COMMENT | For many Malaysians, Sept 16 arrived not with a bang, but with the quiet sigh of a welcome day off. There was a certain happiness, of course, that comes from memories of the past. We want to celebrate the happiness of being one people united under a single flag. This was the day in 1963 when the Federation of Malaya was joined by Sabah, Sarawak, and Singapore to create a new nation: Malaysia. It was a milestone in our evolution, a moment when our country grew in size, population, and stature overnight.