Aug 31, 2020
Hari Merdeka 2020
This Doodle’s Key Themes
Today’s Doodle celebrates Malaysia’s Independence Day, known in Malay as Hari Merdeka, in honor of 63 years of Malaysian autonomy. On this day in 1957, the nation then known as the Federation of Malaya officially gained its sovereignty from British rule.
This holiday, also called Hari Kebangsaan or National Day, is not to be confused with Malaysia Day, which commemorates the date in 1963 when the name Malaysia was officially adopted across the Malay Peninsula. The nation rejoices in their freedom and independence again.
Featured in the Doodle artwork is the orangutan, Asia’s only great ape, which in Malaysia is found in the rainforest of Borneo. These tree-dwelling primates share almost 97% of their genes with Homo sapiens, so they’re considered one of the humans’ closest relatives. This special relationship is reflected in the name “orangutan,” which derives from Malay and translates to “person of the forest.”
Selamat Hari Merdeka! (Happy Independence Day!)
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