Malaysia celebrates 68th Merdeka Day with Cambodian friends
The festivities, held at Koh Pich City Hall, were attended by members of the Malaysian community in Cambodia and their local friends. The guest of honour was Malaysian Ambassador to Cambodia Shaharuddin Onn. The event also saw the presence of the ambassadors of Indonesia, Timor-Leste, Myanmar, and Brunei.
The guests enjoyed Malaysian-Chinese cuisine, a magic show and a song performance, but the highlight of the evening was the enthusiastic sing-along to the patriotic song Tanggal 31 Ogos.
In his opening remarks, MBCC President Oknha Tan Khee Meng said Malaysia’s journey of independence from Britain has not been a walk in the park.
“Our independence was not just about political freedom – it was about the courage and hope of building a nation from a rich landscape of diversity,” he said.
“Malay, Chinese, Indian, Iban, Kadazan and many more – we chose the path of unity in diversity. We decided that our differences would not be our weakness but our greatest strength. This unique harmony is the true legacy of the last 68 years.”
Okhna Tan said the 68th anniversary of Malaysia’s independence also marks the 68th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Malaysia and Cambodia.
“This means that from the very moment Malaysia was born as a sovereign nation, we forged our relationship with Cambodia,” he said. “Since then, our bilateral journey has grown from that very first day – a beautiful coincidence and a true symbol of our enduring friendship and brotherhood.”
In his speech, Ambassador Shaharuddin emphasised the strong bond between the Cambodian and Malaysian nations, especially their business communities.
“This dinner by MBCC exemplifies the pride of our fellow Malaysians, many of whom have been working and living in Cambodia for a long time, of being Malaysians – who strongly uphold their Malaysian identity and character,” he said.
The Ambassador said Malaysians were among the earliest investors in Cambodia, arriving at the beginning of the days of peace in the country that were characterised by uncertainty.
“True enough, Cambodia, with the vision and foresight of its leaders in developing the country into what it is today, many Malaysians and Malaysian businesses are still here to this day,” he said.
“At the same time, I believe that Malaysians and Malaysian businesses have grown and developed with the country and played a part in and contributed to the development of Cambodia.
“I am very heartened and proud to see Malaysians, Malaysian businesses and Malaysian organisations contributing and giving back to the community and society.”
Speaking on behalf of the Cambodian government, Buon Sarakmony, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Commerce, thanked Malaysia and its people for their support for Cambodia.
“Over the years, our strong partnership with the two countries has grown exponentially,” he said. “On the economic division, we have seen a positive growth in trade and economy.”
According to the Ministry of Commerce, in the first seven months of the year, total trade between Cambodia and Malaysia amounted to $598 million, an 11.2 percent increase from the same period last year.
“I believe that the trade between both countries will continue to flourish, despite the uncertainty and economic impacts,” Sarakmony said.Cr:KhmerTime
