I have a confession to make, I do have a soft spot for my country, so you can say that i'm a patriotic person (but I wouldn't go as far as saying that, I'm just glad that I was born in this curious nation of sorts, beats being an Aussie). As I write this on a wonderful sunny and windy Merdeka eve afternoon, listening to Sudirman's "31 Ogos 1957" song, I can't help but to reminisce on the good times that I had back in Malaysia. In my opinion, if you don't like the government, it doesn't hurt to at least love our country based on the fact that we're lucy that our country had come a long way since Tunku shouted Merdeka seven times at Stadium Merdeka fifty years ago (For non-Malaysians who have stumbled upon my blog, Merdeka is independence or freedom in Malay).

All things considered, where else in the world can anyone enjoy a good hot cup of Teh Tarik at 3am after clubbing? Where else can anyone watch a new movie even before it was launched? Where else in the world can anyone be silenced for speaking up? I believe that the tension between the people and the powers that run Malaysia is what keeps us together, even when we're not exactly happy about it. But deep down in our hearts, we know that this is where we came from, this is where we relate ourselves to, this is where we developed our characteristic Manglish and all the -lahs, gostan.. (you know all of them). It is our tanah air (homeland).

So, on this fateful day, let us rejoice, think about who we are and all the things that make us Malaysians. For those who think that Malaysia is a shitty place, you're partly right and mostly wrong. After fifty years, its time for us to move on and pray for a brighter future ahead of us and our country..