PUTRAJAYA: In his Merdeka speech, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim cast Malaysia’s 6% economic growth as the latest chapter in a much longer national journey that began with the civilisation of Melaka, survived colonial rule and culminated in independence.
The Prime Minister said Malaysia’s history did not begin merely with independence in 1957, pointing to the great civilisation that existed before the fall of the Melaka Sultanate and the centuries of struggle that followed.
He recalled how the country endured successive periods of Portuguese, Dutch, British and Japanese rule before Malaysians of different races and religions came together in their pursuit of independence.
Anwar said the fall of Melaka should also serve as a reminder that the country had rebuilt itself from the ruins of a once-great Malay-Islamic civilisation.
Quoting independence-era leader Dr Burhanuddin al-Helmy, he invoked the phrase “di atas robohan Kota Melaka, kita dirikan jiwa merdeka”, saying independence was not merely about establishing a sovereign state but cultivating an independent spirit among its people.
He also recalled the historic morning of Aug 31, 1957, when Malaysians from villages, rural areas and towns converged on Stadium Merdeka to witness the birth of an independent nation.
Anwar said the country subsequently took another major step forward with the formation of Malaysia in 1963, bringing together Malaya, Sabah and Sarawak.
Against that historical backdrop, he said Malaysia was now continuing to advance despite an uncertain geopolitical environment.
“Alhamdulillah, in the second quarter of 2026, Malaysia’s GDP grew by 6%,” he said in his National Day 2026 address at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre (PICC) here in Sunday (Aug 30).
Anwar said approved investments and total trade had also reached their highest levels in the country’s history, while the ringgit emerged as Asia’s best-performing currency in 2025.
However, he stressed that Malaysia’s present achievements were not attained overnight.
“These achievements are the result of service since independence. They did not happen in the blink of an eye,” he said.
Anwar said the Madani government had sought to build on those foundations by strengthening governance, restoring fiscal discipline, plugging leakages, speeding up approvals and rebuilding confidence in the country.
He said Malaysia’s ability to remain peaceful and united despite its racial, religious and cultural diversity remained one of its greatest strengths.
Anwar urged Malaysians to safeguard that legacy and continue building a stronger country for future generations.
“We have one homeland - Malaysia. We inherited the history of one nation, and we are responsible for ensuring a great future,” he said.
