Remembrance of Merdekas past
I remember my mother telling me the year Malaysia turned 10 in 1967 that the 10th Merdeka (Independence Day) was a milestone for the country, and that the next milestone would be the 25th Merdeka. And now look at us – a few days away from our 50th Merdeka.
The family shop used to be a favourite gathering place on 31 August each year. Relatives and friends would visit as, thanks to the shop’s location right in front of Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman (or Batu Road as it used to be called), the first floor had the best view of the Merdeka parade that would begin at Selangor Padang (old name for Dataran Merdeka) and go along the entire length of Batu Road right up to the roundabout (where the Chow Kit Monorail station is today).
In those days, Jalan TAR was the longest and straightest road in all of Kuala Lumpur. The family shop was located somewhere near the end of the long stretch. Each year’s parade would include schools represented by their students. Most everyone growing up would probably have participated in one of the Merdeka parades.
We would watch and wave to family members involved in the parade each year. But because by the time the parade got to our part of the road, it was almost at the end, they would be tired and out of order, totally unlike when they started at Selangor Padang, marching past the King, the Prime Minister and members of the Malaysian Cabinet. The year my brother was in the parade, he perked up as he and his gang approached the shop and waved to us as they marched past.
All this was before the overhead bridge was built near the old Post Office just in front of the Chow Kit market, which made it difficult for the taller Merdeka floats to pass under, and also before Jalan TAR was made one way (unfortunately, the wrong way). Even then, I think the road was closed for the parades along Jalan TAR each year. I don’t remember watching recent years’ parades. I was out of the country between 1986 and 1990, and the year I returned, we moved out of the family shop and out of the neighbourhood. These days, if I get to watch the Merdeka parade at all, it would be in front of the TV. And even if I do, it would be just so totally different from how it was when I was growing up and living along Jalan TAR.
