160909: Hari Malaysia Update

The first Penang gathering of the Saya Anak Bangsa Malaysia initiative in Penang drew 10 people to the Pelita Nasi Kandar restaurant in Jalan Macalister last night.

Lucia Lai has the details.

Meanwhile, the Center for Independent Journalism reports that more than 50 civil society groups have endorsed the "New Nationalism - Freedom with Empowering Peace" statement that was released in conjunction with the Malaysia Day celebrations yestrerday.

The CIJ press release in full.

One of the things that most disturb governments, entities or individuals that wield power is the right of others who may not agree with them to dissent. Henry Thoreau has another view, something which I think is closer to the truth:

"...as most legislators, politicians, lawyers, ministers and office-holders, serve the state chiefly with their heads; and as they rarely make any moral distinctions, they are as likely to serve the devil, without intending it, as God.

A very few, as heroes, patriots, martyrs, reformers in the great sense, and men, serve the state with their consciences also, and so necessarily resist it for the most part; and they are commonly treated as enemies by it" - in "Civil Disobedience".