Introduction

Every August 31st Malaysian embassies throughout the world throw open their doors to host an extravagant National day celebration. This will be the 13th anniversary of the formation of Malaysia and the 21st anniversary of 'independence' granted by her British colonizer. Many Malaysian student organisations in New Zealand and other overseas countries follow suit in glamourizing the occasion, egged on by the Malaysian authorities. Such a display of jingoism, oblivious of its political implications is a sad reflection of apathy. It is time to awake from such blind ignorance, to question and expose these elements harbouring reactionary political motives behind the guise of celebration come loyalty to the nation.

Part 1 of this article is a brief historical account leading to the making of Malaysia. That making was thinly disguised conspiracy and collaboration between the local aristocrats and the British colonialist to suppress the strong anti-colonial and anti-feudal forces of the people of North Kalimantan and Malaya (including Singapore). The second part (to be printed next week) of the article examines what 21 years of 'Merdeka' of 'independence' has brought to the peoples of Malaysia.