By Reme Ahmad
Assistant Foreign Editor
reme@sph.com.sg

 

In Kuala Lumpur

Malaysia celebrates its 51st birthday today, but not surprisingly, politics, and not the celebrations continue to dominate headlines.

Hari Merdeka, or Independence Day, is supposed to be a day when its 27 million population celebrate their coming together as a nation after the British left.

Where else in the world do you find Malays, Chinese, Indians, Kadazans and Ibans - among dozens of major races - living together in harmony?
  
Yes, there is Singapore, Indonesia and Thailand, for example. But in Malaysia, the Malays form just about half of the people here. Add the Muslim Bumiputeras and Malaysia has a 60 per cent Muslim population.
  
In other words, unlike in the neighbouring countries, the 'minority' races in Malaysia are big in numbers, and are politically and economically powerful. And they are now more politically aware than ever before.
  
As can be seen from the results of the March general elections. When 40 per cent of the non-Muslim population are unhappy, the rest of the country cannot pretend that everything is normal.
  
Today, Malaysians continue to talk about the future in, sadly, more bleak terms because race relations are at a low ebb.
  
But there are also many who are upbeat and think things will start improving. Why?

Because the majority race - the Malay-Muslims - have realised that they cannot ignore anymore the needs and wishes of the minorities.
  
Many point to the big Malay support for Anwar Ibrahim and his multiracial message, despite Umno playing Malay-supremacy issues to the hilt. And the awakening (albeit more slowly) among the Umno leadership that things must change.
 
Independence Day aside, today is also the day that the Perak government was to be toppled by Umno, as promised by former Perak Menteri Besar Tajol Rosli.

It did not happen.
 
Today is also the day just before Sept 1 comes.

And it is significant not only because it is the start of the fasting month Ramadan - a big day in the Islamic calendar - tomorrow, but it is also when the  countdown begins to Sept 16 when opposition chief Anwar Ibrahim promises to topple the central government and take power.
 
If tomorrow never comes, today is still a great day for Malaysia because peace remains. That alone is worthy of the celebrations.