterday is a day that people more often than not, forgot about it but hold an equality in the amount of significance with what happen on 31st of August. 16th September has its own number to be remembered as well.

The number is 46.

46 years ago today, 3 wholly different (originally four but for the convenience of making my point. We know what happened.) entities namely a young independent country, a business interest-turn-Crown colony and former-private-kingdom of an adventurer-turn-Crown Colony comes together with an idea. Definitely a mismatch at first sight by history and demography and considering that we will still be inevitably and perpetually separated geographically , the forefathers of the idea believed that all these physical and historical differences can and will be overcome by spirit of fraternity and working together toward mutual benefit. There were cynics towards this idea and some actually tried to kill the very idea itself. But after rounds of convincing and diplomacy, everyone were convinced that the idea will work out eventually. So despite a little delay, the idea finally comes into a reality on the very day of 16th September.

The idea is Malaysia, and 16th September is Malaysia Day.

One of the immediate effect of it of course is the addition of extra lines and points on the star and stripes of Jalur Gemilang.

Another immediate effect is that the Borneo Island is halved and suddenly a new nation doubled it sizes and reaching the true Nusantara. (to the chagrin of the neighbour down below of course LOL).


Or so all the forefathers think that the idea was great and it did start off great with recognition on federal level that we are indeed a seperate entities with some level of autonomy and a minister dedicated to the affair of the entities (as per agreed by ourfathers while grinding the idea through). As time passed however, the idea that we are 3 seperate entities together in one federation however slowly fades away and not before long, we do ends up as mere stripes on the Jalur Gemilang.

So for the people that still cherish the idea, please remember another set of number.

The number is 20/18.

I do not wish Sarawak to secede. I do not want to sound like a rebel. My only hope is to make sure everyone remember the promise the forefathers did back in history and acknowledge more the uniqueness and significance in the formation of Malaysia.

Last but not least just as an anecdote, Sarawak State Anthem, the only state anthem in Malaysia now that actually include the word Malaysia in the lyric.

Sarawak Tanah Airku
Negeriku Tanah Airku Sarawak
Engkaulah tanah pusakaku
Tanah tumpah darahku
Ibu pertiwiku

Rakyat hidup mesra dan bahagia
Damai muhibah sentiasa
Bersatu Berusaha Berbakti
Untuk Sarawak kucintai

Sarawak dalam Malaysia
Aman makmur Rahmat Tuhan Maha Esa
Kekallah Sarawak bertuah
Teras perjuangan rakyat
Berjaya berdaulat

Epilogue: TGI Thursday. Weekend and holiday comes earlier!!!! *Happy dance* But with assignment deadline looming, can all of us make full use of it for our own sake? I can only hope.