National Anthem - The Australian Experience

There has been a lot of debate and discussion of late on the Malayan/Malaysian history.

Apparently a lot of agony and anguish - made-up or real, were generated during such debates, depending on which side you are on. I would not want to add on to the debate, but just would like to give the perspective of another nation, which we share some similarity and history.

When I was a kid, I was told by Mak that our national anthem was taken from the Perak anthem. Obviously we were proud of that fact and honoured, but without internet and youtube, there was no way we would know then that even the Perak anthem was taken from Terang Bulan which was taken from song from Seychelles. Apparently it happened when Sultan Abdullah of Perak was exiled by the British and he was taken by the song.

Similarly, there have been many debates on our Jalur Gemilang, previously and lately. I remember the reading a news report that when our PM (TDM) first went to the US (in the 80s?) -  during his early days as the PM, he was indeed asked as to why the Malaysian flag looked very much like their Star and Stripes. Honestly, I don't remember his answer anymore, so it can't be that memorable.

Australia went through similar predicament much earlier than us; not on the flag, but their national anthem.

The Australia's national anthem booth in 2005 in Canberra

I remember the debate in the 80s if Advance Australia Fair should be their national anthem. Obviously many thought that a more popular tune that seems to represent (fair dinkum) Australia would be Waltzing Matilda.

Even then, and especially now, I would be able to humm Waltzing Matilda and have no clue about the melody of Advance Australia Fair. Waltzing Matilda would be more Australian to a foreigner like me, and would be get my vote along with Down Under (Men at Work)!

Apparently the original Advance Australia Fair was written Peter McCormick, a Scottish-born song writer and was first performed in 1878. It was originally sung as a patriotic song and not as a national anthem.

Up to 1974, God saves the Queen was Australia's national anthem. in 1973, the Whitlam government decided that Australia needed a new national anthem to represent Australia with distinction, and started a competition. On the recommendation of the Council for the Arts, none of the new entries were felt worthy enough, so the contest ended with the suggestions for Advance Australia Fair, Waltzing Matilda and Song of Australia. 

A nationwide opinion survey was done in 1974 and Advance Australian Fair came on top.

In 1976, the Fraser government reinstated God save the Queen as the national anthem.

In the 1977 referendum on various issues.Advance Australia Fair received 43.29% of the vote, defeating the three alternatives: Waltzing Matilda (28.28%), Song of Australia (9.65%), and the existing national anthem God Save the Queen (18.78%).

Advance Australia Fair, with modified lyrics from the original, was adopted as the Australian national anthem on 19 April 1984 by a proclamation by the Governor-General Sir Ninian Stephen,^[8] on a recommendation by the Labor government of Bob Hawke. [Wiki]

But I still love Waltzing Matilda. It is as Australian as the kangaroo and billabong!

Can we do it in the Australian way? A lot of debate and discussion were held in Australia in the 70s and 80s, and practically everybody has an opinion on this, and obviously no one agrees with everyone else, especially the politicians.

But no one accused everyone else as traitor for wanting to change the national anthem. No one demanded that ISA be used on their opponents. As far as I remember it in the 80s, it was a proper and  educated debate, though I am reasonably sure that a lot of emotions were generated during these debates.

There were many Australian royalist (if I may term them as that) who would want to keep God Save the Queen as the anthem, and I am sure as many Australian who would want to have the Australian identity in their national anthem.

Can we have a debate on what's constitute Malaysia's national anthem and national flag please? If Negaraku and Jalur Gemilang are the proper anthem and flag, then so be it, even though it may be derived from a song in Seychelles and the American flag respectively. If we want to find one that could represent Malaysia with distinction, we could do a nationwide survey or referendum and even hold competition if we could come up with better anthem or flag.


Is it too much to ask of us?

EPILOGUE

Such is the environment in Malaysia that I am a bit unsure if I should even be bothered to post this entry. Would I be labeled a traitor for even mentioning it, or would someone call me to be incarcerated into ISA, nevermind that Najib is thinking of abolishing it. I am not saying one way or another, but I am asking all of us Malaysians to look at how our Australian counterparts handled their diversities in opinions and came out unscathed, if not stronger, as a country.


There was another movement in Australia even in the 80s. The movement calls for Australia to become a republic instead of having the Queen as the constitutional monarch. Please read about it here. Again, no one calls for the citizenship of these republicans to be revoked!

Raya doloe-doelo (The Eighties)

Raya in 1983 - the boys

Raya in the 80s are typically celebrated alone in my lecture hall at Monash.

Don't get me wrong; we would hold Solat Raya most likely at the Sport Centre as the praying room at the Religious centre would be too small to hold all of us at one go, even if we were to borrow the next door room from the Buddhist Society.

Yes, each major religion is accorded their own room with the Chapel at the centre of it, obviously. You are talking about Australia here and not Malaysia, so Islam and other religion had to play second or third fiddle. And after the solat, we would disperse to attend lab/lectures at our respective departments.

No kuih raya, or lemang on the 1st of Syawal. In fact, no one of my friends would even know of the existence of Raya in my department - well, sort of. It is business as usual for me.

But this entry is not about raya at Monash. I am too lazy to scan the old pictures from my album, so I would write an entry with ready-made scanned pictures.

Honestly, I am the last person who should be writing about this as I was not around, but being someone who like to write, I am sure bapak would have written me letters about raya celebration at home.

Alamak, budak-budak assalamualaikum dah datang!
Bukit Kerajaan 1983 - the road leading to our house, and the kids enjoying
themselves. I am reasonably sure they are only posing for this picture ;-)

In the 80s, Kuala Kangsar was our home, and by this time, we lived in the government quarters at Bukit Kerajaan, next to the Kuala Kangsar OCPD's house and the Malay College principal's house. We were in esteemed companies.

There was this one year (1981) that we Perakians celebrated Raya a day earlier than the rest of the country. The then Sultan Perak, Sultan Idris Shah decided to declare Hari Raya a day earlier (Aug 2) than the rest of the country; I believe after the Keeper of the Royal Seal had declared Aug 3, 1981 to be the Raya day for Malaysia.

It was a bewildering time for us. And living in the royal town itself would cause a great dilemma on whether to follow the Sultan, or the rest of the country. To make matter worse for us, Bukit Kerajaan is just a stone's throw away from the palace (which is located in Bukit Chandan).

That year, he (the Sultan) decided to follow the falak calculation, and because "ketupat dan rendang dah masak, alamat basilah kalau esok tak raya." Apparently people had been expecting the next day (Aug 2) to be Raya day - so they decided to start cooking Raya dishes, only to be told by the Keeper otherwise. It seems that the other excuse would be that he (the Sultan) refused to let his subjects fasting on the 1st of Syawal!

But bapak would not have any of these; the rationalization seems illogical to him, so the family - perhaps the only family in this royal town to be fasting, in solidarity with the rest in the nation. Yes, we were visited by many guests, and they were all treated as if it was Raya day, but were politely informed that the family is still fasting.

The boys enjoying themselves during Raya 83

I am not sure where Bapak and the kids had their solat raya - perhaps he performed the takbir and solat at home.

Apparently we were even visited by our cousin's family from Bagan Serai on the very first day. Wak, Mak Ngah, AbgNet and the rest of the family visited Bukit Kerajaan, and I guess they would have been surprised by the non-celebration at the Hariris. However, obviously, they were served raya dishes ( I guess whatever that was available, though I am not sure if it include ketupat, lemang and rendang or not.) Obviously they perhaps would be too embarrassed to eat in front of fasting persons, but bapak would not have anything with it. He would encouraged them to eat and eat and act as if he was celebrating one himself.

At least that what I was told by AbgNet when he read this entry.

These pictures above were taken in 1983, with the kids celebrating Raya day in Bukit Kerajaan in Kuala Kangsar. It was odd to say the least; for I don't think I would like to experience this in the new millennium. It made mockery of a religious festival, although to be honest, thirty years on, we have not really come to any close to settling the argument - one way or another.

The picture is bad, and this turned out to be our second last
Raya in Kuala Kangsar and the second last raya with bapak. There was another
raya in 1984 in KK, before moving back to Taiping.

Bersongket and bersampin and an attempt to
tie teh sampin ala P Ramlee. You should watch how
P Ramlee did it in Madu Tiga - to tie the sampin that
is (and not to marry three wives) LOL
He made it too easy!!

Our first Raya in Taiping and without bapak (bapak died a week
or so before this Raya Haji. I had the privilege then to take
this picture as I had taken an extended leave of absence from
my classes due to bapak's demise. This is Aug or early Sept 1984 ,
or 10 Zulhijjah to be precise.

Could this be Raya day with the patriarch Tok Adam? He is all dressed up.
Can you confirm AbgNet please? He passed away in 1986, so this could be sometime
in the 80s too.

I Was Only Nineteen

Actually I was only 20 when this song started to get a lot of air play over the radio station in Melbourne and Australia. So this entry is not about me.

No it didn't fit me at all.

This is a song about the Vietnam War. In WWII, the average age of the soldiers was 23. In Vietnam, it was 19, and hence the title of the song.

I can't imagine - and I am sure many would not be able to comprehend either, that someone at that age would be going to war, and obviously not knowing whether or not one would return home.

In one piece.

Or in a coffin!

The lyric was graphic. It could not be as blunt as I was only Nineteen.

A four week operation, when each step can mean your last one on two legs

It was a war within yourself

But you wouldn't let your mates down 'til they had you dusted off

So you closed your eyes and thought about something else

This person could be as young as Arif, practically a kid. Sorry Arif. While Arif is now flying a twin engine plane, the soldiers might be flying a Chinook from Vung Tau to Nui Dat.

Then there was war.

Then someone yelled out 'Contact' and the bloke behind me swore

We hooked in there for hours, then a God Almighty roar

Then again if you are lucky enough to survive the many battle fields, and you started to think that you would be returning home soon,

Frankie kicked a mine the day that Mankind kicked the moon

God help me, he was going home in June

Vietnam War - obviously we were worried during those years about possibly that the whole of South East Asia might fall to the communist.

I can only imagine what goes into the mind of the soldiers during those years fighting the communists; ours included.

God help me, I was only 19.

Mum and Dad and Denny saw the Passing out Parade at Puckapunal
(it was a long march from Cadets)
The 6th Battalion was the next to tour, and it was me who drew the card
We did Canungra - Shoalwater before we left

And Townsville lined the footpaths as we marched down to the Quay
This clipping from the paper shows us young and strong and clean
And there's me in me slouch hat with me S.L.R. and Greens
God help me, I was only 19

From Vung tau riding Chinooks, to the dust at Nui Dat
I'd been in and out of choppers now for months
But we made our tents a home, V.B. and pin ups on the lockers
And an Asian orange sunset through the scrub
And can you tell me Doctor why I still can't get to sleep?
And the night time's just a jungle dark and a barking M16
And what's this rash that comes and goes, can you tell me what it means?
God help me, I was only 19

A four week operation, when each step can mean your last one on two legs
It was a war within yourself
But you wouldn't let your mates down 'til they had you dusted off
So you closed your eyes and thought about something else

Then someone yelled out 'Contact' and the bloke behind me swore
We hooked in there for hours, then a God Almighty roar
Frankie kicked a mine the day that Mankind kicked the moon
God help me, he was going home in June

I can still see Frankie drinking tinnies, in the Grand Hotel
On a 36 hour Rec leave in Vung Tau
And I can still hear Frankie, lying screaming in the jungle
'Til the morphine came and killed the bloody row

And the A.N.Z.A.C. legend didn't mention mud and blood and tears
And the stories that my Father told me, never seemed quiet real
I caught some pieces in my back that I didn't even feel
God help me, I was only 19

And can you tell me Doctor why I still can't get to sleep?
And why the Channel 7 chopper chills me to my feet?
And what's this rash that comes and goes, can you tell me what it means?
God help me, I was only 19.

EPILOGUE


A best friend Neil Horvath tried to get me to go to watch Redgum at the Robert Blackwood Hall at Monash in 1983. I was tight with my time, and since I only knew one song of Redgum - a great one at that, I tried to excuse myself by saying just that.


"Here, here is a cassette, go and listen to them. The other songs are just as great,' Neil said.


Well, I didn't go. May be I should have.

No one would be able to predict the outcome, I guess.

Total Eclipse and The Rugged Australian Coastline

I am not done yet on the most spectacular road on Earth.

In my earlier entry on the Great Ocean Road, there was a pix of the three of us at the rugged beach of Australia while doing our tour of duty there and I had captioned it as "The Australian Boys' Band with the singer in the middle". And a former classmate of mine thought it was my best pose ever. Thank you Maam, I will take that as a compliment! ;-)

I was of course joking - the caption notation, not the thank you. Yours truly was never a singer unless of course you would not mind being hit by a typhoon, if he were to sing! However, that pic reminded me of an Australian song Total Eclipse by The Expression which was shot with similar view, background and setting (as the Great Ocean Road).

I hold this song dearly - love the melody so much, and nearly three decades later, a new generation of mine (Arif that is) loves it so much to become one of his favourite songs from the 80s.

This song was released in the same year (1983) as Total Eclipse of the Heart by Bonnie Tyler, and hence it was shorten to Total Eclipse to differentiate the two songs. Much like the 1981 hit songs 9 to 5 released by both Sheena Easton and Dolly Parton.

I think highly of this song, even if it was not so much of a commercial success.

Enjoy the song and the rugged Australian coastline.

Le tour de Ipoh

First posted at Yahoo 360 blog Oct 2007

Even though I was 'active' in sport in primary school - active here is of course relative and played rugby for a school team that won the Perak state title, I was never known for my sporting prowess. I guess the only reason I was an 'important' member of the King Edward VII-1 primary school rugby team was my sheer size when I was twelve compared to my other schoolmates and they needed someone my size to be the scrum leader.

Other than that, you are looking at a 'kaki bangku' here!

In secondary school, I didn't make it to any school team. The closest I have been to one was when I was shortlisted for goalkeeping role in 1977 and was asked to attend training. Of course Cikgu Nawi wasn't impressed at all with my display, even after I had stopped a goal-bound ball from a senior at close range. He made it clear, and in no uncertain term what he thought of my performance when he said, "Allah goalie, sedihnya." I knew then I would not be selected.

But I do enjoy a bit of sport every now and then. Then during summer holidays in Kuala Kangsar, with nothing else better to do, I got myself into cycling. I guess after failing four driving tests in Perth a couple of years earlier (yes, you read it right; 4 driving tests!), I have no choice but to turn to cycling as it didn't require a license to operate!

I guess in 1983, that was the only toy I have at our home in KK - no internet, the PS3 or the WII and no girlfriend! And of course with the results for year's exams were known, I was under no pressure at all during my yearly vacation back home.

Ah well, those simple days!

Being a full-blooded young man at the peak of determination and energy - at twenty, I could leap tall building in a single leap! , so I decided to do something which I would now consider as stupid. I mean I would never do this again in 2007, even if I am young again.

I decided to cycle from Kuala Kangsar to Ipoh and back in 24 hours - alone!

In the 80s, the journey from KK to Ipoh is a bit more convoluted than at present. You are practically going through the circumference of a half circle, rather than going to the shorter distant radius.

So armed with my brother's racing bike that bapak bought him as an encouragement for him to do well for SPM, I started from our house in Bukit Kerajaan early one morning in late 1983 or early 1984. At that time, there was no North-South Hiway yet, so I used the old trunk road that will take me through Sungai Siput and Chemor.

So I cycled past KK town heading towards the Iskandar Bridge, crossing Sg Perak, heading towards Sg Siput, it was quite an easy journey. The road was practically flat - that's the very reason I decided against a KK-Taiping-KK trip even when it was closer. I would have to climb the Bukit Berapit, quite a steep terrain to reach Taiping and it would be reasonably tough and taxing for someone without any training.

The majestic Iskandar Bridge in Kuala Kangsar was built by the Brit - majestic, minus the extravaganza. Compare the bridges built by the government (Azlan Shah Bridge at the NS Hiway near KK) - pathetically non-descript and unworthy of the name. On the other hand, the bridges at Putra Jaya are simply a waste of taxpayers' monies.

While the road was reasonably flat, the nearby terrain was not. With rolling hills cultivated with tapioca on both sides of the trunk road, it was quite a sight to enjoy. My understanding was that it has one of the biggest tapioca plantation in the world. At one spot, one would cross underneath a railway bridge that has only one lane for both north and south bound traffic, hence you have traffic light in the middle of nowhere.

As this was the main trunk road for traffic from Penang to KL, the traffic was reasonably heavy even in 1983. I had at least one near-miss when an oncoming bus decided that he has the right of way in my lane. Luckily I saw him coming, so I stopped on the road shoulder and let him pass. I guess "might is right" in this case, though to his credit, the bus driver did acknowledge my stopping for him with a thank-you wave.

I am sure drivers are no longer as courteous as they were back then.

Even tho the bicycle was powered by a young man at the peak of his physical prowess - 'peak' is of course relative, I could only average out a mere 10 km per hour for a journey of about 50 km to my auntie's house in Rapat Setia in Ipoh, of course with the help of multiple stops for some ice tea at roadside stalls in Sg Siput and Chemor.

I reached Rapat Setia at noon. Of course my auntie was surprised to see me, not expecting me of course and my 'bike'. She commented that I looked so dark from being burn in the sun; otherwise I was in one piece, which is the most of important thing.

I stayed a night at her place before embarking on the reverse journey back to KK. I guess the return journey was more uneventful; just the way I like it.

In hindsight, I thought I was stupid as I was unprepared for the journey. No drinks, and no tools were brought along with me during the journey. Should I have a puncture, or should anything happened to me, I have no mean of rectifying it or be able to call anyone for help. Worst was that I didn't actually train for the trip. Of course then there was no cell phone for me to bring along.

As I have said I was only armed with determination and a young man's energy.

In some ways, I would say that I am 'glad' to have done it and still be in one piece. I would be able to tell my grandchildren, if I live long enough, how stupid the grandad was when he was younger to embark on such journey alone without proper car escort. Or that they would be able to read it in my blog. I would not encourage Arif or Akmal or anyoen to undertake such stupid journey that saved me less than RM5 of bus tickets.

Unless they do it properly of course.

EPILOGUE

I don't think it is safe to cycle anymore. There are just too many cars; and mostly speeding without any care for others. I would like it very much if our suburbs is cycle-friendly; that we need to only cycle to go to most places as cycling is a very efficient mode of transportation.

What did I get out of this? Nothing much I guess. Only the right to brag that I have been there and done that, like what I am doing right now.

This is me a week or so before the tour. A self photo taken at our house in Bukit Kerajaan Kuala Kangsar. I was better dressed than this of course during the tour.