Dubai: Malaysians in Dubai have been urged to remember their country and to foster unity and solidarity despite their different backgrounds as they celebrated their Independence Day on Wednesday.
Some members of the Malaysian community in Dubai gathered on Tuesday night for a simple ceremony commemorating their country’s independence from British colonial rule on August 31, 1957.
A bigger celebration will be held in September to mark both the Independence Day (Merdeka Day) and Malaysia Day celebrated every September 16 in commemoration of the formation of the Malaysian Federation.
The Speaker of the House of Representatives in the Malaysian Parliament Pandikar Amin Haji Mulia, who was in Dubai for a short visit after his official visit to Iran, said while he knows that Malaysians are enjoying themselves in the UAE, they should still remember their roots and continue to be ‘Sehati, Sejiwa’ (One heart, One Soul), which is this year’s theme.
“We in Malaysia are multi-religious, multi-cultural. We always pride ourselves on being truly Asian, that’s why we say Malaysia, truly Asia,” Mulia said.
“Do not forget your country. Live by whatever culture you have [with respect to] other cultures. Respect the law of the host country. Among yourselves, help each other. Work together and continue to be law-abiding residents here,” he added.
Consul-General Yubazlan Yusof said this year’s theme is significant for its people.
“Malaysia is a little bit different in terms of composition of people. We have Malays, Chinese, Indians, and indigenous people. So it’s very important to be of one heart and one soul. We expect Malaysians to behave as one. Even though our backgrounds are different we should be one during good times and bad times,” Yusof said.
Current political issues back home are causing divisiveness in Malaysia, threatening the people’s spirit of togetherness. But Yusof said he is confident Malaysians will ride this through.
Currently, there are around 7,000 Malaysians in the UAE, nearly 4,000 of whom are in Dubai. They are professionals spread across different fields, including construction, aviation, trade, education, and hospitality.
The number of Malaysians in Dubai, however, is declining as many of them are being recalled home by their companies due to the oil and gas situation in the region.
Yusof said bilateral relations have been growing for the past 10 years. The UAE is Malaysia’s largest trading partner, the largest export destination and the largest import source in the GCC.
In 2015, bilateral trade between Malaysia and the UAE rose to $6.14 billion (Dh22.5 billion), up 86.07 per cent from $3.30 billion in 2006.
