The Road to Independence : Merdeka!

With the arrival of 31st August 2020, our magnificent country will hit its sixty-three years mark of glorious independence; a day we shall always remember and keep close to our hearts.

When Hari Merdeka comes along, it not only reminds us of the freedom of our country, but it also reminds us of the long battle our ancestors fought through to create an ideal mother country for the generations to come. Independence means freedom fromthe control, influence, support, or the like, of others as defined in the dictionary. Having independence is vital for a country and its people to develop, so we should not take our freedom for granted; instead, we must unite and defend our independence as a nation.

A walk down memory lane.

Sixty-three years ago, Hari Merdeka (Malaysian for ‘Independence Day’) celebrates 31 August 1957 when the Federation of Malaya’s independence from the British Empire was officially declared. At 9.30 am on the 30th August 1957, the independence declaration was read by our first Chief Minister of Malaya, Tunku Abdul Rahman, at Stadium Merdeka in the presence of thousands of people. It includes the Malay Rulers, foreign dignitaries, and members of the federal government.

The history of the British involvement in Malaya goes all the way back to 1786 when The East India Company established a trading post on Penang Island. - The road to independence was not without obstacles. However, the freedom of Malaysia is much different from the sovereignty of other countries. Our independence was not achieved by force or violence, but instead, it was done by holding talks with the British.

In 1956, Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman, led a delegation to London to discuss matters of independence. This negotiation took three weeks before the 1956 Treaty of London agreed to give freedom to Malaya, which was signed in February 1956.

Moving forward to the day we were all waiting and fighting for, the date of independence was first announced in Malacca before preparations begin to take place. With thousands of citizens present to witness this beautiful day that will go down in history, Malay rulers were sitting protected by nine yellow umbrellas with our respected Agong in the middle and on his right, the Duke of Gloucester (the uncle to Queen Elizabeth II).

TheDuke surrendered the ‘Instruments of Independence, ’ which is a recognition that it is the British surrender of the sovereignty of Penang and Malacca to the new country and subsequently withdraw the ‘protection’ given to the Malay states. Tunku Abdul Rahman then read out the declaration of independence, among others, mentions “in the name of Allah, the Federation of Malaya forever a country democratic and free.” Often lost his voice and screaming proudly,  he shouted “Merdeka!” seven times with pride.

Reminiscing our history.

With the current generation in conjunction with Hari Merdeka, we often forget the ups and downs the nation has gone through in order to develop into the beautiful country we all call home today. It should be a day for us always to remember and celebrate so that we will never take advantage of the sacrifices and hardships our ancestors had fought through for us; a battle that they had put an end to.

Celebrate our independence day with your loved ones and reminisce about our courageous history. With appreciation, our motherland will flourish and strive for greatness. - It is never too late to express your gratitude; for our freedom, the leaders who guided us, or even your loved ones who made an impact on the lifestyle we can have today. A little appreciation goes a long way; send stunning arrangements decked with fresh flowers this Merdeka to your loved ones, to show your sincere love and appreciation for them.

Selamat Hari Merdeka!

Love, Flower Chimp.