“NATIONAL Day Celebrations Programme by the Sabah State Government.”
The small white booklet with words in the Malay language catches my eye as I’m browsing through the contents of my bookcase. I’d bought so many collectibles in the past that I simply cannot recall when this particular item was purchased. Simply passing off my forgetfulness as a lapse in memory, I turn my attention to the contents.
Conscious of the fact that Merdeka Day is just around the corner, I study the pages which are still in very good condition despite their age.
Published in1972 to commemorate the 15th anniversary of the Independence of the Federation of Malaya, the 18-page booklet starts off with full page photographs of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Yang di-Pertua of Sabah and also the state’s Chief Minister.
Following that, the programme goes on to record the different activities planned to celebrate the historic date. Reading the detailed hour by hour narration, it’s not difficult for me to imagine the excitement and joy shared by my fellow Malaysians present in Kota Kinabalu on the morning of Aug 31, 1972.
SABAH CELEBRATIONS
The highlight that morning was the march past which moved through most of the popular public spaces like the Kampong Ayer Roundabout, Jalan Laiman Diki, Jalan Tugu and Jalan Pantai before dispersing near the Harrisons and Crossfield building, a prominent Kota Kinabalu landmark.
Then, just as the last few members of the parade started to arrive at their penultimate assembly area, a fleet of helicopters and planes from the Sabah Flying Club began taking to the skies. The skilled pilots mesmerised everyone with their well-choreographed manoeuvres and gravity-defying aerial displays. The fly past was indeed a fitting finale for that morning.
While invited guests converged later that afternoon at Prince Philip Park for the National Day Tea Party, the public was given free access to the Sabah Flying Club where joy rides were organised to give Sabahans a once in a lifetime opportunity to enjoy a bird’s eye view of their town and its surrounding areas.
BIRTH OF A NEW NATION
Reading about the other interesting events held during the week-long festivities in Sabah piques my interest and before long, I start probing a little further back in history to find out what actually transpired on Aug 31, 1957, the momentous day that marked the birth of our new Malayan nation.
Fortunately, I don’t have to look very far as the past issues of the Straits Times newspapers and annual magazines in my collection offer ample information on this memorable moment that changed the course of history for Malaya. The numerous articles and photographs all share a general theme — the very true sense of inter-racial goodwill that prevailed among fellow Malayans as they gathered at the Federal Capital Kuala Lumpur to witness scenes of splendour and solemnity that truly befitted that great occasion.
Those who gathered at the Padang at midnight on Aug 30, 1957 will always remember the stirring moments leading up to the time when Malaya claimed its rightful place among the nations of the world after becoming a free, independent and sovereign country. In his article The Merdeka Pageant, published in the 1958 issue of the Straits Times Annual, reporter William Fish vividly described the time when searchlights focused on the Sultan Abdul Samad building clock tower as the last seconds of colonial rule drifted away.
As many as 100,000 Malayans held their breath and watched in silence as they waited for the much anticipated midnight chimes. When the clock finally struck at the top of the hour, the entire place reverberated with an almost synchronised cheer of Merdeka!
Everyone, not only those in Kuala Lumpur but in all four corners of the country, rejoiced as the Federation of Malaya or Persekutuan Tanah Melayu finally achieved self-rule. Fish noted a great surge of goodwill among everyone present. The racial divide was breached as groups of Malays spectators grasped the hands of their Chinese counterparts while Indian onlookers did likewise to everyone around them, regardless of race or colour.
NATIONAL PRIORITIES
About half of Malaya’s population was under the age of 15 and much had to be done to keep the country on the right side of progress. First in a long list of major priorities was to rapidly industrialise agrarian Malaya to keep its export industries competitive and reduce imports of manufactured goods. The other immediate concern was the future of the all-important rubber industry.
At the end of the Second World War in 1945, synthetic rubber was just a poor substitute for natural rubber and had limited use. The1950s, however, saw the introduction of special purpose synthetics which closely mirrored the natural properties of the product that Malayan rubber trees produced.
Natural rubber was under threat and more had to be done to increase its competitiveness. On the security front, the Communist war in the jungles of Malaya was far from over. The newly-formed Malayan Cabinet members, led by Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra, present at the Padang that evening were fully conscious of the barbed wire and fences that both defended and imprisoned the new villages that littered the Malayan countryside, some barely a few of kilometres from Kuala Lumpur itself.
Regardless of the uncertainties and the overhanging Communist threat, Tunku and his team chose to look on the positive side of things as Merdeka became a reality. The Kedah prince mingled with the people and soaked in the carnival-like atmosphere. According to Fish, Tunku beamed proudly like an ew father and, in the heat of the moment, did a little celebratory dance. While throwing his arms wide in a gesture representing freedom, Tunku almost knocked his songkok off balance!
FLAGS CHANGE PLACES
Anticipating the next item on the agenda, the people watched silently as the Union Jack was lowered for the last time and the Federation flag took its rightful place at the top of the flag pole for the first time in independent Malaya’s history.
This spectacle was followed by the successive playing of God Save the Queen and the Malayan national anthem, Negaraku, for the first and last time. Sir Donald MacGillivray, whose appointment as British High Commissioner ended as midnight struck, offered a broad smile to the cheering crowd. Confident of Malaya’s future as a promising young nation, MacGillivray had delivered a heartfelt message to all Malayans during the signing of the Federation of Malaya Agreement a month earlier.
In it, he penned these encouraging words: “Weep not for the past, fear not the future.”
As the distinguished guests began making their way out of the Padang towards their luxurious accommodations at the newly-opened Federal Hotel, people from the nearby villages were simply too excited to think about sleep. They were busy making final preparations to arrive at the recently built Stadium Merdeka before the next dawn appears. They had a date with destiny and simply couldn’t afford to be late.
HISTORIC DAY’S WET START
It rained heavily in Kuala Lumpur on Merdeka Day and many spectators present saw the showers as a good omen. To them, it was a way of washing away all the scars, troubles and unhappiness of the land and allowing Malaya to start anew, on a clean slate.
Despite the downpour, everyone, including the nine Malay Sultans, foreign dignitaries and members of the Federal cabinet, arrived at the stadium early. Then, just before 8am, the organising committee made the decision to put back the proclamation back by one hour as the weather was expected to be clear by then.
The spectators watched in silence when the Malay Rulers headed out to the centre of the arena as soon as the clouds broke. This was quickly followed by the handing over of the constitutional Instrument of the Transfer of Power and Independence by Queen Elizabeth II’s representative, the Duke of Gloucester.
The Duke who had previously visited Malaya some 28 years earlier, said in his speech: “It’s a source of great joy to me personally that I should now come again for so memorable an occasion in the history of Malaya.”
In his article, Fish went on to report that Tunku Abdul Rahman gave a speech after receiving the Instrument of Independence. Tunku said: “I’m indeed proud that on this, the greatest day in Malaya’s history, it falls to my lot to proclaim the formal independence of this country.”
MERDEKA...MERDEKA.... MERDEKA
The first Prime Minister of Malaya then proceeded to read the Proclamation of Independence. During the course, he was interrupted repeatedly by an overzealous crowd which comprised nearly 20,000 spectators. They kept on chanting: Merdeka!.... Merdeka!
Tunku acknowledged his fellow Malayans and his speech culminated in the chanting of Merdeka! seven times with the boisterous crowd joining in. The ceremony continued with the raising of the National Flag of Malaya accompanied byNegaraku played by the Royal Malayan Military Band and a 21-gun salute.
After that, the Bilal invoked the blessings of God for the new nation and gave a thanksgiving prayer in honour of the momentous occasion. The familiar cry of Merdeka continued to reverberate throughout the week-long festivities in Kuala Lumpur as well as in the villages and towns across the length and breadth of Malaya. It dominated every facet of the celebration held, be it an afternoon garden party, lavish dinner banquet, raucous water pageant or even the elaborate fireworks display. Merdeka was a pre-independence slogan that had finally become a reality for all Malayans.
SYMBOL OF UNITY
Just four days later, on Sept 4, 1957 Kuala Lumpur once again played host to an impressive ceremony where Tuanku Abdul Rahman, the Ruler of Negri Sembilan, was installed as Malaya’s first Yang di-Pertuan Agong or Supreme Ruler.
The ceremony, steeped in age-old Malay culture and tradition, took place in Istana Negara’s Balairong Seri. Also present at that event, Fish witnessed palace guards and umbrella-bearers lining the walls of the throne room looking smart in their formal attire while standing shoulder to shoulder with journalists and television crew from all over the world.
While watching the event unfold amid the stirring drum-beats of the ancient Nobat (Royal Musical Ensemble), it suddenly dawned upon Fish that the installation presented a unique opportunity for all Malayans. For the very first time in history, the citizens of Malaya were able to pay homage to a single person who symbolised their unity as a nation in the eyes of the world.
Conducted completely in the Malay language except for the portion when the proclamation was read, the ceremony reached its climax when Tuanku Abdul Rahman unsheathed and kissed the Keris Panjang Diraja (Royal Long Keris) given to him by the Grand Chamberlain. The blade belonging to this royal regalia was specially crafted by skilled artisans after blending the blades of 11 ancient kerises collected from the nine Malay States and two former Straits Settlements of Melaka and Penang. This ceremonial weapon, which is still used during royal installations to this day, symbolises the power and authority of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
While returning my precious keepsakes back to their rightful place, I call to mind Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir’s decision to select Putrajaya as this year’s venue for the 2018 Merdeka Day celebration. I cannot agree more with Dr Mahathir’s choice as our nation’s administrative capital is indeed the best place to symbolise the administration of the new government under Pakatan Harapan.
Like the celebrations in 1957, the one held this year to commemorate our 61st anniversary of independence will be a truly historical moment for all Malaysians as we decorate our homes with the national flag and join hands to build a better future for ourselves. With Jalur Gemilang flying proudly in all corners of the nation, Malaysians are definitely living up to this year’s National Day theme Sayangi Malaysiaku (Love My Malaysia).