On May 11, 2020 Umno or the United Malay National Organisation, one of the main political party in Malaysia celebrated its 74th Anniversary. Umno was formed in 1946 during the colonial era with an objective of gaining independence for Malaya. I was born in 1939 and saw the development of the country from day one. There is a few coincident here between me and Umno. To begin with the year 1946. It was the year when all schools in Malaya was reopen after the war and it was in January 1946 that I start schooling at the Sekolah Melayu Teruntun in Kuantan. I was then seven years old and been a Malay we all start our schooling at a Malay school. It the best thing that happens to me because not many Malay at that time got the opportunity to go to school. Thanks for the vision of my father I am among the few that got to have a good education. Then one day in May 1946 and I now believed it had to be the 11th of May 1946, the day Umno was formed, that my father took me with him to attend a gathering at the Malay Club in town. I still could remember it was a small wooden building sort of dark in colour situated between the MPK or the Kuantan Town hall.and the present Masjid Negeri [state mosque] On entering the building I saw a huge crowd of people wearing Baju Melayu [traditional Malay dress]. As a seven years old boy I was just wondering what are those people doing in the building. Then I heard the word Merdeka [Independence] mentioned. I thought it strange because folks never mentioned the word Merdeka during the colonial era as well during the Japanese occupation of Malaya from 1941 to 1945. One word folks are scared to mention as not to offend the authority. Anyway as kid I just follow and listen not really knowing what is the big gathering is all about. I was actually enjoying the event since this is the first time I get to be among the crowds of so many people under one roof. On 31st August 1957 Malaya became an independence country. On the morning of the 31st August 1957 I was there at the town Padang in Boy Scout uniform to witness the Malayan flag being raised and the Union Jack lowered down. We are now an independence country. After completing my secondary examination in the same year and received the result in 1958 I got a job in the Government Service.. On the 1st of December 1966 my wife and I registered as members of Umno at the Kuantan branch. We were then 26 years old. Above on the left is the Membership cards, the receipts and Umno badges that I kept and are still with me till today. Now all these are historical documents which is priceless. That folks in my story.
Have a nice day.
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