With Tugu Negara celebrating its Golden Jubilee tomorrow, Zuliantie Dzul pays this historic monument a visit
“Dedicated to the heroic fighters in the cause of peace and freedom,
May the blessing of Allah be upon them.”
These are the words engraved so poignantly on Tugu Negara, otherwise known as the National Monument. Tomorrow marks its Golden Jubilee. It has been 50 years since the monument, designed by Austrian-born sculptor, Felix de Weldon, was constructed. The 15.54m high monument was erected in 1966 to commemorate those who died in World War II and the Emergency (1948-1960) fighting for our freedom. The towering sculpture shows a group of soldiers, two of whom are slumped at the base and one holding our national flag. Each of the bronze figures symbolises leadership, suffering, unity, vigilance, strength, courage and sacrifice.
Singaporean architect Lai Chee Kien in his book, Building Merdeka: Independence Architecture In Kuala Lumpur 1957-1966, cites that it took five and a quarter years to realise the commemorative monument. At the end of the Emergency, a conclusion or commemoration that enabled the marking of symbolic victory was deemed important. Hence, the decision to build the monument was made. De Weldon was officially commissioned to design the structure after the-then Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman’s visit to the United States, where he was impressed with the sculptor’s Iwo Jima Memorial.
The National Monument’s unveiling and public inauguration coincided with Tunku’s 63rd birthday, according to the book. The event was attended by various dignitaries and foreign delegates. Tunku, in his speech during the official opening and commemoration on Feb 8, 1966, stressed repeatedly that the monument was not “a tomb or a shrine”, but a hallowed place where Malaysians could come in remembrance of our fallen soldiers and to pay their silent tribute.
Sadly, in 1975, an explosion set off by a communist terrorist caused extensive damage to the monument. It was restored two years later and the complex area is today protected from sunset to dawn. Its presence on top of the hill on Jalan Parlimen is a reminder to all Malaysians of a part of our history that should not be forgotten.
Historian Prof Datuk Dr Zainal Kling, in an email interview, shares his thoughts on our National Monument. “I didn’t witness the opening but I completely understand the meaning and the significance of the monument. It is an eternal reminder of the sovereignty and independence of our country,” he says.
The Universiti Utara Malaysia professor adds: “It is therefore necessary for all Malaysians, especially the younger generation who were born after our independence, to understand the history and the struggle to eliminate threats from our enemies during those years.”
The National Monument, he concludes, is a concrete and firm statement of our rejection towards the ideology and all kinds of motions, which suppress and bring cruelty and violence to the state and nation.
HOPE FLOATS
Walking around the complex one hot afternoon, a thought flitted through my mind. How much do my fellow Malaysians know about the history of our National Monument? Has its significance eroded with time, only to remain in the recesses of the minds of the older generation? Do Malaysians even visit this place?
“My children are still small so they won’t understand yet. But I will take them someday since I’ve never actually been there myself,” confides Salwana Iksan, a mother of two. “They need to know why the monument was built. It would be great if schools can arrange trips to this place so that our young can have a better appreciation of history even though history may not be their favourite subject.”
For Universiti Putra Malaysia lecturer Dr Arbaayah Ali Termizi, who made the National Monument one of her family’s must-visit sites, it’s important that children see for themselves what they had hitherto just read in books or heard about from their teachers. “Their first question was, ‘Why are we here?’” recalls Dr Arbaayah. It was two years ago, when she brought her children for a visit and also once more after that. “Luckily my husband knows his history pretty well,” she adds.
The last time I paid a visit to the National Monument was sometime in 2011. Today’s visit is proving to be a pleasant one, with the elements being in my favour. A gentle breeze provides respite from the heat earlier in the day. There are not many people around at this time of the evening and I enjoy the tranquillity. The cenotaph, a memorial from colonial times, is the first sculpture that I clap eyes on. “To our glorious dead”, reads the memorial. The area is quiet.
But it is the National Monument that takes my breath away. The seven soldiers looming high above me look majestic in their silence. The flag, atop a pole held by one of the soldiers, billows majestically in the breeze. My mind is transported to scenes of battles with guns blazing and soldiers falling. A sense of patriotism engulfs me.
A family of five crosses my vision. I approach them for their thoughts on our National Monument. It seems it’s the first time that the family has come here. “I’ve always wanted to bring my children here,” confides Shapri Senin, the father.
He adds that knowing our country’s history is very important. Especially for the younger generation. He shares: “I am a military man myself. My children need to know. Yes, they learn it in school. They read about it in text books. But nothing beats the real thing. Later when we go home, maybe during dinner when we sit together, I will explain to them about why this monument was built.”
As the sky begins to turn a darker shade of blue, I silently make a wish for this special monument — for it to continue to stand proud and for Malaysians to never forget our history. It’s important for us to be united and live harmoniously so that the sacrifice and the suffering endured by those who fought for the country would not have been in vain.
Just like how Tunku expressed it in his speech, where it was his hope that the monument would be “an enduring reminder of the victory of good over evil, and serve as a constant symbol of the eternal truth — that come what may, the cause of right and justice will always triumph in the end”.