Merdeka and the fidelity to freedom.

Byline: Umapagan Ampikaipakan

"MERDEKA." It was acquired not by conflict but by a shared ideology; by a mutual history. It was not a product of whim or ambition, but rather the end result of what happens when a group of people with a common identity come together and fulfil their aspirations. It was based on a unity of purpose.

"Merdeka." It is to dream. It is to escape. It is a supposition, a premise by which to work on, a theory on which to build upon. It is a meditation on the future. It is a word that has, over the years, continued to be redefined. Because it would come to mean something different to every generation. It would carry with it new connotations - and …