Malaysia 62nd Hari Merdeka
Sixty-two years ago, more than 20,000 people witnessed the birth of the independent nation of Malaysia from British rule, which started in the 18th century. The Federation of Malaya gained its independence on Aug. 31, 1957 at the Merdeka Square. On the night before, the lights were turned off at 11:58 p.m. for two minutes of darkness. The British Union Jack was lowered and Malaysia’s new flag was raised in its place. At midnight, the lights were switched back on for the first time in the new country. The official Malayan Declaration of Independence was read at 9:30 a.m. before dignitaries that include the King and Queen of Thailand.
Cities and small towns have their own local celebrations but mostly Malaysians celebrate the historic event with parades and fireworks. Each Independence Day in Malaysia is given a logo and a theme. For this year, the theme is Sayangi Malaysiaku: Malaysia Bersih or “Love our Malaysia: A Clean Malaysia,” stressing the importance of unity and patriotism for the wellbeing of the people and shared prosperity. It is hoped that the theme will instill the value of integrity and strong character among the people.
MALAYSIA’S DIVERSITY
Malaysia is the 66th largest country by total land area, sharing borders with Thailand, Indonesia, Brunei, and Singapore, and maritime boundaries with Vietnam and the Philippines. It is a mix of the modern world and a developing nation, and has become one of the richest countries in Southeast Asia. It is a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural and multilingual country with a population that comprises of Malays as the majority, more than 25-percent Chinese, around 10-percent Indians, and 12-percent indigenous peoples. Because of this particular mix of cultures, there is also a profusion of faith and religions with Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, Taoism, Hinduism, and Sikhism on the map.
This is also the reason for the vast range of festivals and holidays being observed. Ramadan, Eid ul-Fitr or Hari Raya Puasa, Eid ul Adha are the holidays celebrated by the Muslim population. Other major holidays include the Chinese New Year; Deepavali or Diwali, the Hindi festival of lights; Buddhist holiday, Wesak; Christmas; and Thaipusam, a Hindi festival where male devotees carry decorated altars towards the temple in Batu Caves while having religious spears and hooks pierced through their skin.
TOURISM AS A DRIVING FORCE
The country is a popular tourist destination, with tourism as Malaysia’s third-largest source of foreign exchange. It welcomed a whopping 13.35 million international tourists and recorded a 6.8-percent growth in tourist receipts, contributing RM 41.69 billion to the country’s revenue in the first half of 2019.
Popular destinations in Malaysia include Kuala Lumpur, Langkawi, Malacca, Penang, Johor Bahru, and Selangor, to name a few. Kuala Lumpur or KL is the country’s capital and the largest city. This is where numerous iconic structures such as the Petronas Twin Towers, KL Tower, Sultan Abdul Samad Building, Old KL Train Station, KLCC, and Merdeka Square are located. Penang is a popular destination for its historic city, George Town, British influences, and cuisine. Malacca, is another historic city but with Portuguese, Dutch and British influences. Among the attractions in Malacca are Fort A Famosa, and the Malacca Tower.
With so many more places to visit and things to do in Malaysia, it is no wonder that the country’s tourism slogan is “Malaysia, Truly Asia.”