With the recent polemic of "Pejuang Kemerdekaan" and the spat in the media pertaining to the controversial remarks allegedly spit out by Mat Sabu, let us on this Merdeka Day trace the meaning of "Merdeka" ...
To the Indonesians and Malaysians, "Merdeka" means "independent" or "freedom". it derives from the Sanskrit word "Mahardhika" which means "rich, prosperous and powerful". it is also said to mean " a freed slave" in the Malay Archipelago.
"Mardijker" is a Dutch word and was used to designate former Catholic Portuguese and Dutch slaves from India and the East Indies that were liberated by the Dutch if they abandoned Catholicism and embraced the reformed Dutch church. Meanwhile, the Phillipine term "Maharika" also has a somewhat similar meaning as "rich, prosperous and elevated".
The term "Merdeka" was commonly and aggressively used during the height of the anti colonialists era especially after the end of World War II with Indonesia leading the way in the 1940s.
While Malaysia gained independence on 31 August 1957, Indonesia proclaimed their independence on 17 August 1945. On 1 September that year, Soekarno in his speech said:
" Since today we will cry out loud, "Merdeka"!"Continue that loud cry, as the soul calls out loud for freedom! A soul of freedom, one of fighting and working spirit! TO FIGHT AND TO WORK! Prove it!"
Tunku Abdul Rahman cried out loud "Merdeka!" seven times on that august day @ 31 August 1957 at Stadium Merdeka to the jubilant then Malaya citizens.
Looking back, all of us from our forefathers had somehow or rather a hand in the fight for freedom and being "Merdeka" ....
To name a few examples ...
Hang Jebat had a hand in liberating the "rakyat" of Melaka from being mere "blindly" loyal to the then establishment....
Abdullah Munshi had "freed" the Malay literature from the old and conservative form to the modern and "critical" narratives, so as Sheikh Al Hadi and Pendita Zaaba.
The list could go on and on with the likes of Mst Kilau, Dato' Sagor, Dato' Maharaja Lela, Tok Janggut, Ahmad Boestamam, Ibrahim Yaakob, Pak Sako, A Samad Ismail, Usman Awang ....
Thanks to all of them and my last parting word would obviously be "MERDEKA!!!! ....
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