In his Merdeka address this evening, he hoped that with national unity and cooperation, this could be the last year the country would celebrate independence under the pandemic.
“Let’s free our country from this pandemic, from economic standstill and from political instability.
“On this significant day, let’s all promise to revive the country we have built together, regardless of race, religion, or ethnicity.
“We should aim to have the same spirit of togetherness shown by Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra al-Haj, Tun Abdul Razak Hussein, Tun Hussein Onn, Tun Dr Ismail Rahman, Tun Tan Cheng Lock, Tun HS Lee and Tun VT Sambanthan,” he said, listing Malaysia’s founding fathers who had fought for independence in 1957.
“This also includes the unity of leaders from Sabah and Sarawak, such as Tun Datu Mustapha, Tun Muhammad Fuad Stephens, Tun Abdul Rahman Ya’kub and Tun Temenggong Jugah, in the formation of Malaysia. This is the spirit we need to embody to revive and build the country,” he said.
He added that the economic and health challenges were a double threat to the government, and were unlike anything faced by previous leaders.
Therefore, he urged “Keluarga Malaysia” to get vaccinated as soon as possible to help with the country’s recovery.
“Based on data and facts, there is no doubt that we will only be able to win the war against Covid-19 through full cooperation from all parties.”
In his speech, Ismail also recounted the events leading to the country’s independence.
He said the journey towards freedom after the Second World War had united all leaders regardless of their political leanings in their fight against the formation of the Malayan Union, which was pushed to citizens of Malaya by the British at the time.
The country’s independence since then has been fiercely protected by prime ministers, from Tunku Abdul Rahman to Muhyiddin Yassin.
He also reminded Malaysians that, in claiming independence from four centuries of colonial rule, countless lives had been lost.
“Among the significant figures that must be remembered by the current generation is Dato’ Maharaja Lela, Dato’ Bahaman, Tok Gajah, Mat Kilau, Dato’ Naning, Tok Janggut, Haji Abdul Rahman Limbong, Datu Mat Salleh, Rosli Dhoby and others.”
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