My Merdeka Wish for NegaraKu: Conscripted FashionistA!

Desi feels a Fashionista's Merdeka Story @fashionasia.blogspot.com deserves a wider circulation. With her AP Permit, I'm doing a quikkie Cut&Paste.
FA is defintely a trendy one, traipsing down Milan's and gay Paree's catwalks, and yet feeling so at home doing the elephant walk and getting chic -- not cheap! -- buys at Chee Cheong Kai. I pinched this down memory lane recollection,as I was feeling 'guilty' not sending her an official invite (THOUGH I HAD PUT OUT A MESSAGE THIS PROJECT WAS AN open affair, BUT SHE WAS BEESY IN MILAN on a more glam affair!); further, FA gave a good explanation of why Merdeka must not be splt into Merde Ka!

Conscripted Blogger: FASHIONasia

*** A Merdeka Special!****


Wednesday, August 30, 2006

Happy Merdeka My Malaysia!!

Getting it Right



So just like how we reminded the people last year that MERDEKA is not the birthday of Malaysia.
August 31st,1957 was the day that the Federation of Malaya (Peninsular) gain its Independance.
So MERDEKA as its original meaning "Freedom" ....which means that it is actually a celebration of being free from the British ruling.
While Malaysia was born(formed) in 1963 (16th Sept), where Singapore, Sabah, and Sarawak were added to the federation, creating the Federation of Malaysia. Then, technically its got nothing to do with the people in Sabah & Sarawak.....hmm...then how come this year's host state for the Merdeka celebration is Sarawak? hehe...some food for thought there.

So thats a brief history of Malaysia and Merdeka.


Moving on next.

I was really thinking hard of a Merdeka story for the past 1 week but sadly but i couldnt see Malaysia in a bright light in the recent years. When I want to think of something good, i had to dig deeper into my earlier years while i was still in the kampung. I guess my almost 10 years living in the hussle and bustle of city life here in KL, did not leave me any fond "i love Malaysia" story apart from the awesome gastronomy affairs.

So be it, let my story be a reminicense about the good 'ol days in the small little kampung. That is where I want to remember and love Malaysia for.

We used to live in the small kampung where my mom was working in a corporate office while dad was a civil servant. However living in a malay dominiant location, my dad was perhaps the only chinese in his work place. While my mom had a mixture of Malay, chinese and indian co-workers that we grew pretty close to. My dads best friend was En.Nafi while I love to hang around my mom's office with Uncle Kumar and Pakcik Asin...
I remember Uncle Kumar as a handsome man and he was very kind, he took care of me and even carried me across the steam while we went for picnic at the waterfall. Picnic at the waterfall was a common event for us back then. I love waterfalls, the cooling clear stream.....beautiful stones....homemade sandwitches and air syrup

During durian season, we will normally be invited by my parents Malay colleagues over to eat Nasi Durian! oh boy its heavenly i tell you....and my favourite season was definately Hari raya because we get to wear beautiful clothes and drive to the even more kampung area where pakcik asin stays.... I love visiting his wooden bungalow house. Every year he will make his famous beef rendang and nasi dagang, yumyum my favourite and many many more yummy cookies and sweets. And we'll have air bandung or air syrup. and the best part is we eat on the floor with our bare hands!! (the food is on the plate lah duhh)
So those were the beautiful days that I really want to remember Malaysia as.

You know city folks tend to think that people from the more rural areas like Terengganu or Kelantan to be less racial tolerant....but let me tell you that it is not true. All the races live in harmony and much more sincerity than people here in the city. People tend to have this wrong notion that kampung folks are barbaric but the truth is those living in the concrete jungle are the real barbarians.


So in the spirit of Merdeka this year, I hope that we will all be reminded that this is the day where our first prime minister Tunku Abdul Rahman the leader of the Alliance Party, a loose coalition of Malay, Chinese, and Indian parties, led us to the independence.

To me, MERDEKA is a word that should never be splited apart because if you split the word. you'll get the word MERDE and KA


www.dictionary.com explains the meaning :

1. Merde

Main Entry: merde
Part of Speech: interjection
Definition: crap!, shit!; an expression of annoyance, disgust, or exasperation Etymology: French
Usage: slang

2. Ka
ka  /kɑ/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[kah] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation
–noun Egyptian Religion a spiritual entity, an aspect of the individual, believed to live within the body during life and to survive it after death.

For better understanding, refer to this blog post by brader Kakicucuklangit



Conclusion, when split, MERDEKA becomes MERDE KA = Shit Spirit

With this, I end my story wishing Malaysia a happy Merdeka and may you never split in nation...buck-up on the spirit of unity because we can achieve greater things united.
United we stand, divided we fall.


Sekian Terima Kasih.