Malaysian Independence Day is the national day in Malaysia.
It is held annually on August 31. This day marks the date when Malaysia was
declared an independent nation in 1957, making it free from the control of the
British.
The person who led the fight for Malaysia’s freedom was Tunku Abdul Rahman, who was the chief minister of the country at the time. Talks of becoming independent began when he and a group of political leaders started a campaign for freedom and negotiated with the British in London. They had reached an agreement and England had granted them freedom in February of 1956, but the official declaration of independence was made in August of 1957 at Independence Stadium in Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia.
On August 30, 1957, right when the clock hit 12:00 (midnight), the British flag was lowered and the Malaysian flag was raised at the Royal Selangor Club, while the Malay national anthem was playing. Thousands were gathered in the stadium to witness the once-in-a-lifetime event. They chanted “Merdeka” after the anthem had played. This was followed by a speech from Tunku Abdul Rahman, who praised the event as the highest moment in history of the nation.
With 1957's independence, a new series of difficult decisions lay ahead of Malaya, the first of which was to determine exactly what territories would be included in the new state. In 1961, the term "Malaysia" came into being after Tunku convinced Singapore, Sabah, and Sarawak to join Malaya in a federal union (Singapore later opted out of the union, peacefully, in 1965). Afraid that the union would interfere with his expansionism plans, Indonesia's president Sukarno launched attacks against Malaysia in Borneo and on the peninsula, all of which were unsuccessful.
Another immediate problem was the determination of a national identity. Malaysia was a mix of people from many races and cultures, and uniting them under a common flag was not an easy enterprise. Because Malays represented the majority, the constitution gave them permanent spots in the government, made Islam the national religion, and made Malay the national language; but the Chinese firmly dominated business and trade, and most Malay were suffering economic hardships. The government, controlled by the United Malay National Organization, passed the New Economic Policy, which attempted to increase economic opportunity for the Malay by establishing various quotas in their favor. Unsurprisingly, many Chinese opposed the new arrangement and formed a significant opposition party. In 1969, after the opposition party won a significant seat, riots swept through Kuala Lumpur and the country was placed in a state of emergency for two years. It was a painful moment in the young nation's history that most Malaysians prefer to forget.
In the last two decades, Malaysia has undergone tremendous growth and prosperity, and has arguably made significant progress in race relations. Today, Malaysia has one of the best airports, highways and telecommunication systems in Asia. Literacy rate is above 90% and poverty level is negligible. It has a secular and democratic government. With a highly educated workforce and modern infrastructure, Malaysia attracts a large amount of foreign investments in the manufacturing and technology sections.
The person who led the fight for Malaysia’s freedom was Tunku Abdul Rahman, who was the chief minister of the country at the time. Talks of becoming independent began when he and a group of political leaders started a campaign for freedom and negotiated with the British in London. They had reached an agreement and England had granted them freedom in February of 1956, but the official declaration of independence was made in August of 1957 at Independence Stadium in Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia.
On August 30, 1957, right when the clock hit 12:00 (midnight), the British flag was lowered and the Malaysian flag was raised at the Royal Selangor Club, while the Malay national anthem was playing. Thousands were gathered in the stadium to witness the once-in-a-lifetime event. They chanted “Merdeka” after the anthem had played. This was followed by a speech from Tunku Abdul Rahman, who praised the event as the highest moment in history of the nation.
With 1957's independence, a new series of difficult decisions lay ahead of Malaya, the first of which was to determine exactly what territories would be included in the new state. In 1961, the term "Malaysia" came into being after Tunku convinced Singapore, Sabah, and Sarawak to join Malaya in a federal union (Singapore later opted out of the union, peacefully, in 1965). Afraid that the union would interfere with his expansionism plans, Indonesia's president Sukarno launched attacks against Malaysia in Borneo and on the peninsula, all of which were unsuccessful.
Another immediate problem was the determination of a national identity. Malaysia was a mix of people from many races and cultures, and uniting them under a common flag was not an easy enterprise. Because Malays represented the majority, the constitution gave them permanent spots in the government, made Islam the national religion, and made Malay the national language; but the Chinese firmly dominated business and trade, and most Malay were suffering economic hardships. The government, controlled by the United Malay National Organization, passed the New Economic Policy, which attempted to increase economic opportunity for the Malay by establishing various quotas in their favor. Unsurprisingly, many Chinese opposed the new arrangement and formed a significant opposition party. In 1969, after the opposition party won a significant seat, riots swept through Kuala Lumpur and the country was placed in a state of emergency for two years. It was a painful moment in the young nation's history that most Malaysians prefer to forget.
13 states in Malaysia nowadays
In the last two decades, Malaysia has undergone tremendous growth and prosperity, and has arguably made significant progress in race relations. Today, Malaysia has one of the best airports, highways and telecommunication systems in Asia. Literacy rate is above 90% and poverty level is negligible. It has a secular and democratic government. With a highly educated workforce and modern infrastructure, Malaysia attracts a large amount of foreign investments in the manufacturing and technology sections.
Various of attractions in Malaysia
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