Chants of 'Merdeka' fill the air in Bandar Hilir after 68 years

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who played the role of Tunku Abdul Rahman, read out the Declaration of Independence at the Federation of Malaya Independence Day Celebration at the Independence Memorial, on Tuesday (Feb 20). – BernamaPic

MELAKA: Sixty-eight years ago, on this day, Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj, who later became the nation's first prime minister, read the Declaration of Independence for the Federation of Malaya in Padang Pahlawan, marking the country's freedom from the clutches of colonialism.

The sacred cries of "Merdeka" were once again heard in Banda Hilir on Tuesday night (Feb 12) during the re-enactment of the historic event.