August-The Two Tales of Merdeka

Finally it`s August!! yup two weeks late from my initial plan to write this article :P nevertheless, it`s better to late than never write article at all :D

Back to my first sentence.. why is August is so special? for me it is because august is the month of independence for both Indonesia and Malaysia. Two country that have a relation like brothers or sisters in a family. It is called "Benci tapi rindu" in Indonesian :D it can be easily describe with these attitudes : like to compete between each others, claim each other properties, but generally still "love each other" ;)

Anyway.. I noticed something interesting between "merdeka" in Indonesia and in Malaysia ;)

The declaration of Independence of Indonesia was held with very little preparation. Initially the Japanase (through admiral Terauchi in Dalat) told to Sukarno and Hatta that the declaration of independence was permitted to be held at August 24th. But the young generation of Indonesian nationalist dislike Japan intervention and prefer to announced it earlier at 16th of August. So they took Sukarno and Hatta to Rengasdengklok (small town nearby Jakarta) in order to declare the independence of Indonesia and officially start the revolution. But the plan failed because they couldn`t convinced Sukarno and Hatta, however agreement was reached and the date of independece set at the next day, August the 17th.

So can they prepare such a big day just in one day? well apparently not :D For me thats the best part.. because for the next hours the atmosphere was full of struggle B) and I recommend to read the detail at Sukarno biography which was written by Cindy Adams.

We could read the thrill after Japanese warn the nationalist to preserve the status quo which mean that they wont allow any such declaration and will stop it by force. Moreover there was also some witty stories regarding the preparation of the declaration and the declaration process itself :D We could read how Sukarno was using just ordinary textbook to compose the text and he didn`t even remember about the pen that he used to compose the historical text :P

The declaration was planned to be held at Ikada field but later at the last minutes it was moved to pegangsaan timur 56 to prevent open confrontation between Indonesian and Japanese. Sukarno himself was sick at the day of declaration but still he kept going on. After he finished reading the text, there was confusion about what we would do next? Fortunately Latief Hendraningrat, one of the PETA soldier, took initiative to raised the flag by using a bamboo stick. Nevertheless, the proclamation was successfull altough it wasn`t prepared properly. But thats the art right? ;)

Contrary, the declaration of Independence of Malaysia was generally prepared very well. The date itself had been set almost one year earlier at the treaty of London 1956. Place for the declaration (Stadium Merdeka) was specially built after the date had been set. And the situation itself was can be considered peaceful although technically Malaysia is in state of emergency because of communist rebellion. The declaration was attended by Sultans of Malay and foreign diplomats. Malayan Film Unit recorded and filmed the event.

This short excerpt in Malay can describe the event in much "live atmosphere"

Stadium Merdeka 5.00 pagi, 31 Ogos 1957, hujan turun dengan lebatnya. Dato' Abdul Razak yang melawat Stadium pada pagi itu gelisah dengan takungan air di tengah-tengah padang di mana Askar Melayu akan mengadakan perbarisan kehormat. Dato' Razak adalah Timbalan Pengerusi, Jawatankuasa Persiapan Kemerdekaan dengan Tunku sendiri adalah Pengerusinya.

7.00 pagi, hujan mulai reda. Dato' Razak menalifon Tunku dan melaporkan keadaan di stadium. Beliau mencadangkan agar ketibaan Raja-raja Melayu, Duke serta isteri dan Pesuruhjaya Tinggi dilewatkan satu jam.

9.00 pagi, langit mulai cerah, rintik-rintik hujan semakin mengecil dan hilang dari pandangan. Perabut dan perhiasan mula dibawa keluar dengan kadar segera. Tunku telah bersiap sedia di rumahnya. Berbaju Melayu hitam, berkain samping, berselitkan keris bersarong gading dipinggang serta bertengkolok songket, Tunku menantikan saat untuk bertolak.

Di Stadium Merdeka, Tunku berdiri gagah menerima ketibaan Duke of Gloucester yang memakai pakaian istiadat ketenteraan British berpangkat Field Marshall. 'God Save The Queen' berkumandang ketika Duke of Gloucester yang merupakan pakcik Queen Elizabeth II masuk dan mengambil tempat. Duke telah diiringi oleh Pesuruhjaya Tinggi British, Sir Donald MacGillivray.

Raja-raja Melayu pula duduk dipayungi oleh sembilan payung kuning, Yang DiPertuan Agong pula duduk di tengah-tengah, di kirinya Tunku dan di kanannya Duke.

Duke kemudiannya menyerah 'Instrumen Kemerdekaan' yang mana merupakan suatu pengakuan British bahawa ia menyerahkan kedaulatan Pulau Pinang dan Melaka kepada negara baru ini dan seterusnya menarik balik 'perlindungan' yang diberikan kepada negeri-negeri Melayu.

Tunku kemudiannya membacakan pengistiharan Kemerdekaan yang antara lainnya menyebut "Dengan nama Allah, Persekutuan Tanah Melayu untuk selamanya sebuah negara yang demokratik dan Merdeka". Acapkali suaranya tenggelam dan pekikan Merdeka! Merdeka! Merdeka! oleh rakyat sebuah negara baru yang lahir dari suatu perjuangan yang suci

Well you can see the difference between the two events :D But despite that different I congratulate both Indonesia and Malaysia. Happy Independence day !! Merdekaaaa!!!!