Brief Summary
This video compares Australia Day celebrations in Australia and Malaysia, highlighting the differences in national pride, cultural unity, and how both countries handle their history. The author, an Australian expat living in Malaysia, argues that Australia could learn from Malaysia's approach to celebrating its multicultural heritage and fostering a sense of national unity.
- Australia Day is a controversial holiday in Australia, with some celebrating it as a day of national pride while others view it as a day of mourning for the Indigenous population.
- Malaysia, on the other hand, celebrates its national holidays with a strong sense of unity and patriotism, embracing its multicultural heritage.
- The author believes that Australia could learn from Malaysia's approach to celebrating its diversity and fostering a sense of national unity.
Australia Day, celebrated on January 26th, is meant to be a day of celebrating Australia's history, culture, and achievements. However, the day is also controversial, with many viewing it as a day of mourning for the Indigenous population due to the arrival of the First Fleet from Britain on that date. The author shares his personal experience of celebrating Australia Day as a child, emphasizing the sense of national pride and unity he felt. He contrasts this with the current climate in Australia, where discussions about the day often revolve around negative aspects of history and colonization.
The author observes a stark difference in national pride between Australia and Malaysia. He notes that Malaysians are generally more patriotic and appreciative of their country, regardless of their background. He contrasts this with the Australian experience, where discussions about national identity often lead to division and negativity.
Malaysia celebrates two national holidays similar to Australia Day: Merdeka Day (Independence Day) and Malaysia Day. Both days are marked by positive celebrations, including fireworks, parades, and displays of national pride. The author highlights the sense of unity and inclusivity that permeates these celebrations, where everyone, regardless of their background, comes together to celebrate their country.
The author discusses the differences in citizenship pathways between Australia and Malaysia. While Australia has a clear path to citizenship, Malaysia does not offer naturalization, meaning that even after years of living and working in the country, the author cannot become a Malaysian citizen. He acknowledges his pride in being Australian but highlights the contrasting views on belonging and citizenship in both countries.
The author shares three key lessons he has learned from living in Malaysia:
- Embrace Multiculturalism: Malaysia's strength lies in its diversity, with various cultures coexisting harmoniously. The author encourages Australians to embrace their multicultural heritage and celebrate their diversity.
- Celebrate Independence with Dignity: Malaysia celebrates its independence from colonial rule with dignity and respect, focusing on building a positive future rather than dwelling on the past. The author suggests that Australia could learn from this approach, moving beyond negative historical narratives and focusing on unity and progress.
- Celebrate as a Community: Malaysians celebrate their national holidays as a community, with events and activities that encourage participation from all backgrounds. The author contrasts this with the Australian experience, where celebrating Aboriginal culture can sometimes be met with negativity and prejudice.
The author criticizes the lack of inclusivity and appreciation for Aboriginal culture in Australia. He questions why Aboriginal language and cultural values are not taught in schools and why there is a lack of engagement with traditional Aboriginal events. He argues that the negative portrayal of history in schools contributes to a lack of understanding and respect for Aboriginal culture.
The author addresses the "change the date" debate surrounding Australia Day. While he acknowledges the validity of the argument, he emphasizes that the goal should be to bring Australians together and celebrate their country, not to engage in divisive arguments. He suggests that other dates could be chosen for the national holiday, dates that are not offensive to any group.
The author concludes by emphasizing the importance of celebrating what makes Australia unique while also fostering a sense of unity and inclusivity. He believes that Australia can learn from Malaysia's focus on unity and diversity, creating a more positive outlook for all Australians. He encourages viewers to reflect on how they can contribute to a more inclusive and unified Australia.
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Transcript
Full transcript of “What Has MALAYSIA Taught Me About AUSTRALIA DAY? 🇲🇾”. Click a timestamp to open the video at that moment. Need another video? Use the YouTube transcript generator.
0:00 good day my name's Jack and Aussie expat living in Malaysia I moved from Sydney to quala lumor almost 3 years ago and in this video I'll share my thoughts on Australia Day based on what I've learned from living and working here the way Malaysia celebrates national days and their culture is a very different experience and while both have controversial elements it's clear which country is better at bringing people together I'll cover what Malaysia and Australia have in common the major differences what Aussies can learn from Malaysians and how both countries handle patriotism national pride and multi culturalism happy Australia Day let's get straight into the controversy what is Australia Day it's supposed to be a Day celebrating Australia's history culture and achievements bringing all Aussies together and having some national pride in the land down under at least that's what it meant to me when I
0:45 was growing up we'd put temporary tattoos of the Aussie flag on our face and our arms we'd have friends and family over and have a barbecue it was a great day we enjoyed the public holiday off work no matter where we came from everyone in Australia was Australian if they wanted to be my impression of Australia growing up was that we were a relaxed no worries mate society and unfortunately I can honestly say now that I've seen that positive stereotype pretty much completely disappear over my lifetime and I'm only 30 on the positive side Aussies do still thoroughly enjoy sport it's just a shame that being offended seems to be the most popular one to compete in on a daily basis Jokes Aside there are serious elements to this January 26th marks the arrival of the First Fleet from Britain to Australia so it's also a day of reflection for those who consider the day to be Invasion day which I do understand and I sympathize
1:31 with I think everyone is free to have their opinion and feel how they want to feel my point is that it's simply a shame that all Aussies no matter what country they came from from around the world can't come together and celebrate Australia for the country that it is today on the other hand here in Malaysia people are more patriotic and frankly love their country it's a much more positive vibe I recently asked a bunch of Malaysians what they don't like or they think that could be improved about the country and most of them said not much they're grateful for what they have in this country no matter where they came from of course there are still issues here that people don't want to talk about so you can do your own research and come to your conclusions but either way in reality Malaysians come together as one country live peacefully and in Harmony and I honestly just don't see it impacting day-to-day life Malaysia has two holidays that are similar to Australia Day the first one is mura day or Independence Day this
2:17 commemorates Malaysia's independence from British rule in 1957 it's a celebration of Freedom unity and the country's journey to self-determination and it's nothing but a positive day the other one is Malaysia day this celebrates the official formation of Malaysia as it is today in 1963 uniting Peninsula Malaysia or west Malaysia to East Malaysia saba and sarak at both of these public holidays you'll see fireworks the Twin Towers lit up big parades Malaysian Flags everywhere and just awesome wholesome celebrations of the country however back in Australia on Australia day instead of focusing on the future and appreciating what we all have today you'll be pulled into negative conversations about history colonization how you're a bad person even though you were born 200 years after the event or perhaps you and your family's ancestors were from a completely different continent so naturally your question if
3:03 Australia Day is even worth celebrating at all and the stat show and increasing number of people feel the same is Australia worth celebrating I'm not really sure anymore I'll tell you who is celebrating though new Australians hundreds of citizenship ceremonies will take place across the country and thousands of new immigrants will be presented with Australian citizenship which I'm sure they're extremely grateful for there is a clear pathway to citizenship in Australia and realistically the nation as it is today has been built on immigration from all places many of my close friends today which I've known since junior School are second generation Australians their parents took the risk to immigrate to Australia and built an amazing life for themselves and their children I guarantee they'll be celebrating Australia more today than those who take The Lucky Country for granted Malaysia on the other hand does not have a clear path to naturalization it means no
3:50 matter how long I work here pay taxes I can never become a Malaysian citizen on paper I'm proud of being an Aussie and I always will be but it's interesting to note how both countries view the idea ofal belonging and citizenship differently so what has living in Malaysia for 3 years taught me one Malaysia has taught me how a country can Embrace its Multicultural roots and make diversity its strength and I'm not just saying that as a catchphrase Malaysia is truly Asia and there's truth to the marketing campaign mcade and Malaysia Day celebrate everyone Malay Chinese Indian sabahan sarawakian orang AI foreigners everyone comes together as one so Aussies why don't we just be Aussies and celebrate the land down under it doesn't matter what we look like or where our family came from but our values bring back the Aussie values of mateship enjoying life and not taking things so seriously two Malaysia
4:37 celebrates independence from Colonial rule with dignity and respect in my 3 years here I haven't really seen any disparaging or negative hateful comments about the British Japanese Portuguese Dutch or any other Colonial influence in Malaysia we simply can't change the past we can only make the best of what we have now and build for the future Vietnam is also a fascinating example I visited the country last year and I was super interested to learn how they treat Americans they're welcoming keep it positive hold no bad grudges which is really amazing and worthy of respect considering that the atrocious Vietnam War happened within many of your lifetimes I went to the war museum in Hanoi and saw much of the history and raw interactions firsthand terrible atrocities happened that should be condemned but carrying forward that hate to today doesn't really do anything to mend the problem so I respect the Vietnamese people to be able to do that
5:24 three I love how Malaysians celebrate as a community and there's a real sense of belonging they come together for parades Cal shows food and other events on public holidays for pretty much every major culture they encourage everyone to get involved why can't Australia do this at Chinese New Year they asked me to wear the Chinese outfit they even asked me to host the event at har Rya they asked me to wear the Malay outfit and at deepavali the Indians even gave me an outfit and asked me to do their Indian dance when was the last time you were encouraged to join dress up get involved and celebrate Aboriginal culture if you did you might even be called the r word why weren't we taught Aboriginal language at school why weren't we involved with their cultural values and traditional events instead we're only presented with a negative view of History 10-year-olds are told their ancestors are evil people so I think
6:10 it's a problem that can't really be solved unless we change our attitude from both sides everyone can have love respect and care in our hearts to menend together and move forward as one country as for change the date honestly sure why not the goal here is to bring Australia together and celebrate not keep arguing to prove a point I'm sure we can agree on other dates that aren't offensive at all like the 20th of April and the 6th of September Australia and Malaysia both have incredible stories to tell what I've learned here is how powerful it is to celebrate not only what makes us unique but also what brings us together as people as Aussies we can learn so much from Malaysia's focus on unity and diversity this Australia Day let's celebrate our culture whatever that is for you and think about how we can create a more positive outlook for every current and future Australian welcome to the new Australian citizens and if
6:57 you're Aussie comment below what you think about this local Malaysians please comment your perspective you know more about your country than me so I'd really appreciate your local insights it helps all of us watching learn something new I hope you got value from this thought-provoking honest video subscribe for more videos about life in Malaysia and I'll see you in the next one you try you just buy get a little bit of trouble K and I
