Happy Birthday, Malaysia!

My homeland celebrates 48 years of independence today.

A chance for us to remember the great deeds of Tengku Abdul Rahman and the founding fathers, whose legacy seems to have shamefully fallen off the radar in recent years.

A time for taking stock and self-examination. How far has the country come, how much has changed and yet, how so much has not changed at all.

A moment to contemplate a vibrant, fascinating, confusing culture.

A period of excessive patriotic cheer-leading on Malaysian TV.

A day for looking forward and hoping for better and more.

48 years of progress and regression, of harmony and tension, of solidarity and conflict, of triumps and setbacks. I like to think we came out ahead.