Happy Malaysia Day 快乐马来西亚日

Today we celebrate Malaysia Day for the first time as a national holiday.

On 16-9-1963, the Federation of Malaysia was formed consisting the then Malaya (gained independence from the British on 31-8-1957), North Borneo (Sabah), Sarawak and Singapore. Brunei decided not to join and remained a protectorate of Great Britain.

It was a federation formed to look after each others interest and to counter the spread of Communism. It was a federation to survive.

Indonesia strongly against the formation and started a military confrontation. They sent soldiers into Malaysia by air and sea. The confrontation ended four years later when Suharto replaced Sukarno as the President of Indonesia.

In 1963, Lee Kuan Yew, then Prime Minister of Singapore led Singapore out of the federation due to ideological and political differences. Singapore issued it own currency valued at 1:1 to Malaysia Ringgit. The then Malaysian Airlines was renamed Malaysia-Singapore Airlines and later broken up into Malaysia Airlines again and Singapore Airlines.

Today the exchange rate of the two currency is S$1 to RM 2.30. Singapore is the fourth wealthiest country in the world according to the latest report with per capita income of US$52,840.00 whereas Malaysia is at No. 59 with a per capita of US$14,275.00 And Singapore Airlines consistently voted the best airlines in the world.

Congratulations.

But the same I cannot offer to Sabah and Sarawak. Despite their rich natural resources and oil and gas reserve, majority of their people are still living in deplorable condition, no running water and electricity supply, infrastructure is backward, rural children are not receiving good education and schools mostly in dilapidated condition.

If not for the 2008 general election Tsunami, Sept 16 will remain holiday to these two states only....siok sendiri saja! The BN government realised that the support from Sabah and Sarawak is important to its survival, declaring sept 16 as a national holiday would calm the angry voices of the East Malaysians.

On this Malaysia Day, Air Asia should have been proclaimed the Hero of Malaysia Day. If not for Air Asia, West Malaysians are still thinking that East Malaysia is ulu ulu (undeveloped) place, and people are very very sakai (backward).

With " Now everyone can fly ", it sped up the integration of two people for the past 5 years in which the politicians failed to do for the past 47 years!

Congratulations to our East Malaysia fellow citizens on OUR Malaysia Day for the first time. My apology to you for taking your resources and money (but not in my pocket) and I promise to love you and be with you all the times! (if only Air Asia don't raise airfare too much)

Happy Malaysia Day !

今天我们全国第一次欢庆马来西亚日。

在 16-9-1963， 马来西亚联邦正式成立。当时的成员有马来亚（在31-8-1957获得独立），北婆罗洲（沙巴），砂劳越及新加坡。汶莱因为看不到有好处，而不参加，继续成为英国殖民地保护区。

这是一个以利益关系而成立的联盟。它们是为了各自的利益及钳制共产主义的扩张，在英国的鼓励下成立的。

印尼非常反对这个联盟，而决定以军事对抗，来阻止这个国家的发展。当时印尼从水路及空路，派出游击队到南马地区，进行渗透到工作。这个对抗维持四年后，因着苏哈多接任苏卡诺成为总统而结束。

一九六五年八月九日，新加坡的李光耀因为政治及治国理念的分叉，而把新加坡脱离马来西亚，成为一个独立小国。当年新加坡发行自己的新钞票，与马币的兑换是一比一。那时的马来西亚航空公司也改名为马来西亚-新加坡航空公司，后来再分开，成为马来西亚航空公司及新加坡航空公司。

今天，马币与新币的兑换率是一新币兑换二点三马币。根据最新的金融报告，新加坡是世界上第四个最富有的国家，国民平均收入为52，840美元，马来西亚则是排名第59，年均收入为 14,275.0美元。新加坡航空公司多次的被选为世界最佳的航空公司。

真是可喜可贺。

同样的话，我就不敢对东马的沙砂两州说了。沙巴和砂劳越虽然拥有丰富的天然资源，石油及煤气，但大部分人民还是生活在贫困的环境里，没有自来水及电力的供应，交通系统落后，乡区孩童没有得到好的教育，很多学校都是破陋的建筑物。

假如不是308大选的海啸效应，使到执政的联盟政府体会到，它们的生存需要依靠东马的支持，也为了平息当地人民的埋怨，才宣布916为全国公共假期。不然，916还是会只有这两州在自己爽的庆祝而已。

在这个马来西亚日，亚航应该给宣认为英雄！假如不是亚航，西马的人民还以为沙巴及砂劳越两州，是个ulu ulu 的蛮荒地方，人民还是很落后的 sakai 。

亚航在过去的五年里，“现在每个人都能够飞” 把东西马两地的融合加快，比政治人物过往47年所作的还来的多。

恭祝东马的同胞们，我们共同的第一个『马来西亚日』快乐。对不起我们把你们的资源和财富拿走（但不在我的口袋）。我爱你们，也会常常和你们在一起。（还得看亚航是否还能够保持廉价）。

快乐马来西亚日！