National Anthem of Malaysia

The national anthem of Malaysia, "Negaraku" or "My Country" in English, was adopted on September 16, 1963 . An adaptation of the Perak State Anthem, it was selected by a special committee headed by Malaysia's first Prime Minister , the late Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra al-Haj . The lyrics of the national anthem of Malaysia urge people of various races, religions and cultures to live harmoniously in their quest of progress in all fields.

Written by a panel of judges, especially by Tunku Abdul Rahman in 1957 and music composed by Pierre Jean de Beranger, the anthem serves to arouse the spirit of patriotism in the masses. It also symbolizes the social culture and expresses the aspiration of the particular nation.

History---

The national anthem of Malaysia was first selected in a world-wide context, the final selection of which was held in a ceremony at the Police Depot in Kuala Lumpur on 5 August 1957 . The Perak State Anthem was favored on account of its traditional flavor and melody and adopted with the formation of the Malaysia. It has special links to Sultan Abdullah of Perak who was exiled to the Seychelles by the British colonialists in 1876 following the assassination of the state's first British Resident.

Previously known as "Terang Bulan" or the "Moonlight" which is a popular song in Malaya and Indonesia, it has been banned from being performed since the shoddy bloodbath. There have also been thirteen state anthems in addition to the national anthem.

The national anthem first played and sung in a much more moderate tempo. It, however, taking in consideration the development of the country's socio-economy, changed into a March tempo which is faster and more spirited. The change was made by the government on the National Day celebration in 1992.

The rules on playing the national anthem of Malaysia are described in the National Anthem Act of 1968 , which divides the anthem into three versions - the Full Version or the Royal Version, the Abridged Version comprising of the first eight lines and the last eight lines and the Short Version comprising of the last eight lines.

The National Language Act passed on April 4, 1968 makes any act of disrespect towards the national anthem a punishable offence. The honor of performing the National Anthem is restricted to selected individuals only.

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