Independece Day
http://archive.arabnews.com/?page=9§ion=0&article=125949&d=31&m=8&y=2009
Malaysia Independence Day Supplement: History of independence — 52 years ago
Arab News
The struggle to search for independence began in 1511 and took more than 446 years. It ended with the declaration of national independence on Aug. 31, 1957.
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, that is 51 out of the 52 seats contested. YTM Tunku Abdul Rahman was appointed the Federation of Malaya’s first Chief Minister. The alliance was successful in pressuring the British to relinquish their sovereignty and the Federation of Malaya achieved its independence on Aug. 31, 1957.
On that day, YTM Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj poignantly read out the Proclamation of Independence. The proclamation acknowledges all Malay states including Malacca and Pulau Pinang shall forever remain a sovereign, democratic and independent state founded upon the principle of democracy.
Transcript of YTM Tunku Abdul Rahman’s speech as follows:
Your Majesties, Your Royal Highnesses, Your Highnesses, Your Excellencies, People of Persekutuan Tanah Melayu.
I am indeed proud that on this, the greatest day in Malaya’s history it falls to my lot to proclaim the formal
Malaysia Independence Day Supplement: History of independence — 52 years ago
Arab News
The struggle to search for independence began in 1511 and took more than 446 years. It ended with the declaration of national independence on Aug. 31, 1957.
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, that is 51 out of the 52 seats contested. YTM Tunku Abdul Rahman was appointed the Federation of Malaya’s first Chief Minister. The alliance was successful in pressuring the British to relinquish their sovereignty and the Federation of Malaya achieved its independence on Aug. 31, 1957.
On that day, YTM Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj poignantly read out the Proclamation of Independence. The proclamation acknowledges all Malay states including Malacca and Pulau Pinang shall forever remain a sovereign, democratic and independent state founded upon the principle of democracy.
Transcript of YTM Tunku Abdul Rahman’s speech as follows:
Your Majesties, Your Royal Highnesses, Your Highnesses, Your Excellencies, People of Persekutuan Tanah Melayu.
I am indeed proud that on this, the greatest day in Malaya’s history it falls to my lot to proclaim the formal
References: August 31, 1957 On the night of August 30, 1957, crowds gathered at the Royal Selangor Club Padang in Kuala Lumpur to witness the handover of power from the British Tunku Abdul Rahman announcing the independence of Malaya from the British on August 31, 1957 at the Merdeka Stadium On the morning of Saturday, August 31, 1957, the festivities moved to the newly-completed Merdeka Stadium The formation of Malaysia The Federation of Malaysia, comprising the States of Malaya, North Borneo (later renamed Sabah), Sarawak and Singapore was to be officially declared on the date August 31, 1963, on the 6th anniversary of Malayan independence (Vision 2020) | | 1992 | Wawasan Asas Kemajuan