September 7, 2012
A Different Merdeka: Increasingly Malaysian First
by Bridget Welsh (06-09-12)@www.malaysiakini.com
COMMENT: Malaysians distinguished 55 years of independence upon Aug 31. Most did so the usual Malaysian approach with family as good as friends, along with good food as good as good friendship.
Despite tall levels of domestic anxiety, angst as good as uncertainty, there is much to celebrate. Malaysia is the good country, with the unapproachable history as good as comfortable smashing people.
I distinguished the eventuality in Ipoh, where Perakians showed me the excellent hospitality of good hearten as good as company. It is clearly clear which Malaysia's finest resources have been the people.
This year's Merdeka was considerably different, however. The eventuality became rarely politicised, as both sides of the domestic order used the occasion to woo supporters. The make make use of of of supervision resources for logos, songs as good as domestic slogans as good as politicking during the official jubilee with UMNO-like domestic speeches does not reflect good upon the ruling coalition.
The sagas around the preparation for Merdeka raised critical questions of credibility. Rather than welcome all Malaysians, the mode was one of "by call in only" which during the core violated the suggestion of imprinting independence.
There was the necessity of statesmanship. This highlights one of the many critical 
! issues U MNO is facing nationally which it is seen to offer only the selected couple of rather than the broader community.
At the same time, the yellow-shirt civil society's 'Janji Demokrasi' (Promise of Democracy) entertainment mirrored the polarising governing body right away present in the country, with the uncover of one after another essential element between the BERSIH movement in the debate for the cleanser electoral system.
While the intention to move together Malaysians was some-more clear as good as the legal holiday suggestion of the eventuality revelation the strategy adopted by the couple of to denigrate others by stomping upon pictures as good as flying alternative flags even if from questionable sources allowed the supervision to criticise the event's altogether impact.
Prouder to be Malaysians
The enticement to make make use of of this eventuality in the increasingly high-stakes governing body was just as good tasteful to resist. The reason is simple Malaysians have been deeply unapproachable of their country as good as politicians longed for to exploit this.
Despite all the domestic noise, the angry comments upon websites, the disastrous attacks as good as underlying concerns, the love of Malaysia has been growing.
Survey formula from two different periods (2006 as good as 2011) as part of the region-wide cross-national Middle East Barometer Survey uncover which Malaysians have been overwhelming committed to their country; they have been unapproachable to be citizens as good as believe in being always loyal, as shown in the table.
Recent data shows which 97 percent of Malaysians have been unapproachable to be Malaysians - this says something. It is betwee! n the hi ghest in the region. The direction between all racial groups is towards stronger national identity, with considerably some-more people identifying themselves as "Malaysians".
While there have been racial differences understandably scored equally to feelings of ostracism as good as concerns about equivalence these dark in comparison to the altogether direction towards the stronger Malaysian nationalism.
The data additionally shows which fewer Malaysians have been peaceful to live abroad, with the sizeable dump over the last 5 years. The enticement for better mercantile opportunities stays present, however, highlighting concerns about opportunities as good as peculiarity livelihoods.
That said, some-more Malaysians opposite races have been simultaneously identifying themselves as "Malaysian". In the Malay community, the "Muslim" as good as "Malay" markers persist, though the shifts between the alternative communities is noted as good as telling.
Noteworthy, the majority of Malays prioritise the Malaysian identity. This places the challenge upon any personality who does not see himself as Malaysian first, even between the Malay community. Malaysian patriotism is alive as good as well, as good as flourishing stronger.
Stronger welcome of democracy
The engaging subject is why? Some would indicate to PM Najib Razak's 1Malaysia concept. Despite the consistent misuse for partisan campaigning as good as marketplace branding, the thought in the nutshell involves the clarity of place for everyone in Malaysia.
This mental condition similar to Malaysia's push for the usual Vision 2020 for all gives 
people the clarity of belonging as good as hope. But couple of in the survey pointed to 1Malaysia directly as the success.
Another some-more substantiated part of the story comes from the larger gains made for non-Malays in Parliament as good as the larger clarity of inclusion in the ruling process of many antithesis governments, either in Selangor, Penang, (briefly in) Perak or Kedah, to name the few.
The altogether commentary of the data uncover the stronger welcome of democracy as good as tall await for some-more thorough representation. This clarity of all communities having the place during the table from Sabah as good as Sarawak to the different racial groups is the true exam of the leaders' capability to paint them nationally.
The struggle BN faces to be seen as multi-ethnic have been real with UMNO's overwhelming dominance as good as weakening non-Malay representation, as have been the hurdles Pakatan Rakyat faces in assuring which all the voices have been represented as good as accommodated.
The energetic is not about representing one group, however, though the country even during the responsibility of governing body as good as especially during the responsibility of personal interest.
The bloc as good as leaders which have been seen to be you do this most appropriate to be thorough of all Malaysians with the guarantee of goal as good as belonging as good as seen to put the country as the total first have the advantage electorally.
Part of this is putting in reserve governing body as good as genuinely celebrating each other. For during their core, Malaysians have been Malaysians as good as unapproachable to be so.
DR BRIDGET WELSH is Associate P! rofessor of Political Science during Singapore Management University as good as she can be reached during bwelsh@smu.edu.sg.
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