My National Anthem

Negaraku

I remembered when I was younger I will always wake up early on MERDEKA day and wait for our beloved National Anthem. But, as the year go by, this also seems to fade away slowly. I no longer wake up early to do this. Even singing Negaraku had been a distant thing. I don't sing Negaraku on Monday morning during assembly time. No more singing Negaraku during convocation for seniors in university. My last sung Negaraku with a proud congregation was during a talk about election in the month of March/April. I know singing our National Anthem don't show our patriotism for this country. 

The meaning of Negaraku brings up so many underlying meanings. 

(Versi BM)

Negaraku
Tanah tumpahnya darahku
Rakyat hidup bersatu dan maju
Rahmat Bahagia Tuhan kurniakan
Raja kita selamat bertakhta
Rahmat Bahagia Tuhan kurniakan
Raja kita selamat bertakhta

(Literal English translation)
My country
The land where my blood has spilt
The people living united and progressive
May God bestow blessing and happiness
May our King have a successful reign
May God bestow blessing and happiness
May our King have a successful reign

I never understood why we need to sing this song every assembly time in school. I never grasps the meaning of the song. But, now being a lady I began to understand the meaning behind the song. It speaks of what we called this country as Malaysia. Blood, sweat and tears shed in this land to fight for the rights. THE PEOPLE living UNITED and progressively. Are we united? Not YET. The day will come when we will not JUDGE each other by our skin colours, but take the extra efforts to know the person as individual! We asked for God's blessings on this country, but to what extend do we mean it? To what extend do we believe God will bless this land? Our King have a successful reign? I do pray that our King will have that once more. A King who stands for his people's rights and show that he is present. I am amazed when I read what Sultan Kedah had did during his reign. It amazed me that we had a King who cared for this country. Now, Sultan Kedah is taking the throne the second time. I do pray He will have a successful reign.

I definitely didn't mean so when I was younger. Have our teachers failed to teach us the meaning of the song itself? I definitely did not learned this from my teachers during my schooling years. Maybe I was too notorious when I was younger - living the way I see fit. But, as I enter university, I began to see the importance of words and understanding the meaning behind it. My perspectives towards my National Anthem changed to a positive one. 

Now, I stand and sing proudly for this is my country. This is what I stand and believe in.