Selamat Hari Merdeka.
It’s a long weekend for those in Selangor as the state declared tomorrow a public holiday after taking the top spot at the recent Sukan Malaysia.
And, it’s that time of the year where I send out a PSA that today (August 31), only Malaya or the peninsula declared merdeka (independence) back in 1957.
Sarawak was granted self-government on July 22, 1963, while Sabah’s took effect on August 31, 1963.
The three came together to form Malaysia on September 16, 1963.
So it’s not that Malaysia received its independence today. Only one part did. We are a complicated bunch, what can I say?
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There’s another merdeka in today’s mix, this time involving Amanat Lebuhraya Rakyat (ALR).
The government-backed highway trust is gearing up to test the multi-lane fast flow (MLFF) or barrier-free tolling, according to an August 26 briefing deck sighted by The Malaysianist.
And its system doesn’t require integration with the old monopoly, Touch ‘n Go.