40 - Putting May 13 To Rest

Summary

Undoubtedly, the self-image of a nation includes the memory of key events from the past. These may include those whose impact on the course of events was so strong that no narrative, either by historians or by the layman, can ignore them. And then there are those whose impact is less obvious, and whose place in the national imagination is more political than historical; more symbolic than iconic.

Thus, for Americans, the depiction of George Washington crossing the Delaware projects ideas of resilience, righteousness, conviction, and final victory. It also conveys pride that all those who wish to see themselves as Americans can imbibe and through it, feel a sense of common belonging. The Chinese Communist Party has always used images of the Long March of 1934-35 to good effect to convey heroism and hardiness on the part of survivors of those who escaped Kuomintang ambushes.

Not only countries, but movements as well, use historical moments to visualise ambitions and ideals, often with the help of charismatic personalities. The civil rights movement in America had Martin Luther King Jr announcing his dreams on 28 August 1963 to the crowd outside the Lincoln Memorial, and Alberto Korda's photograph of Ernesto “Che” Guevara quickly became a seductive image in the minds of revolutionary urban youth, of the idealistic activist doomed to glorious failure.

Malaysian independence is inevitably associated with the film clips of Tengku Abdul Rahman declaring “Merdeka! Merdeka! Merdeka!”. The sight of the Tengku raising his hand in triumph served not only to immortalise the occasion, but also to express the oneness of the country forever more. As an instrument for stimulating and sustaining sentiments of unity and community among Malaysians, that moment remains unsurpassed.

Malaysians do not have many more figures or occasions to feel collectively proud about. Even Malaysian sportsmen or sportswomen of today, no matter how successful on the world stage, do not enjoy unreserved cheer from all segments of society the way Malaysian badminton players and footballers used to in the early years of nationhood.

In that sense, the Malaysian nation-building project has been failing. Without a doubt, the Petronas Twin Towers in the heart of Kuala Lumpur do generate a sense of identity and pride even among critics of Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamed.