Pak Idrus's Blog

This is a traditional dance group of Telecom Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur, a contribution in celebrating the Merdeka day on 31.8.1957. Asmah who later became my wife is in the center front in this group photo. She was then just 17 years old. On the same day in Kuantan I participated in the Merdeka day ceremony. the raising of the Malayan flag and the lowering of the Union Jack. At that time I  did know her as yet. I was 18 years old then. Amazing a Sychronicity. Alhamdulillah.  Have a nice day.  

The 9th Malaysia PM Ismail Sabri in his keynote address to the nation introduced a new term or slogan Keluarga Malaysia or Malaysian family. Beautiful words for a beautiful country  Malaysia. So let us move forward as a family in this trying times of our history,  as we celebrate our 64th years of our independence.  MERDEKA. 

On the 31.8.2021 we would be celebrating the 64th years of Independence.  I had watch the first time  the Union Jack was lowered down during the first Merdeka day in 1957 and at the same time saw the new Malaya flag was raised for the first time on 31st August 1957 at the town Padang in Kuantan, my hometown. I was at the Padang in the uniform of Boy Scout standing proudly there.  I was then in my teens and now at 82 years still as proud to seen the Malaysia flags been flown including the one I fly in front of my house.  MERDEKA, MERDEKA, MERDEKA!

Today Malaysia Celebrates 63 years of Merdeka. Due to the Covid 19  pandemic and the MCO the anniversary celebration was held according to the New Norm. As a sovereign and peaceful country Malaysia has succeeded in all development efforts and is now one of the most developed countries in the region. On 31.8.1957 the day Malaya was declared as an independence country ( Merdeka) dressed in the Scout uniforms I was presence at the Padang in Kuantan, the capital city and of the state of Pahang where the British flag the Union Jack flag was lowered and the Malayan flag the Jalur Gemilang was raised. At that time I was eighteen years old. My date of birth was 17.8.1939 and  I grew up during the British colonial era and the Japanese Occupation from 1941 to 1945. I start schooling in 1946 after the country returned to peace. In 1957 I graduated from high school after taking the Form V examination. I am very proud that my country Malaysia has continued to succeed and prospe...

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 t...

The year 1948 and I was just 9 years old. This is a story that is still vivid in my mind. The happening was in my hometown of Kuantan. One morning my father took me to a building call the Malay club. I remember a small wooden building varnished black about 400 Sq feet in size. The building is situated in an area between the old MPK Building and the present Masjid Negeri. Holding my hand my father took me into the building where I saw many people talking together. I actuall y did not know what was this gathering of so many people including my father is all about. Then I heard the word Merdeka said by someone in the crowd. At that moment I did not know what the word Merdeka meant. Never heard it in school or anywhere else. Anyhow that word stick to my mind and It was only at the Kuantan padang on the morning of 31st August 1957 where as a Boy Scout I took part in the gathering at the padang, where the Union Jack was lowered down and the new Malayan Flag was flown for the first time. I...