Negara ku - Our National Anthem

I like to remember our national anthem "Negara Ku" as what it was when I first entered to school even though we did not know the exact meaning of " Tanah tumpah nya darah ku". Yes, this is the appropriate verse to describe our beloved country that every Malaysian should do to defense the well being of this country.

When I traveled to Germany many years ago and there were already many slotting machines where one could insert coins to purchase drinks and other kinds of petty items. Such coin inserting machines were common since many years ago in Germany. Malaysia was probably at least 30-50 years behind Germany then. Germany is also the country where I first tasted Mc Donald. At that time we only had KFC but yet to have any MC Donald on our shore. And Deutschland is also the first country that I sat on an electric tram. The Deutsch Mark coins were having much higher value than some similar sizes Indonesian coins then. A group of Indonesian Chinese and I were having an industrial training in the Mercedes Benz headquarter in Stuttgart, a chance made possible while I was taking the German language proficiency course in University Malaya. One of the Indonesian friends told me that they did not want to insert any Indonesian coins to those machines because it would spoil the reputation of his country and that could result in the Germans in return to despise Indonesians as a whole. Just look at how these patriotic Indonesian Chinese defended their country! And I respect them for what they had held such high regard and consideration for their own country despite being the younger generation of Indonesians, decendants from their immigrant parents!

One thing good about Malaysians is that they could quarrel day in and day out in the parliament over differences in opinions, but when come to facing a common threat or harassment from any external nation, they quickly align themselves together and be united to form a common stand on the same issue regardless of BN or opposition parties. That is the true Malaysian spirit!

I like to remember the national anthem of "Negara Ku" as a melodious song that always draws affection from the young and old of Malaysians regardless of races. Whenever the national anthem was played and sung in my primary school on every Monday, my too young for school sister Yoke Sim and her friends would gather themselves standing on the high ground of the opposite house, that was overlooking the school football field where we gathered for school assembly, and they happily and faithfully joined in the singing without fail! They sang their heart out with their not so well polished imitated version , learned to sing only by ears. Not knowing when was the exact ending portion of the anthem, even after the song ended and they continued with such loud singing that drew laughters even from the school teachers!