Kemerdekaan Sejati

Kupahat rasa gembira dan bangga, di sebalik kejayaan
Termeteri erti kemerdekaan sejati, seribu harapan
Terkilas wajah nusa bercahaya, kelibat warisan gagah
Tahun keemasan, usaha kita semua, suatu manifestasi

KORUS 1:
Kemerdekaan sejati, milik kita untuk dirasai
Rantaian belenggu menjadi sejarah kita
Kemerdekaan sejati, mara menuju wawasan
(Kemerdekaan sejati) Milik kita hari ini...

Kudengar suara, suara keamanan, kedamaian maruah bangsa
Kudengar jeritan, laungan MERDEKA ! sederap melangkah…

KORUS 2:
Kemerdekaan sejati, milik kita untuk dirasai
Arus kemajuan diharungi, semuanya kenyataan
Inilah semangat kita untuk menggapai impian
(Kemerdekaan sejati) Milik kita hari ini…

Kupahat rasa gembira dan bangga…
Termeteri erti kemerdekaan sejati…

I wrote this set of lyrics somewhere in March : it was originally for a Puisi Berlagu competition (for starters, Puisi Berlagu, Malay for "song-poem", is what you do when you put poetic text to lyrics). That competition was held in conjunction with Malaysia's 50th year of independence. Eager to join, and to spread my music to Malaysians, I gathered seven more friends together and after having played the song for them, we rehearsed hard.

My Malay Language teacher, Pn Wahida, was there to watch us rehearse, and correct us every now and then.

It so came to pass that many of us were in Form 5, and were bound to face the SPM trial examination. Not allowing us some lease, the co-curricular senior assistant just cancelled our entries without earlier notice, and also without our consent. I wept.

I wept primarily because I sat down to writing this song for a special occasion. Now its only use is the 50th Malaysia Day - after which, if this song still doesn't go in audio form, this set of lyrics will be tossed into the shredder.

Yes, such is the feeling of a songwriter. Especially one who loves the country so much and wishes to touch hearts, rather than do those crappy march themes that are so monotonous, people just sing for the sake of singing.

Truly, in Convent Bukit Nanas that year, "Kemerdekaan Sejati" scored more brownie points than the theme song of the year, "Malaysiaku Gemilang". If only people were willing enough to let this voice be heard. OKAY. If by 2013 this song does not get into the hearts of the public, I will have no more reason to keep this song going, and thus, I will toss it into the shredder or into the incinerator. The shredder will be a better option : the incinerator just brings back painful memories of loved ones being cremated.

To get an idea of the look and feel :

See Clay Aiken — This is the Night.