It’s been 67 years since the Federation of Malaya attained freedom from colonial rule and 61 years since Malaya, Sarawak, Sabah and Singapore came together to form the Federation of Malaysia.
Singapore, of course, was asked to leave in 1965.
Every year those in Peninsular Malaysia celebrate both Merdeka Day on Aug 31 and Malaysia Day on Sept 16. Interestingly, Aug 31 is called National Day.
That raises a question: Shouldn’t Malaysia Day be National Day as it covers the whole nation? Aug 31 does not have the same significance for Sarawakians and Sabahans as it does for those in the peninsula.
Last year, Sabah celebrated Aug 31 as Sabah Day to mark the day Sabah gained self-governance from British rule, on the road to the formation of Malaysia. However, Sabah Day was only officially gazetted this year.
In 2016, Sarawak gazetted July 22 as Sarawak Independence Day and a public holiday, although the state observed the 50th anniversary of Sarawak’s independence from Britain with pomp and ceremony on July 22, 2013.
If Malaya, Sabah and Sarawak had been granted independence on the same day – as was initially planned – we would all have only one day of independence to celebrate.
But thanks to opposition to the formation of Malaysia by Indonesia and the Philippines, the United Nations decided to send a fact-finding mission to the two Borneo states to ascertain if the people really wanted a Federation of Malaysia, and the formation of Malaysia was pushed to Sept 16.
The existence of a Sabah Day, a Sarawak Day and a Merdeka Day just goes to illustrate the reality of the situation: Malaysia is not just divided between East and West by the South China Sea, but also by emotional attachment.
The disconnect between Peninsular Malaysians and those in Sabah and Sarawak has not been fully eliminated even after 61 years.
There are a significant number of Sabahans and Sarawakians who are suspicious of the motives of Peninsular Malaysia political leaders and parties just as there are a significant number of Peninsular Malaysia parties and politicians who are frustrated that Sabah and Sarawak are demanding greater autonomy.
Sabah and Sarawak have recently been talking about a Borneo bloc to safeguard their interests in negotiations with leaders in Peninsula Malaysia. They are, in fact, already collaborating in furthering their interests.
The four PAS-ruled states of Kelantan, Terengganu, Kedah and Perlis have formed their own bloc called SG4, and earlier this month even announced the establishment of a company called SG4 Group Sdn Bhd.
The rest of the Malaysian states are ruled by Pakatan Harapan-Barisan Nasional and their allies.
And, of course, Malaysia continues to be divided along racial lines. At the time of Merdeka, people in the peninsula spoke of Malays, Chinese, Indians and others. Today it is almost always Malays and non-Malays.
In 1957, most people thought of themselves as Malaysian first. Sadly, 61 years later, an increasing number identify themselves with their race or religion first, pushing their Malaysian identity to second place.
If one were to bring in the indigenous people of Malaya, Sabah and Sarawak into the equation, we, again, have two categories of Malaysians: bumiputera and non-bumiputera. And this dichotomy, for all practical purposes, is official.
The differences between these two groups have been exacerbated by political parties, bureaucratic requirements, government policies and, in Peninsular Malaysia, by Malay supremacist groups.
The disconnect between these groups has greatly widened since the 1980s, particularly in Peninsular Malaysia.
In addition, a new dividing category has come into play in the last 40 decades, one which gained traction in the last two decades: We are now either Muslim or non-Muslim too.
The situation has become worse because many politicians and political parties use religion to win votes, and in the process further dig the pit of separation.
Recently, a new element that divides has been added into the mix, although it has been present for a while in an understated manner: halal certification.
On Sept 6, minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Islamic religious affairs), Mohd Na’im Mokhtar said the Malaysian Islamic Development Department, or Jakim, was considering a proposal to make halal certification compulsory for restaurants and food establishments that did not serve pork or alcohol.
That set off a heated debate both in the media and at eating and drinking outlets, further deepening the schism between Malaysian Muslims and non-Muslims.
Lest you think it all boils down to geography, race and religion-related issues, let me point out the vast gap that separates the very rich from the very poor.
The rich can be found in all states and in almost all ethnic communities, including among the Malays, Chinese, Indians, Kadazandusun and Melanau.
The poor too can be found in every state. The very poor include among their numbers Malays, Chinese, Indians, Kadazandusun, Ibans, Melanau, Bidayuh, Bajau, Penan and Orang Asli.
There is yet another non-racial and non-religious division that has developed in recent years – that between progressives and conservatives.
The Malays especially are increasingly divided into progressives and conservatives, although one can also find conservatives among the Chinese, Indians, Kadazandusun, Ibans and others.
Today, we have a situation where progressive Malays and conservative Malays disagree on issues, policies and ideas, especially those regarding the implementation of Islamic policies.
Progressive Malays, Chinese, Indians and others fear that Malaysia may become an Afghanistan.
Currently, a battle is progressing between these two groups for control over the direction of Malaysia. But it is a subtle battle. Right now though, the conservatives are in ascendancy.
Superficially, of course, everything seems to be fine in Malaysia. But I can’t shake this feeling that we are more divided than we were in 1963; and that we are now living in two Malaysias, if not more.
The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of FMT.
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