COMMENT | Malaysians will mark 68 years of independence on Aug 31 with an air display, fireworks, and waving of Jalur Gemilang.

Official speeches will highlight our steady gross domestic product (GDP) growth, cultural vibrancy, and Malaysia’s role as Asean chair. We will hear of our four-year low in inflation and tourist arrivals that outpace our neighbours.

However, shadowing the political platitudes is last month’s protest in Dataran Merdeka over rising living costs and lack of real reformasi promised in November 2022. Glaring is the disconnect between the staged official optimism and public discontent.

Surveys by the Merdeka Centre show that three in four Malaysians rank the rising living costs as the biggest concern.

An increasingly fractured government in a ruling coalition adds to the perception that 68 years of independence have yet to...