Now and Forever

So this is the day, August 31, that we Malaysians feel and act patriotic - our National Day. This day in 1957 we, as in the citizens of the Federation of Malaya, officially gained our independence from British rule. On this day too, in 1963, the formation of Malaysia was supposed to be officially declared, but it was postponed by two weeks till September 16 following opposition from our friendly neighbors Indonesia and the Philippines.

So fly your Jalur Gemilang my fellow compatriots! Tell everyone that you are patriotic and merdeka, for a day, or a month. So un-merdeka of me, there is no flag flying on the top of my house, no counting down the clock to Merdeka Day, and I dedicate this orang putih rock classic to you.

Wish You Were Here
by Pink Floyd, from the album Wish You Were Here (1975)

So, so you think you can tell Heaven from Hell
Blue skies from pain
Can you tell a green field from a cold steel rail?
A smile from a veil?
Do you think you can tell?

And did they get you trade your heroes for ghosts?
Hot ashes for trees?
Hot air for a cool breeze?
Cold comfort for change?
And did you exchange a walk on part in the war for a lead role in a cage?

How I wish, how I wish you were here
We're just two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl
Year after year
Running over the same old ground
What have we found?
The same old fears
Wish you were here.