50 years on

Yesterday the country celebrated it's 50th anniversary of independence from British rule. But I came across a letter to the editor under the Man in the Street column in The Straits Times, August 28, 1957:

If a constitution were lopsided so that one section of the population were unfairly benefitted, the section that received the benefit would certainly declare that the constitution was best and that all the other sections should "shut up and accept" it.

Now 50 years on, despite the apparent superficial harmonious relationship of the peoples of this country, there lies a certain dormant divisive force underneath. Everybody talked about it behind closed doors. A few politicians occasionally risk bringing the subject up in parliament only to be told to "shut up and accept it".

We talked and read about it in the papers in 1957. Now, 50 years on, we can't talk and read about it in the papers. 50 years on, has anything changed? Have we really moved forward and matured? Was there really a reason to celebrate?