This year we celebrate our 50th anniversary of our independence. Therefore all of us should join in and make this a really special occasion. However, I'm afraid it will not be so because politics will come into play.

The BN component parties will all want to take credit for Merdeka, thus alienating the others. Already pictures of BN leaders are posted at toll booths all over the country.

With the impending general elections, BN will exploit the event as much as possible and in the end Merdeka will only belong to Umno and its friends. Every event will see the BN flag flying and BN big shots officiating.

Opposition leaders will be lucky if they get an invitation, and because of that they and their followers will find themselves with no opportunity to show that they, too, are part of the celebrations.

After that, BN will accuse them of not being patriotic, etc. This game has been played many times before and there's no reason why BN will not do it again this time.