On Merdeka Day, I wanted to do my part as a patriotic Malaysian to instill a sense of pride and nationalism in my three children. We decided to visit the Tugu Kebangsaan followed by a picnic at the Lake Gardens.

As my five-year-old approached the monument, he was awed by the details of the statues and I had the opportunity to tell them about the soldiers who dedicated their lives to protect Malaya. I also told them proudly about Independence Day and what that meant.

There were two busloads of tourists and some locals who were also there on that auspicious day. The sad part of my visit was the sorry state of the monument compound. The fountains were not on display, even on such an auspicious day.

The pool of water around the monument had rubbish and insects and the water was a dirty green. The marble at the base of the monument had white stains, presumably from leaking water. The infantry badges or shields on the ceiling surrounding the monument were rusty beyond recognition.

From a distance, the monument still stands tall and is quite awesome to behold, but upon closer inspection, what we see is a sorry state of affairs, of mildew and waste. The Tugu, a symbol of Malaysia's independence, perhaps speaks of the current state of affairs as much as the nation's glorious history.