While majority Malaysians started getting excited, installing "Jalur Gemilang" (Malaysian flags) on their vehicles and also flying it on their premises for the glorious celebration, we have several Malaysians waiting to be investigated or charge under the Sedition Act 1948.
Malaysians also remember that it was the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib who announced the repeal of the Act on July 11, 2012.
He had promised - what many called it "the draconian law" - in 2012, but it has yet to be tabled in parliament.
It has been slightly more than two years since the announcement was made, the Act which is to be replaced by National Harmony Act, is yet to be abolished.
In fact, the Act is rampantly used against politicians especially, from the Opposition.
One of the latest includes PAS MP for Shah Alam, Khalid Samad.
He will be charged with sedition for his remarks against the Selangor Ruler Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah in relation to the Selangor Islamic Affairs Council (Mais), report The Star Online
Other than Opposition leaders, activists and NGO leaders, the case of a form 5 student probed under the Act attracts attention of Malaysian public.
The boy who has "like" a Facebook page titled "I love Israel" was probed under Section 4 (1) of the Act said Penang State police chief Datuk Abdul Rahim Hanafi.
BN friendly NGO Ikatan Muslimin Malaysia's (Isma) president Abdullah Zaik Abdullah Rahman was also probed under the same Act.
When it (the repeal) was PM Najib's latest move to regain the momentum for reforms, the use of Sedition Act becoming more rampant.
On the other hand, those investigated and charged under the Act have not been cautious and prudent with their statements/remarks.
If not because of his untimely death from a road accident, former MP for Tasik Gelugor and DAP chair person Karpal Singh would stand to lose his federal lawmaker status following the High Court ruling which found him guilty of sedition over a comment he has made about the Sultan of Perak, Sultan Azlan Shah in 2009.
He was sentenced with a criminal sanction - amounting to RM 4, 000 fine sufficed to cause him his MP (member of parliament).
In a row with PAS MP Khalid Samad are PKR veeps N. Surendran who is also the Padang Serai MP and counsel in Anwar Ibrahim's sodomy appeal and Tian Chua, a Batu MP.
N. Surendran was charged in court for allegedly made remarks about PM Najib in relation to the charge currently faced by Anwar, while Tian Chua was charged for allegedly saying that the Lahad Datu incident was an Umno conspiracy to frighten the people.
If convicted, the above could be jailed up to three years or fined RM5, 000 or both.
For a fine of more than RM 2, 000 or jail term of more than two years, their political career as elected reps would end as they would be disqualified from office. Only a free pardon could save them.
Meanwhile, a student activist Adam Adli Abdul Halim was also charged under the Act for uttering a seditious statement calling on Malaysians to take to the streets to boot Barisan Nasional (BN) from Putrajaya.
Like the popular saying,"If the buying stops, so is selling," could the use of the Sedition Act be kept to it's minimum should politicians, leaders and activists are more careful and prudent with what they uttered?
But to some, it can be just subjective especially, those who stood by their statements for their believe that they have a "duty" to carry out as politicians, leaders and activists.
As Malaysians are about to celebrate Malaysia's 57th Independence Day, it is the wish of majority rakyat (people) to really see Malaysia gain it's "independence" from all the "draconian laws".
To ALL Malaysians, Happy Merdeka!!
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