From Thomas Fann
In times of national frustration, it may feel easier to retreat than to resist. But I believe that now, more than ever, is the time to assert our sense of belonging, not surrender it. That is why I will fly the Jalur Gemilang this season of celebrating our nationhood on Merdeka and Malaysia Day.
Yes, it is disheartening to witness how some politicians exploit honest mistakes, like the incorrect display of the flag by those unfamiliar with its details, to stoke division. These opportunists do not seek truth or unity. They seek a platform to score cheap political points at the expense of social harmony. But to respond by not putting up the flag in protest is, to me, to hand them a victory they do not deserve. It is to concede our national symbol, our shared identity, and the very idea of unity.
Flying the national flag is not an endorsement of the government. It is a quiet but firm declaration of who we are and what we stand for as Malaysians. It is a symbol of our resilience, our collective memory, and our aspiration for better days. It is a resistance and rejection of those who seek to divide and rule us.
Since the birth of the Reformasi movement in 1998, Malaysians have repeatedly risen to challenge the abuse of power. That movement was sparked by outrage over the sacking of a deputy prime minister, but it grew into a broader cry for justice, transparency, and democracy. We took to the streets for electoral reform through Bersih. We stood up for judicial independence and media freedom. We demanded a government that served the people, not itself.
In 2018, we achieved something many thought impossible. Through the ballot box, we ended six decades of uninterrupted rule by one coalition. That was not just a political change, it was a moment of national awakening. The rakyat had found its voice.
The years since then have been turbulent. The Sheraton Move in 2020, the collapse of federal and state governments, and the instability that followed remind us that democracy is not guaranteed by one victory. It must be defended every day. We have witnessed the return of political manoeuvring, racial scapegoating, and attempts to roll back reform. Yet, amid this, the civic spirit of Malaysians has not dimmed.
Thanks to a freer media environment and a stronger civil society, more people are informed, engaged, and assertive of their rights than ever before. And ordinary Malaysians continue to believe in a country where leadership is earned, not inherited; where differences are respected, not weaponised.
This is what the Jalur Gemilang represents to me. Not blind nationalism, but a quiet pride in our journey – flawed, unfinished, but undeniably ours. It reminds us that we, the people, are the custodians of this nation.
Choosing not to fly the flag because of our disappointments is like choosing not to vote because we are disillusioned. It is like abandoning our home because it has been broken into. Instead, we restore it. We reclaim it. We remind ourselves why it matters.
To those who politicise national symbols and turn patriotism into a weapon, we must respond not with anger, but with calm insistence: Malaysia belongs to all of us. Our identity is not theirs to define or gatekeep. The flag does not belong to any one race, religion, or political ideology. It belongs to every citizen who cares deeply for this country – flaws and all.
Let this Merdeka be a moment of reaffirmation – not just of our independence from colonial rule, but of our independence from those who divide us for their gain. Let us reject the politics of suspicion and fear. Let us recommit to the democratic project that began decades ago but is still far from complete.
Flying the Jalur Gemilang is a small act. But in times like these, it is a meaningful one. It says: I am still here. I still care. I still believe.
This Merdeka, raise the flag. Not because everything is perfect, but because the work of building Malaysia is not done. Because we are not giving up. Because the future is still ours to shape – together.
Thomas Fann is a former Bersih chairman.
The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of FMT.
