A RETURN TO GLORY FOR MALAYSIA’S MERDEKA STADIUM

Stadium Merdeka – Malay for ‘Independence’ – was built to stage the ceremony that marked the end of British colonial rule.

On August 31, 1957, tens of thousands packed the stands to hear the new prime minister shout “Merdeka Merdeka Merdeka!” and lead celebrations across the brand-new nation.

At that time the new country included Singapore, which subsequently broke away in 1965.

“I think it is a deserving end for the stadium to receive UNESCO’s heritage conservation award,” said Ahmad Sarji Abdul Hamid, chief of Malaysia’s heritage Trust.

“After all, it was here in this very stadium that Malaysia’s first Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman declared our country’s independence in 1957,” he said.

Built at a then-staggering cost of 2.3 million ringgit (USD 636,000), the stadium was a state-of-the-art facility for its time, with an eight-lane 400m track, a central playing field, and other top-notch sporting facilities.

It became the leading stage for national life, hosting the 1977 Southeast Asian Games, and serving as the location where boxing legend Muhammad Ali whipped Joe Bugner in 1975.

In the late 1980s and early 90s, international music acts like Michael Jackson, Avril Lavigne, Kool and the Gang and Mariah Carey took centre stage to entertain Malaysians.

But when the Bukit Jalil sports complex was built on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur for the 1998 Commonwealth Games, many felt Stadium Merdeka had outlived its purpose.

It was nearly demolished in the late 1990s after being sold to a private company that was planning to build a one billion ringgit (USD 276 million) entertainment and office complex on the site.

UNESCO said that Stadium Merdeka was recognised for preserving a national heritage building and recovering ‘a nation’s collective memory.’

“The project has demonstrated a thorough understanding and respect for the significance of the stadium at a specific moment in history and recognition of the heritage value of modern architecture,” UNESCO said in its award.

Ahmad Sarji said the restored stadium, which was listed as a national heritage building in 2003, would now be maintained as a national monument.

“This landmark is part of the soul of Malaysia and after all the hard work we have been able to conserve this for the future generations of Malaysians,” added Sarji.