Malaysia Independence Day (2♥)

An Independence Day is an annual celebration observing the anniversary of a nation's independent statehood, usually after ceasing to be a colony or part of another state. All countries honor their respective independence day, celebrating it as a national holiday. The independence of Malaysia is different from that of the independence of other countries. It was a peaceful independence attained by holding talks with the British. Thus on 31 August 1957, Malaysia got its independence from the United Kingdom.

The first Prime Minister of Malaysia, Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj spearheaded the effort for independence, leading a delegation of ministers and political leaders of Malaya (now Malaysia) in negotiations with the British in London for Merdeka, or Independence. Just when it became clear that the Communist threat posed during the Malayan Emergency was getting out of hand, agreement was reached on February 8, 1956, for Malaya to gain independence from the British Empire. But for some reason it was decided that the official proclamation of independence would be made the next year, on August 31, 1957, at Stadium Merdeka (Independence Stadium), in Kuala Lumpur.

On this glorious day Allahyarham Tunku Abdul Rahman proudly declared the independence day of Malaysia by shouting out "Merdeka" seven times at the Merdeka Stadium. Hari Merdeka meaning the Independence Day is the national day of Malaysia commemorating the independence of the Federation of Malaya from British colonial rule. In a larger perspective this day is celebrates the formation of Malaysia. On August 31, 2016, Malaysia will celebrate its 59 years of independence.

马来西亚的国庆日

8月31日是马来西亚的国庆日。每到这一天，马来西亚全国上下都将举行各具特色的游行庆祝活动，而官方的国庆大游行则由大马各州每年轮流举行。

公元初马来半岛有羯荼、狼牙修等古国。15世纪初以马六甲为中心的满刺加王国统一了马来半岛的大部分。16世纪开始先后被葡萄牙、荷兰、英国占领。20世纪初完全沦为英国殖民地。砂拉越、沙巴历史上属汶莱，1888年两地沦为英国保护国。二次大战中，马来亚、砂拉越、沙巴被日本占领。战后英国恢复其殖民统治。1948年成立马来亚联合邦。1957年8月31日马来亚联合邦宣布独立。1963年9月16日马来亚联合邦同新加坡、砂拉越、沙巴合并组成马来西亚(1965年8月9日新加坡退出)。1981年7月起拿督斯里马哈迪医生出任首相，并于2003年退休。（现任马来西亚首相是拿督斯里纳吉阿都拉萨）