Is it a truly Malaysian Merdeka 

Day?

   Sport   4 Minute

Today as we celebrate our 66th year of independence, I believe we have celebrated better independence days in the earlier years, when we were truly Malaysians celebrating as one Malaysians.

Today, although the nation is considered young compared to many others who had gained their independence longer, the Statistics Department has recorded 2.1 million foreigners working in various sectors in Malaysia up to June 2022.

Close to two million were recorded in 2019 and 2.1 million in 2020, while unofficial estimates of undocumented or irregular migrants range from 1.2 to 3.5 million – thus making Malaysia one of the largest migrant-receiving country in Southeast Asia.

While we are grateful to the foreigners who have helped the nation grow in various sectors, including providing domestic help to the growing population of working parents.

But the question, why is the local population shying away from jobs done by foreign workers?

While generally the unemployment rate in the country has generally dropped – Malaysia’s unemployment rate for 2022 was 3.73%, a 0.32% decline from 2021. Malaysia unemployment rate for 2021 was 4.05%, a 0.49% decline from 2020 – but the rise in foreign workers is alarming.

What is even more disturbing is that sports has seen a sharp increase in foreigners being given citizenship status and the influx of heritage players – a heritage player is one who has ancestral connections with the country that he wishes to play for – especially in football.

While many will claim that sports has no borders these days, but is it right for a young nation like Malaysia to follow the path?

Are we proud to see national teams with foreign players – be it heritage or foreign players granted citizenship – standing looking dumbfounded when the national anthem is played?

It was a delight and I was proud to see the national hockey team – made up of true Malaysian from the length and breath of the country, including East Malaysians – singing the national anthem with pride, passion and gusto.

Malaysia’s population maybe small at 34.3 million, as compared to many nations, but we have the three main groups – Malays, Chinese and Indians – and then we have the Eurasians and Punjabis and the other indigenous groups like Orang Asli, Iban, Murut, Batak, Kelabit, Kedayan Tausug (people ethnic group belonging to both the Philippines and Malaysia) Bidayuh, Kadazan Dusun, Kayan, Penan, Negrito, Minangkabau, Bugis, Kenyah and Javanese to name some.

This is already an international community living in one nation and with such diversity, is it a wonder that our sports fraternity cannot assemble a formidable team with each ethnic group with their strength.

This combination of a mixed team was what brought us glory in sports like football (qualified for two Olympics – Munich and Moscow), badminton (stood tall in Thomas Cup competition), sepak takraw (ruled the region), athletics (qualified on merit to Olympics and even reached the semifinals), and many other sports.

Only the sports of hockey seems to keep to the traditional ways and doing well too.

Being a Malaysian, take a walk to the heart of the city at Petaling Street, Sentral Market and Jalan Silang, today being a public holiday, and you true Malaysians will be the ‘foreigners’ among the sea of Indonesians, Filipinos, Bangladeshis, Pakistanis, Indians, Myanmars, Vietnamese, Cambodians and others.

Is this how we want to remember celebrating our ‘Merdeka Day’. Are we really independent?

We are not denying that the country still need foreign workers in various sectors such as construction, plantation, manufacturing and domestic.

But sports is one area, we can do away with them.

At the same time, we also need to attract locals to work in the plantation or construction industry by providing better facilities so as to reduce the country’s dependence on foreign labour.

We also need to look into the National Sports Policy and a re-look into the National Sports Vision 2030 (VSN2030) launched by (2020) former Sports Minister and then Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, which was to provide a new direction and plan for the development of national sports that is comprehensively and collectively mapped for a period of 10 years.

Or is this policy still in place because Malaysian sports policies change with every new Sports Minister, as they try to leave behind their own legacy.

How many Sports Ministers have we had in this five-year term?

Besides, the Sports Ministry is also torn between promoting sports for all and paying attention to excellence sports and the National Sports Council also needs to revisit it’s real role in development and promoting sports excellence.

There is lot to be set right for Malaysian sports before it achieves its true potential and today being the ‘Merdeka Day’s, would be a perfect day to start putting things right, with no personal agenda or gain in mind, but for sports to emerge the winners.

Maybe far too much to ask, because we seen the ills rise again over and over, past mistakes repeated and tainted by officials who have personal agendas.

All we can do and pray, is hope things will change in the name of sports and fairplay will prevail. After all, sports is suppose to be pure!

Happy Merdeka Day as we try to live up to this year’s thyme – Tekad Perpaduan, Penuhi Harapan (Determined Unity, Filled with Hope).