Merdeka 2025: Celebrating Malaysia's Steady Progress Amid Regional Unrest 🇲🇾

Today is Merdeka Day in Malaysia

It is 31 August 2025 in Malaysia. As we raise our flags today, it is a moment to reflect on our journey from independence in 1957 and to think about the road ahead.

ASEAN in Flux: Indonesia Faces Unrest

While Malaysians celebrate unity, Indonesia, our closest neighbour, is facing serious unrest right now. Protests over lawmakers' housing allowances and the tragic death of a ride-hailing driver struck by a police vehicle have turned violent. Regional parliament buildings have been torched in provinces such as West Nusa Tenggara, Central Java, and West Java. In Makassar, at least three people died when a council building was set on fire and many were trapped inside. President Prabowo Subianto cancelled a planned trip to China to deal with the crisis, while authorities called for calm and suspended TikTok live streams to curb disinformation.

These scenes are a reminder that no country is perfect. Even in our region, stability can quickly feel fragile.

Malaysia: Peaceful, but Not Complacent

Against this backdrop, Malaysia remains one of the more peaceful nations. According to the 2025 Global Peace Index, Malaysia scored 1.469 and ranked 13th out of 163 countries. This is a small slip from 2024 when we ranked 10th, but we remain firmly in the green zone of peaceful nations. Our position reflects a strong foundation of societal safety, political stability, and low levels of violent conflict.

Even so, we cannot take this for granted. Global peace has been declining and militarisation is rising in many parts of the world. Malaysia’s continued efforts to strengthen security and promote unity across communities show our intent to keep moving forward.

Small Country, Big Dreams

Malaysia may be small in size, but our ambitions are large. We want to be more than just an affordable destination for expats. We want to be a country they admire and learn from. Our cultural richness, innovation, and inclusive spirit are assets we can build on. If we remain steady and consistent, Malaysia can play a stronger role in ASEAN and beyond.

Walking the Talk: From Reflection to Action

This Merdeka Day, we celebrate progress rather than perfection. We honour the unity forged in our diversity and the resilience shown in our journey so far. We also look to the future, hoping that Malaysia will grow from being a place people pass through into a nation that others look up to.

Happy Merdeka Day, Malaysia. May we continue to move forward with peace, confidence, and ambition.