Consider changing ‘Negaraku’ as anthem lacks originality, says PBK’s Voon

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Voon Lee Shan

KUCHING (Aug 29): The federal government needs to consider changing the national anthem ‘Negaraku’ as it “lacks originality”, said Parti Bumi Kenyalang (PBK) president Voon Lee Shan.

In a statement yesterday, he said many have previously pointed out that the tune of the national anthem had been ‘copied’ from other songs.

“The tune of ‘Negaraku’ was said to be originally used as the regional anthem of the state of Perak, ‘Allah Lanjutkan Usia Sultan’, which was adopted from a popular French melody titled ‘La Rosalie’, composed by the lyricist Pierre-Jean de Béranger.

“It was also said that the song was later used in an Indonesian Bangsawan (opera), which was performing in Singapore around 1940. In no time at all, the melody became extremely popular and was given the name ‘Terang Bulan’. It also seems that there was a Chinese song with the same tune.

“The ‘Negaraku’ if without lyrics could cause confusion to listeners,” he said.

Voon went on to say that the anthem’s arrangement was modified several times – in 1992, 2003 and 2006.

“If the anthem could be modified, there is no reason that the federal government could not change the national anthem as it lacks originality.

“I believe Malaysia has many good composers and there is no reason that an original anthem could not be composed.”

Voon further claimed that many Sarawakians found it hard to accept ‘Negaraku’ as the national anthem, as it was the anthem of the Federation of Malaya.

“When the Federation of Malaysia was formed in 1963, ‘Negaraku’ was sung until today.

“Since ‘Negaraku’ was sung and adopted from the time the Federation of Malaya was granted independence in 1957, many Sarawakians find it hard to accept this anthem as the national anthem.

“It gives a feeling that Sarawak is a colony of Malaya,” he said.