It is true, what Hang Tuah said. History is bound to be repeated. And once again, we celebrate the Merdeka month. Not just a day, not two, but 30 days. The motive is clear, but the achievement of that goal is too difficult to describe.

Tattles urging us to remember the struggle of our past leaders has started. In educating us to value freedom, we are also taught history.

It is certainly true that on August 31, the Tanah Melayu (Malay land) finally tasted the meaning of real independence after colonial rule - under the Portuguese, the Dutch and then the British. Japan also managed to rule the Tanah Melayu after tricking the local intelligentsia with its cheap slogan, 'Asia for Asians'.

Unbeknowningly, a large percentage of the rakyat have forgotten that the Tanah Melayu is only a portion of Malaysia. Our historians, who depend on the wages they are paid, only smile lopsidedly, while pandering to whatever 'truths' are uttered by our leaders.

Whoever wants grief, speak up. Those who want an easy life had better keep quiet.

Social obligations had to be deferred for the sake of political agenda. The entire mechanism rumbles to churn out the message that Aug 31 makes our 47th Merdeka Day.

The truth is Malaysia came into being on Sept 16, 1963. And whether you use a calculator, an abacus or just mental arithmetic, deducting 1963 from 2004 leaves you with just 41.

Fly the flag

Just like juvenile delinquents, vehicles in Malaysia have become festooned with flags. Lorries, factory buses and tow trucks have not been spared. Even Mat Rock's (local rocker) sporty Kancil is covered with mini-flags.

A most exciting atmosphere has been created. But whether this is due to true feelings or just copy-cat behaviour, only God knows.

Is it a real sign of nationalist feelings or just folks taking advantage of the opportunity to decorate their cars with cheap accessories, in keeping with the festive mood? It is dangerous, in the final analysis. Yet, if there are accidents, that is nothing new to Malaysians. There are deaths on our roads every day.

The atmosphere in the kampungs is most joyous. With numerous kenduri (feasts) and the penghulu (village headman) and the Tok Mudin (circumcisor) competing with each other to see who is flying the largest flag.

Even the potholes in the roads can be left for the JKR (public works department) or local council to attend to.

Rickety bridges and overgrown weeds will be seen to by the local MP or assemblyman. Leaky roofs will be patched in no time. The spirit of Merdeka comes first. It must be observed in whatever form or manner.

Pocket money

The malls, coffee shops and five-foot ways are flooded with flags. Mostly made in China. In the final analysis, all that matters is that its design is Malaysian.

For some Malaysians, their business primarily deals in flags. Large or small, cheap or expensive, all sorts are available.

The songs Saya Anak Malaysia and 31 Ogos sung by Dr Sam Rasputin and Sudirman respectively are played loudly everywhere. That their lyrics convey inappropriate connotations, matters little to anyone.

Just hand over the bribe, and everything is 'OK, brother'. Your 'business' will not encounter any hindrance.

Along nearly every kilometre of road, there will be mini-flags strewn here and there. Victims of poor quality adhesives, or possibly drivers who drove way too fast.

The minister will not complain so long as no fallen flag hits and breaks the windscreen of his beloved Mercedes. It is alright to cut corners, as long as fallen flag poles do not puncture his tyres.

Drunken festivities

The road shoulders will be crowded on the night of Aug 31. Little children, youths and old men will all be there. But not in memory of the meaning of Merdeka. The kids want to see the colourful flags, the old men to ogle the pretty girls, while the youths just want to party. The immoral ones indulge in their usual sinful deeds. All sorts will be there.

Cheap beer for less than RM2 a can. Liquor and toddy for only RM5 a bottle. Everything goes along smoothly, so long as no action is taken by the police, aside from warnings aired on the radio and published in the papers.

Even if arrested, release the next day is a certainty. The local MP will only protest if his own child is disturbed. Everything is forgotten when he is in parliament. A slip of the tongue and his name may be mud soon enough. His business is lost, his standard gone. If he just keeps mum, he
will surely become wealthy.

Jalur Gemilang

While the minister is busy with the countdown, our youths are busy going to and fro shouting 'Mentega, Mentega, Mentega', while waving flags in their hands.

('Mentega', which translates as 'butter', is a rough homonym for 'merdeka', which means independence.)

They are not illiterate, nor do they have problems with phonetics. And it is somewhat better than waving a Nazi banner or the Union Jack. The sounds of the word "mentega" and "merdeka" are quite close. No one bothers about the meanings.

Still we could examine their backgrounds closely. Perhaps a conference of intellectuals from Oxford, like the Euro 2004, may take place. No point mentioning local qualifications any longer. Their partying chapter can achieve a '4 flat' grade, but just managing a pass will suffice. If they are jobless, there is always the jobless graduates scheme to fall back on.

Merdeka convoy

The Pesta Merdeka would not be complete without a Merdeka convoy. If you want to be conferred a federal title, gather together your friends and comrades, and do something different.

You can roar around the nation proclaiming, 'we are the Merdeka convoy'. Whoever does not know how to grab the chance, will lose out.

Some Malaysians do a quick job of it and simply shout anything which sounds akin to merdeka. National integration, they say. But if you ask any of the participants when Sarawak achieved independence or how many residencies there are in Sabah, they are sure to shake their heads in ignorance.

Promise them free petrol, spare parts and buxom pillion riders, and 80,000 kilometres are not a problem.

When a minister or MP speaks, the kampung folks are sure to turn up. With transport and meals provided, the VIP's advice and message are only useful as pointers for the accompanying reporters.

And to add to the proceedings, throw in a Koran reading. Image and prestige must be carefully guarded.

'Halal and haram' races

While secondary school kids dream of luxury cars, the lower strata also do no less. It has already been announced in the media, the famous 'Merdeka Race' - the largest race in Asia - is ready to begin. The participants are not ordinary man-in-the-street types; they are either famous people or
professional racers.

The premier race, it is called. The dream chance for the 'big boys toys' folk, and also for the 'toy boys', to look for opportunities. Who knows, there may even be a chance to rub shoulders with national leaders.

In this matter, wasteful extravagance is not the only issue, but which of our muftis will be brave enough to issue a fatwa?

As our northern people say, 'Depa pun makan gaji dengan gomen, takut kena '24 Second Notice', rekod baru Sukan Olimpik' (I am also a government employee and need to be wary of being issued with a '24 second notice', which will be an 'Olympic record').

Whilst the halal race lasts for 24 hours, illegal bookies sponsor road races in every corner of the nation. The injured and slain are numerous. Emergency wards are kept busy by these racers.

Huge gains are reaped by loan sharks. Win or lose, bookie or racer, the services of loan sharks are available everywhere. Huge gains, halal or haram, separate graves.

Long holidays

To strengthen family ties, it is good to include quality family activities in the Merdeka Month programmes. Unfortunately, the nation's budget has already been spent on landmarks and symbolic projects.

The latest Dewan Rakyat renovations and state assembly buildings cost hundreds of millions. They must surely be awe inspiring. Of course these are the meeting places for the representatives of the rakyat, where their fates are affected and laws are enacted.

Whatever the problems, they must be expedited, for the effectiveness and comfort of our law makers. The irony is that the 'rubber stamp' syndrome is still widespread. Some draft laws are
rejected in the Dewan Negara.

As if that was not bad enough, we also have the problem of insufficient judges to handle the cases awaiting hearing. Some murder cases are only heard three years after the incidents took place. Whether that is due to a miscalculation or a clever protest to push for more manpower to be added, only time will tell.

What is certain is that more Malaysians, while celebrating the nation's independence, do not know the nation's history, fail to apply their mathematical knowledge and have problems with phonetics. Be it the Union Jack, swastika or Jalur Gemilang, shouts of "Mentega" will surely echo again this August 31!

MUNSYI KASSIM, from Sarawak, is a mainstream print and electronic media practioner who feels 'shackled' by the Barisan Nasional government. He is a revolutionary who completed his schooling in a Malay school but has been influenced considerably by Western thinking.