My goodness, Malaysia was formed 46 years ago. I have read the declaration a few times, but yet many West Malaysians are still thinking that Sarawak, Sabah and Singapore joined Malaysia.

I am not in the position to educate them, they are way too smart for a simple minded Kampung boy like me.

Frankly, 16 September 1963 does not even ring anything to my mind.

NONE In the earlier years of my life though, one of my elder brother's never missed celebrating a friend's birthday on that date - that poor guy was born out of wedlock - proving that social problems do exist prior to Sarawak's independence.

Not only among us, the so-called ungrateful post independence generation.

Attending government school from the earliest age allowed, I could not help but was made to believe that Malaysia is 52 years old.

No hard feelings.

After all, I must confess that we are very fortunate being Malaysian, rather than being Indonesian.

If our past leaders decided to be on our own, there is no guarantee that Indonesia would not have invaded us, after all we are very much richer, especially the brainy populace apart from the minerals, natural resources and opportunities.

Furthermore, we are still hearing that kind of noise, exactly same phrase "Ganyang Malaysia" from a distance.

Why the sudden attention?

I bumped into an elderly statesman on my rounds as an alternative media man prior to the previous State Legislative Council election.

I do not even know his name. What I remember was that he played a very important role in bringing the visiting White men to meet grassroots leaders.

NONE This shows how people wanted us to forget who was behind Malaysia's formation.

As usual, fighters seldom took the front seat and he sat at one corner listening to the ceramah delivered by veteran leaders who obviously had switched camps.

First was Daniel Tajem, a former Deputy Chief Minister, followed by Wan Zainal Abiddin Wan Senusi, the Sarawak's Chief Minister's senior political secretary to both Abdul Rahman Ya'akub and Abdul Taib Mahmud.

Tajem was taking the rostrum earlier because at that time Wan Zainal was Sarawak's PKR chief.

Both of the speakers dedicated salutations to the elderly statement, whom I would never be able to recall his name, partly because I do not know him and I am no longer having Wan Zainal and Daniel Tajem's phone numbers.

Funny case for a history lover who never failed to score 98 percent marks in my history examination in form six and getting an A for that subject.

As the event unfolded, I approached him and tried to strike a conversation.

He told me that their mission was to get an honest feedback from the grassroots leaders and their sentiment toward formation of a new country.

He said their team travelled to almost every nook and corner of Sarawak, meeting grassroots leaders who gave mixed reactions to the idea of Malaysia.

Some are obviously happy, while others choose to reserve their comment, a polite way of saying no.

Second class citizens

I remember the same old man was once guest at the then Batang Lupar MP Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar function, so I whispered to him why was he suddenly here, meaning among the opposition.

He whispered to me softly, "the government has lost focus, we have to make them change or change them."

NONE 31 August is proof that many still think Malaysia as literally Tanah Melayu

Having to study in Peninsular Malaysia from 1985 to 1989, makes me feel that we Sarawakian are somewhat second class citizens of this country.

The opinion of majority of my schoolmates were that we Sarawakian are joining Malaysia, just like some States that joined the United States of America later.

In fact, I have had to submit myself to such an idea until very recently when reading Sarawak's published history books.

To me the recognition of the date 31 August as Malaysia official "Merdeka" day is a reflection that we Sarawakians are nothing more than "passengers" who came later into the boat.

Being a junior, you must never expect equal treatment from the so-called seniors.

Just look at the fair distribution of our wealth.

95 percent of our resources pumped into Kuala Lumpur, now perhaps pumped to Putrajaya, but while being a typical Bumiputera we are only getting five percent.

You will never read any emphasis on the formation of Malaysia in the history books, examination questions or television programmes, clearly indicating that somebody up there wants the people to forget Malaysia was formed on 16 September 1963.

Every year we will hear Sudirman and Dr Sam Rasputin singing Merdeka on 31 August 1957, and we the small children would parrot it, until it become the truth.

Malaya, not Tanah Melayu

I was moved when reading a comment by some goon on FaceBook reminding some members not to forget that Malaysia is literally Tanah Melayu and must remain prioritising the Melayu and Bahasa Melayu.

Being a non-Melayu, I told him to check his facts, by virtue that Malaysia is Malaya plus Sabah, Sarawak and Singapore.

He defended his view. Saying that Tanah Melayu was the name, not Malaya.

When I asked him about the other half of Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak, whether it was Tanah Melayu also, when Melayu was a confirmed minority?

sarawak diverse population percentage breakdown of race 160106 He said thank you for sharing the information.

This kind of situation arrived because many so-called Melayu are only living among the Melayu and think only about the Melayu, and nothing else.

They forgot in many cases Melayu are minority and are actually dependant on other races.

This kind of arrogance be it among the Melayu or Chinese or Indian or Iban or Bidayuh or Melanau (30 other "or" representing so many other ethnicities in Malaysia) will never take us anywhere.

I could not understand why Malaysia's opposition leader, Anwar Ibrahim was suddenly very sentimental about the date. I knew that his tagline was "Malaysia Baharu" literally meaning "New Malaysia".

I presumed that he wanted to reincarnate Malaysia into a holy being, holier than what we see today, ideal to the promise that were made to our forefathers when the Cobbold Commission came to this land for their agreement.

Or at least being seen trying to do so.

Living on borrowed superiority

If the federal government has the courage to celebrate Malaysia's formation on Sept 16, I must say that whoever is making that decision is a very brave man.

I am not sure whether Najib Abdul Razak has that kind of strength.

He was not even daring enough to teach Mathematics and Science in English,.

To make his fellow Malays of Malaya to mellow down and accept the fact that Malaysia was formed on September 16 with the help from ‘cawat' wearing Sarawakians and Sabahans, plus Singaporeans, would be asking too much.

How many people could swallow the bitter truth or willing to accept the fact that they are actually living on borrowed superiority?

NONE I must never forget such arrogance also existed among the non-Malays in their respective areas.

I will never forget how a senior Sarawak BN Chinese politician telling some Kuching Malay folks that without their votes he will still win because they do not even make up to 10 percent of the electorate.

He went on to lose by a "pubic's hair" majority.

The same thing happened among Sarawak DAP leaders who did not bother to campaign among the Malays and Dayaks only to lose very narrowly.

Honestly, 31 August, in my personal opinion, is the symbol of Malaya's rule over Sarawak.

More or less, telling us in Sarawak, that we have to listen to them.

That situation probably will not happen if Najib's father happened to lives longer.

I was made to understand by Abdul Rahman Yaakub that he was already being told by Abdul Razak to be prepared to be sworn in as second Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia prior to his medical trip to London.

Unfortunately, Abdul Razak never returned from that trip to London, losing his battle against cancer and the promise was never made good by the next leader Hussein Onn.

Sarawak the final frontier

I must say that the coming State elections would be a deciding factor, though not a yardstick of what is to come in the 13th General Election.

If the current administration based in Malaya still thinking that Sarawak is an automatic vote for BN albeit being bullied the way they did to our independence date, they must seriously do some soul searching.

In the past, the ruling coalition had smooth access in Sarawak because the opposition lacked the material and financial support.

Now, both teams have professionals and decent monetary resources.

the antidote article long kerong sarawak timber logging samling 090609 07 Whoever is able to convince the Rakyat that they are capable of giving better service are likely to rule.

The people, no matter how isolated from the township are not being cut off from information.

They see what is going on in Selangor, Perak, Penang or Kelantan, and are able to judge and make choices.

Whoever is willing to be humble and work very hard for the people can be assured of victory.

Not the PhD totting goon and self proclaimed reformist who cannot do more than talking and are unable to help himself/herself.

Pray tell how are they to help others?

It is not so much of 31 August or 16 September that matters but the respect and humility.

46 years is not a very short period.

Please do not tell me that you are still do not have the funds to provide the people with the most basic infrastructure although Sarawak has produced trillions of ringgit for this country.

Happy 46 birthday Malaysia.....

ABDUL HAKIM BUJANG now blogs against both BN and Pakatan at Sarawak Update