Independence day is an amazing opportunity to remain ourselves how hard we've worked for it.

In 31 August 1957 has been declared the independence of Malaysia after several negotiations were among Malaysians led by Tengku Abdul Rahman and the British. In that day, Tunku Abdul Rahman proudly declared the independence of Malaya (now Malaysia) by shouting out “merdeka” seven times at the merdeka stadium.

The independence of Malaysia is different from much of the independence of other countries, because is a peaceful independence achieved by holding talks with the British. No other country has ever done that before Malaysia. Additionally , the Malaysian independence was realised by three people with different culture and religion

After independence, Tunku Abdul Rahman became the Prime Minister of Malaysia and he was the first Prime Minister of Malaysia then Tun Abdul Razak b. Hussein then Tun Hussein b. Onn then Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad then Dato’ Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi then Najib Tunku Abdul Razak, the Prime Minister of Malaysia now, and Malaysia developed and became a tourist country after independence.

After the Japanese Occupation the Malayan Union was proposed to unify the peninsula under one central administration. Singapore remained a Crown Colony, but the other British settlements and protectorates came under the administration of a British High Commissioner in Kuala Lumpur. 

The traditional power of the Malay rulers was restricted, and the large immigrant populations, namely the Chinese and the Indians, were accorded citizenship in the new federation.

Malay opposition to the Malayan Union proposal was powerful, and the Malayan Union was quickly replaced with the Federation of Malaya and preparations for self-government began.

"may we think of freedom, not as the right to do as we please, but as the opportunity to do what is right"

But the Malayan Union gave rise to the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), then led by Dato’ Onn Jaafar, the Menteri Besar of Johor. Dato’ Onn resigned when his idea to open UMNO to non-Malay participation was opposed by a majority of UMNO members.

Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Aj-Haj became UMNO’s second president. The Tunku was aristocratic, an anglophile and popular among the non-Malays. He was considered ideal for the stewardship of a new nation, and it was him who steered the people of Malaya and Borneo towards present-day Malaysia.

However, the road to independence was not without obstacles, the biggest of which was certainly the up rise of the communists, mostly from Chinese quarters. In 1948, a state of Emergency was declared when communist rebels in Sungai Siput murdered three European planters. The communists declared an armed struggle to liberate Malaya from the British and started the bloodiest British undeclared war that should last twelve years. Eventually the communists were beaten through a combination of aggressive jungle warfare, the cutting-off of supplies and the establishment of multi-racial co-operation between the respective race-based parties in Malaya. Tunku Abdul Rahman, Malaya’s first Prime Minister, declared the Emergency over in 1960.

During the 1951 Kuala Lumpur Municipal Elections, UMNO decided to join the Malayan Chinese Organisation (MCA) to woo voters. This formula of racial co-operation saw the establishment of the Alliance Party that eventually won the first Malayan elections in 1955. Tunku Abdul Rahman became Malaya’s first Chief Minister and began negotiations with the British for independence.

Following the favourable recommendations of the Reid Commission, the Tunku arrived home from London with the good news that independence would finally come to Malaya. Between the years 1955-57, the Tunku and his cabinet prepared the Malayan Constitution, discussed the administration of justice, cemented racial harmony in the country and resolved to beat the Communists. 

The Tunku led the nation when he shouted Merdeka seven times at the newly built Merdeka Stadium on the 31st of August 1957.

The independence of Malaysia is different from much of the independence of other countries. What makes it so different? It is a peaceful independence achieved by holding talks with the British. No other country has ever done that before Malaysia. Additionally, the Malaysian independence was realised by three people with different culture and religion. It is amazing how independence was gained that way. On the glorious day of 31 August 1957, Allahyarham Tunku Abdul Rahman proudly declared the independence of Malaya (now Malaysia) by shouting out “Merdeka” seven times at the Merdeka Stadium.

Since that day onwards, the people of Malaysia promised to renew the political, economical and social structure in order to reduce the gap among the society. It is no easy job as there are many challenges ahead. The independence became unstable when the 13 May tragedy occured, caused by racial conflicts. Fortunately, the problem was overcomed immediately, ensuring the independence is unjeopardised. Measures are taken but success comes from individuals. How one acts can affect the whole nation.

As time flies, the danger seems to have extinct, but it lurks beyond the naked eyes. Younger generations tend not to bother the importance of independence anymore, not only in Malaysia but other countries as well. This would cause them to fall prey to the superpowers.

 Colonization could happen economically and even socially in some parts of the world. Independence should be maintained no only externally, but also internally into the minds of the people. The effects of this agenda which may jeopardise our independence could be our lack of learning, egoism, seggregation and political struggle. If this phoenomena worsen, the independence will extinct.

This country was colonized for more than four centuries before attaining independence and the end of World War II saw the rise of nationalism amongst its people. Malaysia’s road to independence, however, was far from being a smooth ride. Nevertheless, Malaysia is unique compared to other countries because her fight for independence did not involve bloodshed or vocal strife. Independence was realized by the courageous unity of her multi-ethnics, multi-cultural and multi-religious population.

The termination of the Malayan Union in 1948 made the British to commit themselves to prepare the way for the federation’s independence. Under the twin pressure of the emergency and the development of a strong Malay nationalist movement, that is UMNO, the British introduced elections in 1951 at the local level.

The problem of obtaining political cooperation among the main ethnic groups in the country to fight for independence was resolved by the successful establishment of an alliance between UMNO and the Malayan Chinese Association (MCA), the two principal communal parties and later joined by the Malayan Indian Congress (MIC). When the first federal elections were held in 1955, the UMNO-MCA-MIC Alliance, which was headed by Tunku Abdul Rahman, won an overwhelming victory.