Participant Note

Exactly seven days ago, 31st August, the collective I am part of organised the Merdeka Train Party. Below, is a Note on Facebook written yesterday by one of the participants whom I recently got acquainted with.

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Team 3 sang, danced while holding back to our hunger and thirst till iftar.

‘Liberation of the mind is nurtured through constant practice of its ideal. One would not appreciate the value of freedom without embracing its moral sanctity. Our journey in life takes a sudden turn every now and then and least inviting is the hump which slows down the course of natural flow. Marking our sign of liberation by chanting Merdeka has been easier said than done as I witnessed the development of a National Day celebration prank into a social testament of the Rakyat.

The Merdeka Train Party organized by Random Alphabets was one of its few projects in engaging the masses to stand for the causes they identified with themselves and ideally share their conviction with the crowd. Marking as a sign of liberation the participants mostly represent the seed of our nation i.e. younger generation unites together in expressing their belief for ‘One Malaysia’. The method itself may strike as jovial yet what truly embodies them is the profound message of faith they share as an entity.

Working hand in hand to decorate the monorail as explained by the mastermind Zain HD, “we are decorating for a birthday party and it is Malaysia who is celebrating its birthday” in itself shows an understanding of our Independence Day where the experience of singing aloud to the patriotic songs and waving the flag may seem trivial except the fact one appreciates the message once it is embed in their soul throughout journey. This was how the Merdeka Train Party stood as a metaphor.

Malaysia is a cultural potpourri where its diversity should not be reasoned but instead lived by harmoniously. It is not hard to tackle the differences when the approach is by preaching tolerance. At heart it is easier to love than to hate when the ship of self righteousness is abandoned.’

- Aidi Amin