Why Does Malaysia Have 2 National Days?

 

For 52 years since 1957, Malaysia celebrates its national day on the 31st of August. It commemorates the day when the Federation of Malaya (West Malaysia) was granted independence from the British. It is usually known as Hari Merdeka or Independence Day.

Six years later on September 16 1963, after much political wrangling, the states of Singapore, Sarawak and Sabah agreed to join Malaya to form Malaysia (the additional ‘si’ in honour of SIngapore). Singapore was the crown jewel, while sadly economically backward Sabah and Sarawak were added just to balance the racial composition. It was envisioned to be a strong united country that comprised of former British colonies.

Even Brunei was encouraged to join Malaysia by the British. However Brunei’s Sultan repeated refusal to join led to a very late independence in 1984. On the other hand, Singapore was kicked out of the Federation in 1965 due to outstanding social and political issues.

For the Malayans, or West Malaysians, or Peninsular Malaysians, August 31 1957 holds greater significance as all the struggles for independence culminated on that date. For Sabah and Sarawak, or East Malaysia, that date has little significance; it certainly does not commemorate their own state’s independence. Instead September 16 1963 was more important as shortly after they gained individual state independence, they joined Malaysia.

The reason why Aug 31 is the sole national day for so many decades is because the Peninsular Malaysians greatly outnumber those of the East, and they dominate the economic and political scene of the country as a whole. East Malaysia forms 61% of Malaysia’s landmass, but just under 20% of the population and only 15% of the country total GDP.

In 2009, the prime minister declared that the Sept 15 be made a federal public holiday known as Malaysia Day. The obvious objective is to garner more East Malaysians votes for the next general elections or to reward them for sticking to the ruling coalition during the 2008 elections. It is regretful that Malaysia Day is only rightfully recognized because of a political maneuver.

It is also regretful celebrations for Malaysia Day are largely confined to the minds and hearts of East Malaysians, when rightfully it should supersede Hari Merdeka as the National Day for the whole Malaysia. We should not forget that Malaysia did not even exist before Sabah and Sarawak’s accession to Malaysia.

Does Malaysia need two national days? Malaysia’s total number of public holidays are among the most numerous in the world. One solution I can think of is to alternate the national day, meaning that one year, Aug 31 will be the public holiday, while the next, Malaysia Day is made the sole national day public holiday. Would that make everybody happy?