Abdul Razak, Dzulkifli
(2019)
Education for nation-building.
The Sun Daily, 10 Dec 2019.
Abstract
I OFTEN wonder why we still need to have the lyrics of Negaraku projected each time on the screen during official events. After more than 60 years of Merdeka I reckon that all Malaysians attending such official events are able to sing the national anthem by heart. I recall how it was for me at a tender age in school, where the classes were more heterogeneous than today.
But no matter, the anthem is our “love” song for the country. And it must be fully embraced like how “true lovers” would embrace.
There was no need for the National Anthem Act to govern our behaviours towards it. That it should be in Bahasa Melayu (before Bahasa Malaysia become fashionable) is also unquestionable. A love is a love regardless of the language. There’s no need for translation. You would belt it out heartily when the need arises.
It was only later that I came to know the actual meaning of the “love” song, which would make the heart grow fonder. By then my vocabulary and command of Bahasa Melayu had improved despite speaking it since birth, “tanah tumpahnya darahku” was literally the place where I spilt my blood!
Even the word “negara” was not clear to me then and I am sure it was the same for all my classmates, too. Obviously, the best way to grasp its meaning is to master the national language, like all citizens should, since the anthem is not just a song that can simply be mimed and forgotten.
It is called an “anthem” for a reason, which is to be lived by and a rallying call for national unity to protect the beloved country, come what may. Therefore, the nuances – that cannot be translated – are equally vital. They must be felt and experienced like all Malaysians should. Schools are, therefore, the best places for this – a Malaysian school that is, just like the one I attended throughout my schooling days.
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