Every time there is a debate on how old Malaysia is - is it 1957 or 1963? - or when is our birthday - was it Aug 31 or Sept 16? - everyone in the Peninsula gets very edgy about it.

Most of us cannot understand why the Borneo folk keep raising this issue. Are they not happy being part of Malaysia is the normal thought I'd veer from that for a change, and I'd ask a different question - why is there a sizeable number of good people from Borneo always raising this issue incandescently?

As intriguing it is to foist, unfurl, refute, refine, ravage, renege and review the various agreements/disagreements preceding and proceeding the process to the formation of Malaysia, philosophy and argumentation is not the main reason for my brilliant brothers and sisters from Borneo to keep revisiting this contention.

The glaring reason would be to make sure all Malaysians not forget the contribution of those from Borneo who made this nation. The nation is seen as an endowment brought to you by the vigilance of Peninsula leaders. It is one Malaysia, yet only the contribution of West Malaysians is seen as substantial to the formation of Malaysia. Those from East Malaysia are only seen as footnotes.

I mean, come on. We get only about five names from Sarawak and Sabah, and the Cobbold Commission in our school textbooks. We almost forget over here in KL that those two states dwarf the peninsula in size. All of the Peninsula's press disregard the nation-builders from East Malaysia, so is it all too unnatural for them to disdain what must seem to them a West Malaysian celebration?

There were promises made in the Malaysia arrangement to sustain the autonomy of East Malaysia. However, over the decades, there have been devious and officious means to undermine the autonomy which we agreed to. We did not share a common history, just a common colonial master, so it is expected that the East Malaysians will reduce their checks if KL show solid relations built as equals.

The question would be: 'Have we substantially shown trust to Borneo?' The age-long allegations of assimilating Filipino Muslims as to minimise the impact of the Kadazan community has been a thorn for a long time in Sabah' side.

Key federal postings are not many for Sarawakians and Sabahans, and there is a skew to reward the Muslims in Borneo more than the non-Muslims drilling in a wedge between peoples who have lived without the burden of the religious polarity we have in the Peninsula. Theirs is a tribal one, but West Malaysians have taken the time and trouble to sow mistrust which never existed before.

Thirdly, you have cultural oppression. As we parade more and more images of what is truly Malaysia, which is an amalgamation of Chinese, Malays and Indians, the other 30 official ethnic groups in Malaysia (most of them in Sabah and Sarawak) will be wondering why is the central point of the country is only these and not them?

It seems the Peninsula lords will not be satiated until all Borneo people are just Muslims and non-Muslims, and not the vibrant and rich Bajaus, Bidayuhs, Kadazans, Ibans, Muruts, Dayak and all the other races they have been for centuries. This creates a sense of cultural displacement.

If your culture is not seen naturally in the national sinew, would it be fair to assume then that your culture is obsolete, or worse non-existent? Are there any real efforts for these people to retain their languages through federally supplanted mechanisms in national schools?

I've been a citizen for all my life, and I have finished 17 years of public education in this country. There, however, has not been any effort by the Education Ministry for me to have a substantial or meaningful understanding of my brethren in Borneo. I don't think we in the Peninsula can go around claiming love for Borneo by repeating Fuad/Donald Stephens, Kalong-Ningkan, Gawai- Dayak and stopping at that.

We might want to admit it - if you are from Borneo, you don't naturally think of Malaysia as a political union of equals. What will the future hold? More of the present, which is Peninsula- centric. It is amazing that looking at all the collapses of manufactured states in the world today, where a lack of equality has led to their demise, Malaysia only looks on lightly. Indonesia, which does not hold together its republic based on military might anymore, acknowledges that vast nations must give continuous reasons to all its parts on why being one is so meaningful and important.

Ironically, we who are enveloped by this nation do not see the same need. The truth is, the philosophical arguments on the birth-years and formation days for our young country will not desist. And I see the rationale on both sides of the arguments and I think if we don't try to counter why it is such an issue for the disputing parties, then we are not seeing Malaysia's interests through.

Still, Merdeka is a party. And at a party, you focus on having a good time. Maybe in celebrating together we can learn to understand why having the same independence symbols are important.