dear Malaysia and her people,

i wish you selamat hari merdeka come 31st august. i wasn't there when the the father of independence hailed "merdeka! merdeka! merdeka!" (no, it's not that i couldn't make it to the gathering; rather, i wasn't born yet).

i could imagine, nevertheless, how the voice was carried by the wind, vibrating the eardrums of the people and energising the spirit of independence.

some countries spilt blood to gain their independence; ours was gained by ink. but i'm ready to spill my blood to protect the independence of my country. that is my pledge to my God-blessed land.

the preparation to celebrate merdeka day is at its peak. the foot of the tallest twin towers in the world is already abuzz with people. it's only mid afternoon but the place is beginning to pack. barricades to control the flow of pedestrians have been put up. those of us working in the towers have received orders to roll down all the blinds before we leave the office this evening "to ensure maximum effects of the towers' external lighting." i have to say that these towers look magnificent when they are showered with the lights.

anyway, with all the crowd down there i feel a bit restless. this place will come to a standstill by 6 pm. i'm checking out at 5 sharp.

again, selamat menyambut hari merdeka! and God bless Malaysia and her people.