COMMENT | Every August, the Jalur Gemilang flies from homes and offices and lines streets across the country. Patriotic songs fill the air, and we remember Tunku Abdul Rahman’s seven cries of “Merdeka!” at Stadium Merdeka on Aug 31, 1957.

But Merdeka must be more than an annual ritual. It should also be a moment of national reflection.

As we mark 69 years since Malaya achieved independence, we must ask: Are we still faithful to the inclusive vision articulated at Merdeka and carried forward into Malaysia, or have we strayed dangerously from it?

The answer is...