National Day (Independence Day) is a national holiday of Malaysia commemorating the independence of the Federation of Malaya from British colonial rule. The National Day celebration falls on 31st August of the year. The effort for independence was spearheaded by Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj, the first Prime Minister of Malaysia, who led a delegation of ministers and political leaders of Malaya in negotiations with the British for independence. On February 8, 1956 they successfully achieved independence from the British Empire. However, it was decided that the official proclamation of independence would only be done the next year, on 31 August 1957 at Stadium Merdeka, in Kuala Lumpur.
The federation of Malaysia, comprising Malaya, Sabah, Sarawak and Singapore was to be officially declared on the date 31st August 1963, on the 6th anniversary of Malayan independence. However, it was postponed to 16th September 1963, mainly due to the confrontation with Indonesia over the formation of Malaysia. Indonesia considered it as a new form of colonisation on the provinces of Sarawak and Sabah in the island of Borneo (bordering Kalimantan, Indonesia), which they laid claim on. A referendum and the Cobbold Commission, led by Lord Cobbold, were formed to determine whether the people of Sabah and Sarawak wished to join Malaysia. Their eventual findings which indicated substantial support for Malaysia among the peoples of Sabah and Sarawak, cleared the way for the final proclamation of Malaysia. The formation of the Federation of Malaysia was announced on 16 September 1963. However the celebration of Merdeka Day (Independence Day) is still held on 31 August, the original independence date for Malaya.
The history of the Malaysian area can be seen as four successive phases of outside influence, followed by the final assertion of Malay independence. The first phase saw the domination of Hindu culture imported from India, which reached its peak in the great Srivijaya civilisation based in Sumatra, which ruled most of the Malay world from the 7th to the 14th centuries. The second phase began with the arrival of Islam, which began in the 10th century, and led to the conversion of most of the Malay-Indonesian world and the breakup of the Srivijayan empire into many smaller sultanates, the most prominent of which was the Melaka (Malacca). Islamic culture has had a profound influence on the Malay peoples, but has also been influenced by them. The third phase was the intrusion into the area of the European colonial powers: first the Portuguese, who captured Melaka in 1511, then the Dutch and finally the British, who established bases at Penang and Singapore. European domination led to the most fateful event in Malay history - the Anglo-Dutch treaty of 1824, which drew a frontier between British Malaya and the Netherlands East Indies, which became Indonesia. This arbitrary division of the Malay world has proved permanent. European domination also led to the fourth phase of foreign influence: the mass immigration of Chinese and Indian workers to meet the needs of the colonial economy created by the British in the Malay Peninsula and North Borneo. The Chinese and Indians posed a profound threat to the Malays, dominating economic life and the professions, and at one time threatening to make the Malays a minority in their own country.
During 1955 and 1956 UMNO, the MCA and the British hammered out a constitutional settlement for an independent Malaya. UMNO conceded the principle of equal citizenship for all races. In exchange, the MCA agreed that Malaya's head of state would be drawn from the ranks of the Malay Sultans, that Malay would be the official language, and that Malay education and economic development would be promoted and subsidised. In effect this meant that Malaya would be run by the Malays, particularly since they continued to dominate the civil service, the army and the police, but that the Chinese and Indians would have proportionate representation in the Cabinet and the parliament, would run those states where they were the majority, and would have their economic position protected. The difficult issue of who would control the education system was deferred until after independence.
After a failed ceasefire conference in the small town of Baling in 1955, Tunku Abdul Rahman then lead a gathering of Malayan rulers and political leaders to London and successfully negotiated the independence of Malaya at the London Conference. In 1956, the then Prime Minister of Malaysia Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj led a delegation to London to hold talks with the British Government concerning independence for Malaya. The Malayan delegation, comprising of four representatives of the Malay Rulers and four Alliance representatives, convinced the British Government to set a date for independence: 31st August 1957. He was accorded a hero's welcome on his return and he himself proclaimed the independence of Malaya on August 31st 1957 in the nation's new capital Kuala Lumpur. Then, Tunku Abdul Rahman became the first Prime Minister of independent Malaya.
And so it came to pass that on the eve of 31 August 1957, at the Selangor Club Padang (now known as Dataran Merdeka or Independence Square), the Malayan flag was hoisted to replace the Union Jack. Early the next morning the Tunku read the Proclamation of Independence at the historic Merdeka Stadium. On both occasions, Tunku's shouts of Merdeka! were joyously echoed by thousands of Malayans who were there, and the millions who followed the proceedings through the mass media. Malaya had officially gained independence from the former colonialists and became known as the Federation of Malaya, to be followed in 1963 by a change in name to the Federation of Malaysia. And every year since that momentous event in 1957, Malaysians of all races proudly celebrate the anniversary of their independence.
Malaysia has come along way since then. After almost half a century of progress, development and improvement, the country has become a role model for other developing countries, and shown that people of different cultures and religions can live and work together while maintaining their unique identities and their own traditions and customs.
On a special occasions like Merdeka Day, the many races of Malaysia proudly don their traditional costumes and gather at various venues around the country in celebration of freedom, self-determination and unity. Malaysia had celebrate her 48th Independence Day on 31 August 2005. The centre for National Day celebrations rotates around the states of Malaysia. Take for example last year, the main event will be held in Putrajaya. Festivities would start the night before with an open-air concert at the chosen venue during the 'Merdeka Eve Celebrations' with popular Malaysian singers and celebrities. The National Day celebrations often include exhibition of the nation''s history, a fireworks display and a grand parade attended by Their Majesties, the King and Queen, the Prime Minister and and other dignitaries
To mark the occasion on the morning of Merdeka Day, the main event usually begins with a spectacular parade down at the preselected venue with His Majesty The King, the Prime Minister, and other government leaders joining the mammoth crowd. Each state will be represented, as are the many ethnic groups that comprise multiracial Malaysia. The National Flag will be flown throughout the country, at office buildings, private homes and on vehicles. State shows, competitions and exhibitions will also be held in all states. The doctrine of individualism in unity has made Malaysia that much more special in the eyes of the world. Rather than put all the different cultures and customs in a melting pot and let everything fuse together, it is the rakyat's celebration of each other's uniqueness that have made them, and their country so successful. It's a win-win formula. And when they gather together on independence day, Malaysians are reminded of their roots and how they came to be what they are today.