SIXTY-EIGHT years. It is easy to say the number, to treat it as another milestone, another anniversary. But the truth is that in the life of a nation, 68 years is barely adolescence.
Malaysia is still young — vibrant, restless, sometimes insecure, often bold, and always searching for its true self.
I have always believed that patriotism is not blind loyalty. It is not about parroting slogans or pretending that everything is perfect. Patriotism is love — and true love demands honesty. If we love Malaysia, we must be willing to look at her with clear eyes.
We must see the corruption that has robbed us of progress, the divisions that still poison our politics, the inequality that leaves too many of our fellow Malaysians behind. To deny these truths is not patriotism — it is betrayal.
Yet honesty without hope is despair. And Malaysia has never been a country of despair.
I have seen, again and again, the strength of our people. From the rubber estates that sustained us in the earliest days, to the engineers who now power our ambitions in green technology, to the young entrepreneurs daring to change the rules of global trade — Malaysians have always found a way to rise.
We are not a perfect nation, but we are a resilient one.
Sixty-eight years after Merdeka, the question is not whether Malaysia has achieved enough. The question is whether we still believe in the dream of what we can be.
And I do. I believe if the people can commit themselves to inclusivity, forcing the government and the political leadership to reform and transparency, we have the chance to reset the narrative of our nation.
This is our moment to move from slogans to substance. To put aside the petty politics of race and religion and instead embrace the extraordinary diversity that is our competitive advantage.
To recognize that unity is not uniformity, but strength through difference. To invest in our children not only with education, but with the values of empathy, integrity, and ambition.
Malaysia at 68 is a country in transition. We are no longer the struggling nation of our youth, nor yet the fully mature society we aspire to be. But that is not a weakness. It is an opportunity.
The next decade can define us not as a “developing” country, but as a nation that finally delivers on its full promise.
We owe it to those who came before us — who fought for independence, who built our industries, who sacrificed so much with so little recognition.
And we owe it to those who will come after us, who deserve a Malaysia that is stronger, fairer, and more united than the one we inherited.
So, on this 68th Merdeka, let us celebrate not only what we are, but what we are still becoming.
Let us be honest about our flaws, pragmatic about our challenges, but never lose sight of the hope that binds us. Because love for Malaysia is not about pretending, she is perfect — it is about believing she can always be better.
Merdeka was never meant to be a final victory. It was always meant to be the beginning of a journey. And that journey continues, with all of us. We are singularly plural.
Selamat Hari Merdeka my friends... - August 31, 2025
MERDEKA! MERDEKA! MERDEKA!
*Datuk Dr Vinod Sekhar is the publisher of the Vibes and Chairman of the Petra Group
