Kuala Lampur, Aug. 10 -- Aug 11 - We've officially entered August, and you know what that means-it's Merdeka Month!

On 31 August, Malaysians across the country will once again wave the Jalur Gemilang, sing patriotic songs that somehow get stuck in our heads every year, and celebrate the independence of our beloved nation. But beyond the parades, fireworks and festivities, August is also a good time to pause and ask ourselves a simple question.

What actually makes us proud to be Malaysians? Our journey to independence wasn't an easy one. One of the defining moments came in 1956 when Tunku Abdul Rahman led the Merdeka Mission to London to negotiate Malaya's independence from British rule. Those negotiations culminated in the signing of th...