Malaysia's National Anthem

Malaysia, tighten your seat belts please.

We know that the ringgit is down in the dumps - that puts paid to shopping for imported foodstuff and prezzies for the coming festivities.  Our little darlings -  Kevin, Suu Lin, Farhana Faezah, Arul Armand will pout and scream because overseas holidays will have to be put on hold.

Right now, the nation's name and reputation is mud!

We're all at each other's throats claiming moral superiority for our divided loyalties and our choice of heroes and  villains.

Well, here's something else to worry about.  Did you know that the arch-English composer Benjamin Britten was paid a handsome fee (for a 1-minute song) to compose our National Anthem in 1957 and our then leaders. rejected it !!

"The great English composer Benjamin Britten once wrote Malaysia a national anthem - only for it to be rejected in favour of a cabaret tune.  Did the government make a horrible mistake, asks Alex Marshall, author of a new book on the history of anthems."

For more titillations to feed another fracas in Malaysia, read :

http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-34417765

I shudder to think about the disgruntled voices arising from this news item.

1. Our aficionados of classical western music would be wringing their hands in despair. This only proves how crass and stupid the Government was - to reject this great British composer. Just think - how proud we would feel when our national anthem - composed by the Benjamin Britten - is played at our local and international soirees.

2.  100 guineas?? This is corrupt cronyism. The Government must get back their money with interest - it's been 58 years.  Check the bank accounts of the politicians , the bureaucrats and the Minister of National Anthems.

3.  Our uber-Arabised brethren will be foaming at the mouth when they realise that Negaraku was once a hit number  "at parties and cabarets  ..... and went on to be a popular Hawaian song".

Do read the BBC article.  It cheered me up no end.

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And now do enjoy the Top of the Anthems.




1. Britten's 100 guineas composition. That's 2100 shillings or GBP105 in 1957.  That would be a helluva dosh today. And when you take into account that the exchange rate is 1 GBP = 6.7 MYR  !!???

2.  The ancestor of Negaraku - not a great pedigree - but still a "gently stirring"  and endearing melody.