A joy to be named ‘Merdeka’
KEPALA BATAS: Mohd Merdeka Ismail smirks every time he reminisces about his childhood.
When he was a teenager, Merdeka, who celebrates his 60th birthday this year along with the country’s independence, said he would feel ashamed each time his name was called.
Until now, he could never forget how his friends used to poke fun at him.
“They would call me Merdeka from afar shouting ‘Merdeka, Merdeka, Merdeka’ with their hands raised.
“Everyone would turn and look towards my direction. It sure felt embarrassing and strange,” he recalled.
Merdeka said as time went by, he grew accustomed to the name.
“If you ask me now, I can tell you that I am the luckiest person to have such a meaningful name.
“I would never trade it for anything else in the world,” he said when met at his house in Kampung Dua Puluh Tepi Laut, Penaga, near here recently.
Merdeka said he got his name from a bidan kampung, Tok Esah, who came to help his mother when she went into labour at 7am on Aug 31, 1957.
He was born in neighbouring Simpang Tiga, Tasek Gelugor.
“She (Tok Esah) must have named me Merdeka then due to the significance of the special day, and my parents, too, accepted it.
“The significance of Aug 31 is celebrated to this day. What’s more, on this special day, too, I am being celebrated along with all the Merdeka babies,” he added, noting that Tok Esah died about six months after he was born.
Merdeka also recalled during the nation’s 50th Merdeka celebration, the government had planned a mega celebration, which saw him being invited to the Istana Negara to meet with the then Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin, then prime minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and all the other cabinet ministers.
“It was a dream come true ... how many people get the chance to actually celebrate their birthday with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and the prime minister?
“Every year, various organisations would also plan some event during Merdeka day where I would be invited to join in.
“I feel like a very important person then,” he added.
He said among the most priceless gifts he had was a new suit for the visit to the Istana, watch and pen, which he had kept well all these years.
Merdeka said to mark his and the nation’s 60th birthday this year, he was looking forward to another grand celebration.
“I am grateful to Allah for the 60 wonderful years he has given me and the blessings for this nation.
“It is my hope to see Malaysia and her people continue to prosper and reach greater heights,” he said.
These days, Merdeka spends his time going to the sea as a fisherman or meeting his village friends over coffee at the nearby fishing jetty or warung.
In the village, he is popularly known as ‘Pak Su Merdeka’.
Sometimes, he also helps his wife, Che Kiah Osman, 50, to look after the children from the village.
The couple have a daughter, Izzatun Nabila, 24, who works in the Seberang Jaya Hospital.
Just like her father, Izzatun said she too was often made fun of by her schoolmates back then.
“Slowly, I came to accept it. After all, it gives me a sense of pride to be called Merdeka,” she said.
According to records, there are two people in Penang with the name Merdeka who were born on Aug 31, 1957.
All in, 1,082 people were born in 1957 and only 18 people were named Merdeka nationwide.