In a couple of days, it'll be Merdeka Day again. After much prodding and pleading by the government we are beginning to see some Jalur Gemilang reluctantly being displayed on public buildings especially the buildings that have anything to do with the government.

However, public vehicles and houses are conspicuously not decked with the flag this year. The public mood is positively funereal and this is very sad considering that it is our moral obligation to feel patriotic and celebrate our Merdeka Day irrespective of our political persuasions, race and colour. Why is there this lack of interest and will to feel proud of the day we Malaysians were born?

The reasons are not hard to find. It is not that the citizens are loath to celebrate this historic day, but when the celebration is perceived to be single-handedly monopolised by the government whom many are unhappy with, it is hardly surprising that there is a lack of public interest on the occasion.

This year has been one of the worst years for democracy in Malaysia for a long while. The government is trying its best to turn Malaysia into a banana republic.

Lest we forget, here are some of the highlights of the government's effort to make Malaysia a 'better' world, in no particular order (they are all bad):

1) Terengganu is deprived of the oil royalty it has been getting based on a 1975 agreement, making, in one fell swoop, the Federal government the biggest robber in Malaysian history.

2) ISA is used (and abused) with impunity and selectively against the ruling government Barisan Nasional's political opponents.

3) Public ceramahs are banned thereby depriving the only available and effective means for the opposition political parties to voice their views as allowed in a real democracy (the ban on public political rallies has never been lifted since God knows when).

4) Suhakam's report on police brutality is condemned as being influenced by "Western-style of thinking" (to me, this takes the cake for political imbecility of the decade).

5) The Dewan Tunku Canselor fire is promptly blamed on arson by student extremists (yet proven) before any official reports are publicised. This is followed by witch-hunts on students and further curbs on students' freedom of expression.

6) Witch hunts on 'Islamic militants' and attempts to link them with the Memali Incident, Al-Maunah 'Grik Comedy' and KMM (Kumpulan Mujahidin Malaysia) and no prize for guessing who the ultimate target will be.

7) The continuing saga of mega bail-outs (MAS, Renong, etc)

8) More and more Umno leaders are disciplined and punished for indulging in 'money politics', which shows that they are ethically suspect at best and crooks or criminals at worst.

The list goes on. Is it any wonder then that any self-respecting, morally upright citizen would not be brimming with enthusiasm to join the government's effort to celebrate this Merdeka Day?

But in the spirit of Malaysia Boleh! , we did achieve some spectacular successes such as the nipping in the bud of the black metal 'menace' and an entry in the Malaysia Book of Records for the longest keropok lekor among other things.