Merdeka Day and Malaysia Day: So why do we have two national days?

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 16 — Every Malaysian knows that Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra al-Haj declared the independence of the Federation of Malaya on August 31, 1957 by shouting “Merdeka” seven times at Stadium Merdeka in Kuala Lumpur.

But that was not the only occasion in which he did that.

The father of independence also shouted “Merdeka” seven times at the same place when he announced the merging of the Federation of Malaya with Singapore, Sarawak and Sabah to form Malaysia on September 17, 1963, a day after its official founding.

The name “Malaysia” only came about after September 16, 1963.

Although Malaysia Day was only declared a public holiday in 2010, it holds great significance in the nation’s history.

Malaysia celebrates both Malaysia Day and Merdeka Day separately. However, the celebrations could have been held on the same day, if things had gone as planned.

The ratification of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 on July 9, 1963, marked the formation of Malaysia. It was signed in London by all the leaders involved including representatives from the United Kingdom.

They also agreed that the official date of unification would fall on the same date as Malaya’s Independence Day on August 31.

But Indonesia submitted a formal objection to the United Nations (UN) over the formation. And so the UN needed more time to gather the sentiments in Borneo over the formation of Malaysia for their report.

The UN study was completed on September 14 of the same year which recorded positive responses towards the unification of territories, similar to the results of the Cobbold Commission report.

The merging of all these territories finally took place on September 16, 1963, making the nation only 61 years old although the Federation of Malaya attained independence 67 years ago.

Amid the political friction between Singapore’s People’s Action Party government and the federal government after the 1964 general election, Tunku Abdul Rahman suggested to Singapore’s founding father Lee Kuan Yew that he should focus on turning Singapore into “the New York of South-east Asia”.

Two years later on August 9, Singapore separated from Malaysia to become an independent and separate entity but it kept Malay as its national language.

Brunei was also suggested to be a part of the territories that make up Malaysia. Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin, the Brunei Sultan at the time, supported the move.

But there was firm opposition by the Brunei People’s Party, effectively halting it from joining Malaysia.

Brunei, however, has been taking part in the bi-annual Malaysian Games since 2000.

The idea to unite all the territories within the region was first mooted by Lord Thomas Brassey, the director of the British North Borneo Chartered Company in 1889 to bring greater economic benefit to the British.

Malaysia only came into being after the first prime minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman, proposed it again in 1955, but he informed the British of his intentions only in 1960.

At the time, Singapore, Sabah and Sarawak were not yet independent from the British.

By joining the independent Federation of Malaya, it would hasten the independence of the territories from British colonial rule.