EVERY August and extending on to Sept 16, we typically pause to ask: What does Merdeka truly mean?
Beyond the colourful displays, it is not merely an anniversary marked on calendars; it is a personal story – one of sacrifice, struggle and determination passed down by generations. Merdeka is a living testament to the resilience of the human spirit.
For many Malaysians, that story began in humble villages where life was simple, yet demanding.
Parents worked the fields or small trades, stretching every ringgit to feed their families. They placed their hopes in one powerful truth: education was the only key to freedom. It was the torch that could light the way out of poverty.
Many gave up personal comforts – postponing medical care, wearing worn-out clothes and walking miles to work – so their children could afford school uniforms, textbooks and bus fares.
Every report card brought home was not just a slip of paper; it was proof that their sacrifices were not in vain. For them, Merdeka meant giving the next generation a chance to rise above hardship.
Those children, carrying their parents’ unspoken prayers, travelled far and wide. Some entered local universities – the menara gading of our land – while others crossed oceans to seek knowledge abroad.
Yet, no matter how far they ventured, their hearts never left home. Coming back was never really a choice; it was a responsibility. Knowledge, after all, is not meant to be hoarded. It must return to the soil that nurtured it – bagai sirih pulang ke gagang. Each homecoming was more than a personal triumph. It was a gift to the community, a repayment of debts to the parents and villages that had carried them through.
Today, as educators at Universiti Malaya – the nation’s oldest university and a living witness to independence – we are reminded of how far Malaysia has come.
Thousands of graduates have left these halls to shape the nation in every imaginable field: medicine, law, education, business and public service. Their impact is visible in policies written, hospitals built, companies founded and classrooms filled with young minds.
Yet, the challenges of today are different from those faced by the generations before us. The struggle is no longer against colonial powers, with guns and chains. Instead, it is against the colonisation of the mind.
This new colonisation is subtle but powerful. It comes in the form of unchecked consumerism that makes us believe worth is measured by what we own.
It arrives through endless streams of social media that can distort truth and erode confidence in our culture. It creeps in when global trends are blindly followed at the expense of local wisdom. Left unchecked, it can blur our identity, weaken our values and leave us rootless.
That is why education matters more than ever. True Merdeka is not just the freedom to speak or act; it is the freedom to think critically, to filter noise from knowledge and to make choices grounded in wisdom.
It is about giving the next generation the courage to chart their own path while holding firmly to the roots that anchor them.
The beauty of Merdeka lies in its ability to bridge contrasts. A child from a wooden house in a rural village can grow into a professional, a minister or an entrepreneur. A city child raised among skyscrapers can return to villages to bring development, compassion and progress.
Our towering buildings reflect economic growth but our true soul lives on in kampung mosques, suraus, wooden homes and traditions that endure – tak lapuk dek hujan, tak lekang dek panas.
The measure of progress is not how fast we run ahead but how well we preserve the dignity of what we leave behind.
Merdeka has never been a solo journey; it is a collective responsibility – berat sama dipikul, ringan sama dijinjing. This sense of shared duty is what strengthens Malaysia in times of crisis, whether facing economic downturns, pandemics or environmental challenges. Each citizen has a part to play, no matter how small, in lifting the nation.
As educators, our role is to remind students that the knowledge they acquire is not only for personal advancement; it must also be channelled towards the betterment of Malaysia – through the communities they uplift, the policies they shape, the cities they build and the heritage they preserve. Academic brilliance without empathy or values is hollow. True success is measured not by accolades but by service.
Independence is not only a celebration of the past; it is a call to action for the future. It is the legacy of sacrifice, the inheritance of wisdom and the hope of a nation determined to thrive. Each generation must add its verse to the Merdeka story – one of courage, compassion and contribution.
Assoc Prof Dr Zuraini Md Ali and Dr Nurshafarina Jasme are from the Department of Building Surveying, Faculty of Built Environment, Universiti Malaya. Comments: letters@thesundaily.com
