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We need to honestly acknowledge that many Malaysians, particularly those living on the mainland, are not particularly excited about Malaysia Day. We are referring to Malaysian citizens on the mainland. There will be a Sarong Railway event, along with some cultural activities, and even a national costume. However, this is limited to Kuala Lumpur.

In other places, the celebrations feel a bit sparse because the festivities were held on August 31st. We feel more strongly about August 31st. Our brothers and sisters in Borneo are not excited about August 31st because, as they say, that's the date Malaysia gained independence. What's most important to them is that Malaysia Day is on September 16th.

They have a point; that's valid. But in the peninsula, the relationship between August 31st and national independence remains strong, referring to August 1957. We still sing "Merdeka" every August 31st, even though the government has been marking August 31st as National Day for so long. Recently, many people considered August 31st to be Malaysia's 69th birthday anniversary, clearly recognizing 1957.

No one should blame them for feeling that way. In fact, at school, children are taught that August 31st is Malaysia's Independence Day. If they (including those from Sabah and Sarawak) give a different answer on a history exam about that date, they won't get any marks. So, I repeat, August 31st was Malaysia's Independence Day. And saying Malaysia is independent is not correct.

Malaysia only existed on September 16th, 1963. It was created; it is not independent. Who did Malaysia become independent from? Who freed Malaysia? Malaysia's founding was when Sabah, Sarawak, and Singapore joined Malaya. Until now, our people in Sabah and Sarawak are not very happy (actually angry) when we say Sabah and Sarawak joined Malaysia.

They didn't join anything at all—much less something that didn't exist at that time. They joined Malaya to create Malaysia. Therefore, September 16th is Malaysia's birthdate. Former Prime Minister Tun Hatta's most fitting statement on that day is "Happy Birthday, Malaysia." It's time for authorities to correct the historical facts.

Once and for all. Some previous writings suggested that August 31st should only be a public holiday for the mainland. The suggestion was "Happy Independence Day, Mainland Malaysia." The phrase "National Day" was downplayed. Celebrations were simple. In Sabah, August 31st is declared a public holiday, marking the date Sabah gained self-rule from Britain in 1963.

In Sarawak, a public holiday is given on July 22nd, the date Sarawak obtained self-rule in 1963. This means I suggest that the mainland, Sabah, and Sarawak celebrate their respective independence days on those dates. However, on September 16th, Malaysia Day should be celebrated grandly across the peninsula, Sabah, and Sarawak as one Malaysian nation. That's my suggestion, nothing more.