By Yong Soo Heong
Whenever Hari Merdeka, August 31, comes around, I often think of Ang Mor Kia — the humorous colleague of my late wife (Ah Bok) at Dah Yung Steel in Jalan Chan Sow Lin, an industrial precinct of Kuala Lumpur. His nickname came from the reddish hue of his face, but his spirit was pure Malaysian.
Each year, as Merdeka approached, he would shout “Mai Tik Kar, Mai Tik Kar!” — a playful Cantonese twist suggesting rice prices would drop on Aug 31. It was his way of marking the day, and behind the humour lay a deeper truth: Malaysians, regardless of race or creed, carry Merdeka in their hearts.
Ang Mor Kia’s refrain of “Hati Mahu Baik” — one must be good‑hearted — echoed year‑round on the factory floor. That simple wisdom, repeated in a mix of languages, embodied the everyday patriotism that binds us together.
I was also reminded of this today by a message from my ex‑colleague, Nor Fishah (BERNAMA). She shared how her aunt, while visiting her daughter in Hong Kong, stumbled upon a group of Chinese Malaysians celebrating Merdeka in a restaurant. Far from home, they still raised their voices for Malaysia. It was a small but powerful reminder: once a Malaysian, always a Malaysian.
This loyalty is not confined to flags or parades. It lives in kopitiams where Malays, Chinese, and Indians share tables. It lives in mamak restaurants where roti canai and thosai are ordered side by side.
It lives in the quiet rituals of families abroad who still cook nasi lemak or rendang on August 31. Patriotism is not always loud; sometimes it is the quiet insistence that our identity travels with us, wherever we go.
My neighbour in Section 6, Wangsa Maju, Yazli Muhammad Saleh, his wife, Zulaily Mushrab and their daughter, Aida Yasmin, took it further on this special day. It’s Aida Yasmin’s wedding day with her heartthrob, Muhammad Haziq.
This certainly makes celebrating their wedding anniversaries easier in the future, as they will always be on a very significant national holiday that coincides with their special day!
Newlyweds Aida Yasmin and Haziq with close friends and relatives on their Big Day on Aug 31, 2026
Merdeka is more than a date. It is a memory of struggle, a celebration of resilience, and a promise renewed each year. Our parents and grandparents endured hardship to secure independence. Today, their children and grandchildren honour that legacy not only by waving the Jalur Gemilang, but by living lives of dignity, respect, and unity.
Yes, politicians may quarrel, and headlines may paint a picture of divisiveness. But beneath the noise, Malaysians continue to show loyalty in countless ways: by sending remittances home, by teaching their children Malay phrases abroad, by gathering in diaspora communities to sing Negaraku. These acts may seem small, but together they form a chorus of belonging.
On Merdeka Day, we are reminded that patriotism is not measured by the race we belong to or where we stand, but by what we carry in our hearts. Whether in Kuala Lumpur, Penang or Kota Kinabalu, Hong Kong or London, Malaysians remain bound by a shared story. It is a story of humour, resilience, and loyalty — from Ang Mor Kia’s factory floor to the restaurant tables of overseas Malaysians.
So let no one question our devotion to this tanahair. For 69 years and counting, Malaysians have proven that patriotism is not fragile, nor fleeting. It is lived daily, in laughter and sacrifice, in memory and hope. And on August 31, wherever we may be, we pause to say: Selamat Hari Merdeka.
WE