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''Merdeka'' is a term in
Indonesian Indonesian is anything of, from, or related to Indonesia, an archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. It may refer to: * Indonesians, citizens of Indonesia ** Native Indonesians, diverse groups of local inhabitants of the archipelago ** Indonesian ...
and
Malay Malay may refer to: Languages * Malay language or Bahasa Melayu, a major Austronesian language spoken in Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei and Singapore ** History of the Malay language, the Malay language from the 4th to the 14th century ** Indonesi ...
which means " independent" or "
free Free may refer to: Concept * Freedom, having the ability to do something, without having to obey anyone/anything * Freethought, a position that beliefs should be formed only on the basis of logic, reason, and empiricism * Emancipate, to procur ...
". It is derived from the Sanskrit ''maharddhika'' (महर्द्धिक) meaning "rich, prosperous, and powerful". In the
Malay archipelago The Malay Archipelago (Indonesian/Malay: , tgl, Kapuluang Malay) is the archipelago between mainland Indochina and Australia. It has also been called the " Malay world," "Nusantara", "East Indies", Indo-Australian Archipelago, Spices Archipe ...
, this term had acquired the meaning of a freed slave. The term ''Mardijker'' is a Dutch corruption of the Portuguese version of the original Sanskrit words and was used to designate former Portuguese and Dutch slaves from India in the East Indies, known as Mardijkers, whence the Malay meaning of "free(dom)" is derived. The Mardijkers were former Catholic slaves brought from India and the East Indies, who were liberated by the Dutch if they abandoned Catholicism and joined the Dutch Reformed Church. The term was used by the anti-colonialist and pro-independence movements in the colonial territories of the
Dutch East Indies The Dutch East Indies, also known as the Netherlands East Indies ( nl, Nederlands(ch)-Indië; ), was a Dutch colony consisting of what is now Indonesia. It was formed from the nationalised trading posts of the Dutch East India Company, which ...
,
British Malaya The term "British Malaya" (; ms, Tanah Melayu British) loosely describes a set of states on the Malay Peninsula and the island of Singapore that were brought under British hegemony or control between the late 18th and the mid-20th century. U ...
, and the
Straits Settlements The Straits Settlements were a group of British territories located in Southeast Asia. Headquartered in Singapore for more than a century, it was originally established in 1826 as part of the territories controlled by the British East India Comp ...
. It became a rallying call for those demanding independence from the colonial administrations of the Netherlands and United Kingdom. In the southern Philippine island of Mindanao, the Moro people belonging to major ethnolinguistic groups of Meranaw, Maguindanaw, and Iranun, use ''maradeka'' in the same meaning as freedom or liberation and a political group there is called Maradeka. The
Pampangan The Kapampangan people ( pam, Taung Kapampangan), Pampangueños or Pampangos, are the sixth largest ethnolinguistic group in the Philippines, numbering about 2,784,526 in 2010. They live mainly in the provinces of Pampanga, Bataan and Tarlac, as ...
term ''mardíka'' (also spelled ''mardíkas'') and the Tagalog '' maharlika'' have the same Sanskrit etymology as the Malay ''merdeka'' and means freeman, ''libertos'' or
freedman A freedman or freedwoman is a formerly enslaved person who has been released from slavery, usually by legal means. Historically, enslaved people were freed by manumission (granted freedom by their captor-owners), emancipation (granted freedom a ...
in classical
Philippine society The culture of the Philippines is characterized by cultural diversity. Although the multiple ethnic groups of the Philippine archipelago have only recently established a shared Filipino national identity, their cultures were all shaped by the ...
.Mallari, J. P. (2011). ''Tálabaldúgan''. Holy Angel University


Indonesia

The term "merdeka" was used in Indonesia in a similar way to designate freedom from the Dutch colonial government during the struggle for independence in the 1940s. Republic of Indonesia declared its ''Hari Kemerdekaan Indonesia'' or
Proclamation of Indonesian Independence The Proclamation of Indonesian Independence ( id, Proklamasi Kemerdekaan Indonesia, or simply ''Proklamasi'') was read at 10:00 on Friday, 17 August 1945 in Jakarta. The declaration marked the start of the diplomatic and armed resistance of th ...
on 17 August 1945, and it has become national holiday and commemorated annually ever since. During the struggle of independence in 1945 to 1949, it was used as a national salute of victory and honor, by raising open palms as high as the head and shouting out loud "Merdeka!" From here many slogans came, such as "Sekali Merdeka tetap Merdeka!" (Freedom once and for all) or "Merdeka atau Mati" (Freedom or death). This was intended to raise the morale of all the people of Indonesia to continue to fight against the Dutch and the Allied forces trying to re-establish control over Indonesia; it was so important that even it became a Government Edict on 31 August 1945. On 1 September it was mentioned by the president
Sukarno Sukarno). (; born Koesno Sosrodihardjo, ; 6 June 1901 – 21 June 1970) was an Indonesian statesman, orator, revolutionary, and nationalist who was the first president of Indonesia, serving from 1945 to 1967. Sukarno was the leader of ...
in his short speech: "Merdeka" is also used in '' Indonesia Raya'', the national anthem of Indonesia: The name "Merdeka" is used as the name of Indonesian important places, such as
Merdeka Palace The Merdeka Palace (; also known in Indonesian as ''Istana Gambir'' and during the Dutch colonial times as ''Paleis te Koningsplein''), is one of six presidential palaces in Indonesia. It is located on the north side of the Merdeka Square in Cen ...
and Merdeka Square in central
Jakarta Jakarta (; , bew, Jakarte), officially the Special Capital Region of Jakarta ( id, Daerah Khusus Ibukota Jakarta) is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Lying on the northwest coast of Java, the world's most populous island, Jakarta ...
, also
Merdeka Building Merdeka Building (Indonesian: Gedung Merdeka) is an art-deco building in Jalan Asia-Afrika, Bandung, Indonesia. Today it serves as a museum displaying collections and photographs of the Asian–African Conference, the first Non-Aligned Movement e ...
in
Bandung Bandung ( su, ᮘᮔ᮪ᮓᮥᮀ, Bandung, ; ) is the capital city of the Indonesian province of West Java. It has a population of 2,452,943 within its city limits according to the official estimates as at mid 2021, making it the fourth most ...
. "Merdeka" is also included in several mass media names, e.g. in newspapers (such as ''Merdeka'', ''
Rakyat Merdeka ''Rakyat Merdeka'' (''The Free People'') is an Indonesian daily newspaper owned by the country's largest media group ''Jawa Pos''. The newspaper has gained prominence as a result of its controversial headlines and its "gritty, often abrasive, styl ...
'', '' Suara Merdeka'') and websites (such as ''Merdeka.com'' news portal). Nowadays the
Aceh Aceh ( ), officially the Aceh Province ( ace, Nanggroë Acèh; id, Provinsi Aceh) is the westernmost province of Indonesia. It is located on the northernmost of Sumatra island, with Banda Aceh being its capital and largest city. Granted a s ...
nese and West Papuan autonomy movements currently use the term to express the concept of
freedom Freedom is understood as either having the ability to act or change without constraint or to possess the power and resources to fulfill one's purposes unhindered. Freedom is often associated with liberty and autonomy in the sense of "giving on ...
, and the meaning of the term ranges from greater freedom to outright political independence. The major
autonomy In developmental psychology and moral, political, and bioethical philosophy, autonomy, from , ''autonomos'', from αὐτο- ''auto-'' "self" and νόμος ''nomos'', "law", hence when combined understood to mean "one who gives oneself one's ...
movement in Aceh, the Free Aceh Movement has the term in its name (''Gerakan Aceh Merdeka''), as does the major armed independence group in West Papua, the Free Papua Movement (''Organisasi Papua Merdeka'').


Malaysia

Today in Malaysia, in which Malaya,
North Borneo North Borneo (usually known as British North Borneo, also known as the State of North Borneo) was a British Protectorate, British protectorate in the northern part of the island of Borneo, which is present day Sabah. The territory of North Borneo ...
, Sarawak and Singapore merged in 1963, the term still remains pertinent in the present. It can be seen in the Malaysian national holiday of
Hari Merdeka Independence Day ( ms, Hari Merdeka, also known as ''Hari Kebangsaan'' or "National Day"), is the official independence day of Malaya. It commemorates the Malayan Declaration of Independence of 31 August 1957, and is defined in Article 160 ...
, commemorating Malaya's independence on 31 August 1957, and Dataran Merdeka (Independence Square) where the first ceremony raising the
flag of Malaya This is a list of flags used in Malaysia. National flags Monarch Military Law Enforcement Flags Administrative divisions States Federal territories A common flag for the three federal territories was adopted by the Ministry of ...
was held following independence. North Borneo and Sarawak in northern Borneo were to officially join to form Malaysia on 31 August 1963 but due to opposition from Indonesia and the Philippines and to allow the United Nations team time to conduct referendums in North Borneo and Sarawak regarding their participation in a new federation, the date was postponed to 16 September, which now celebrated as Malaysia Day.https://library.uum.edu.my/merdeka-31-august-1957/ Tunku Abdul Rahman, the inaugural Malaysian Prime Minister, declared Malayan independence with seven shouts of "Merdeka" and now, the cry continues to be featured prominently in Malaysian Hari Merdeka celebrations.


Singapore

In the context of Singapore, Merdeka usually refers to the gaining of self-rule and self-government from the United Kingdom in the 1950s, as imperialism in Asia slowly declined. It usually does not refer to Singapore's independence from Malaysia in 1965, which followed its merger with Malaya, Sabah and Sarawak on 16 September 1963 after having held the 1962 national referendum.https://singapurastories.com/merdeka-singapores-merdeka-talks-of-1956-and-1957-and-merdeka-proclamations-of-1959-1962-and-1963/ The Constitution of Singapore had been amended in 1953 following recommendations by the
Rendel Commission The Constitution of the Republic of Singapore is the supreme law of Singapore. A written constitution, the text which took effect on 9 August 1965 is derived from the Constitution of the State of Singapore 1963, provisions of the Federal Con ...
, creating a 32-seat Legislative Assembly of Singapore to replace the Legislative Council of Singapore. The Legislative Assembly would become the predecessor to the modern
Parliament of Singapore The Parliament of Singapore is the unicameral legislature of the Republic of Singapore, which governs the country alongside the president of Singapore. Largely based upon the Westminster system, the Parliament is made up of Members of Parliam ...
. The following Singapore general election of 1955 had members that were elected by the population for the first time become the majority in Singapore's legislature. Previously, only six members of the Legislative Council were elected — the rest were appointed. This however did not satisfy individuals calling for full self-government at least in the matter of domestic affairs. The call for Merdeka was a growing tension between progressivism and radicalism, cooperation and hostility towards the British. David Saul Marshall of the Labour Front narrowly won the Singapore general election of 1955, but being anticolonialist, tended to be a vocal opponent of the British rule. As such, the British found it hard to work out a compromise. A petition was started in 1956 which collected the signatures of 167,000 — a vast portion of the electorate in that era — in a petition that demanded Merdeka. During the Merdeka Talks of 1956, the year before Malaya's independence, the British agreed to grant Singapore self-government over domestic issues, while the British retained control of finance and the military. This seemed to satisfy Marshall initially, but the negotiation later broke down when the British refused to turn over internal security to the local government. The British felt that Marshall was not doing enough to counter the threats of the
communist Communism (from Latin la, communis, lit=common, universal, label=none) is a far-left sociopolitical, philosophical, and economic ideology and current within the socialist movement whose goal is the establishment of a communist society, a s ...
insurgency and the Malayan Communist Party (MCP) which had sparked the
Malayan Emergency The Malayan Emergency, also known as the Anti–British National Liberation War was a guerrilla war fought in British Malaya between communist pro-independence fighters of the Malayan National Liberation Army (MNLA) and the military forces o ...
. The march towards independence was stalled and Marshall resigned in 1956 making good on his earlier pledge that he would step down in the case of failure. Another Labour Front leader Lim Yew Hock took over as Singapore's Chief Minister and continued the effort to push for independence. Lim then undertook harsh measures against the communists demonstrating that his administration was willing to take a tough stance to safeguard internal security. In the Chinese middle schools riots of 1956, some nine hundred people were arrested. Leading a negotiation delegation consisting of several Singapore political leaders from various parties, Lim managed to convince the British to grant Singapore Merdeka by amending and revamping its Constitution in 1958 to allow for a fully elected legislature which would form an internal government with complete
autonomy In developmental psychology and moral, political, and bioethical philosophy, autonomy, from , ''autonomos'', from αὐτο- ''auto-'' "self" and νόμος ''nomos'', "law", hence when combined understood to mean "one who gives oneself one's ...
over domestic affairs. This government was formed following the Singapore general election of 1959, but the Labour Front lost as Lim's harsh techniques had alienated large portions of the electorate.


Philippines

The Philippines has the longest-running struggle for the Moro people right to self-determination. The cry for "''merdeka'' or ''maradeka''" began in 1968 when Datu Udtog MatalamDatu Udtog Matalam of the Mindanao Independence Movement (MIM)
/ref> announced the formation of the
Mindanao Independence Movement The Muslim Independence Movement (MIM) was a secessionist political organization in the Philippines. On 1 May 1968, two months after the Jabidah massacre, Datu Udtog Matalam, a former governor of Cotabato, issued a Manifesto for the declaration of ...
(MIM) and the Muslim fundamentalist Ansar el Islam led by prominent Muslim leaders such as Philippine Muslim Senator Dr. Ahmad Domocao Alonto while leading the Islamic revival movement also supported the formation of the secessionist Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF). The over four decades of Moro struggle asserts freedom from Philippine colonialism as argued by Moro leaders Prof. Nur Misuari of the MNLF and the late Ustadz
Salamat Hashim Salamat Hashim, also known as Hashim Salamat, was a Filipino militant who served as leader of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. He is the founder of the group. Early life and education Hashim was born in Midsayap, Cotabato (now Pagalungan, Magu ...
of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). Until the present, the struggle for freedom and independence continues among the younger Moro generation. At the legal front, the Maradeka (literally means freedom) became seen at the forefront of a nonviolent political movement enjoying the democratic space afforded to many political groups and activists in the Philippines. Analytically looking at the history of long peace process since 1975, while East Timor was able to attain full self governance thru a United Nations brokered Determination Vote and Free Aceh Movement acceded to Norway-brokered peace talks, the Moro rebel groups underwent a series of protracted peace and a never-ending peace process believed to be employed only as a counterinsurgency strategy of the Philippine government and not meant sincerely to end hostilities in Mindanao. These allegedly deceptive policies of the government allegedly exasperated young Moros and students, which led some to join extremist groups, such as the Abu Sayyaf, and mount a violent attacks against the Philippine government. Several incidents in the rejection by the MILF of the Philippine government's counterproposal to the former proposal for compromise accession to substate formula will suspend and further stall the peace negotiations.


See also

*
Hari Kemerdekaan The Independence Day of Indonesia (In Indonesian formally known as ''Hari Ulang Tahun Kemerdekaan Republik Indonesia'' shortened "HUT RI", or simply Hari Kemerdekaan, and colloquially referred by the people as ''Tujuhbelasan'', meaning "the Se ...
Republik Indonesia, a national holiday celebrated every 17 August, commemorating the
Proclamation of Indonesian Independence The Proclamation of Indonesian Independence ( id, Proklamasi Kemerdekaan Indonesia, or simply ''Proklamasi'') was read at 10:00 on Friday, 17 August 1945 in Jakarta. The declaration marked the start of the diplomatic and armed resistance of th ...
from Dutch rule *
Hari Merdeka Independence Day ( ms, Hari Merdeka, also known as ''Hari Kebangsaan'' or "National Day"), is the official independence day of Malaya. It commemorates the Malayan Declaration of Independence of 31 August 1957, and is defined in Article 160 ...
, the date of Malaysia's independence from British rule * Mabuhay, the equivalent cheer used in the Philippines * Maradeka, an Islamic political organisation at Bangsamoro that advocates autonomy


Notes

{{Reflist


External links


Our Story - Merdeka (Singapore)
Malay words and phrases Indonesian words and phrases Battle cries Malaysian political slogans id:Kemerdekaan ms:Merdeka