On this day (16 September) forty-six years ago, Malaysia welcomed Sabah and Sarawak as states and set out on a course toward becoming one of the leading nations in the world. I was only 10 years old when my father, Tun Abdul Razak Hussein, witnessed the historic proclamation of Sabah’s independence in 1963, but I remember how proud he was during that momentous occasion. Sabah and Sarawak occupy a special place in my heart because of that history.

My commitment to 1Malaysia – to the idea that our differences in race and religion are what make our country distinct – is inspired by what I have seen in Sabah and Sarawak. The diversity of our citizens there has formed the basis for many of the most ambitious civil policies that my administration has undertaken, all with the goal of harnessing the power of our different national ethnic and religious groups to form the foundation of our global competitiveness and cultural identity.

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In my interactions with the rakyat these past few weeks leading up to Merdeka Day, I was asked a number of questions on the state of our nation 52 years after achieving independence. In conjunction with this great occasion, I have summarised these questions, along with some passed along through my senior officers, and answered them below.

After 52 years of nationhood, how would you rate the state of our country in terms of race relations, development, economic competitiveness, and political maturity?

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