It will be the height of disrespect for the nation if our great leader Dr Mahathir Mohamad and his government changes the 'Negaraku' one more time.

As a Malaysian, celebrating Merdeka and the nation is now meaningless. I will not be celebrating Merdeka by flying the flag, or attending the parade. Neither will I join in the fun of Citrawarna Malaysia.

I will celebrate Merdeka by performing solat and tahlil, for our great and righteous leaders of yesteryears, such as Tunku Abdul Rahman, Tun Abdul Razak, Tun Dr Ismail Abdul Rahman, Tun Hussein Onn, Onn Jaafar, Ibrahim Yaakob, Ahmad Boestamam, Burhanuddin Helmi, Ishak Muhammad, Tun Fuad Stephens, Tan Chee Khoon, Mohamed Sopiee Sheikh Ibrahim, Tun Suffian Hashim, Usman Awang, Aminuddin Baki, Tun Ismail Mohd Ali, Tun Tan Cheng Lock, Tun Tan Siew Sin, Tun V T Sambanthan, V Manickavasagam, D R Seenivasagam, S P Seenivasagam, P P Narayanan, E E C Thuraisingham, Peter Mojuntin, James Puthucheary, Temenggung Tun Jugah, Stephen Kalong Ningkan, Tun Abang Openg, Tuanku Bujang Othman, Tun Mustapha Harun, P Ramlee, Mokhtar Dahari, Sudirman Arshad, Senu Abdul Rahman and Ong Kee Hui just to name a few.

Until and unless I see some positive change that will make Malaysia a more democratic, progressive, secular, Islamic (in the true sense), humane, caring, disciplined, upright society on the part of the Barisan Nasional leaders, Merdeka will be just a period of quiet prayer and mourning for the loss of the once beautiful country our founding fathers (whatever their sins) wanted to create for their grand children.

Happy National Day, everyone.