In 1959, Dr Toh Chin Chye—pre-independence political leader and Chairman of the People’s Action Party (PAP)—was first introduced to Zubir Said through Ong Eng Guan, then Mayor of the City Council. Ong had earlier commissioned the music and lyrics for the Grand Finale based on the theme ‘Majulah Singapura’ for the opening of the Victoria Memorial Hall on 6th September 1958. The new government of Singapore recognized the opportunity for an anthem to serve as a ‘political instrument to unite the different races of Singapore’, and to instill in the largely migrant population a sense of belonging. Toh affirmed that the use of Malay as the choice language would appeal to all races as it would ‘strike no discordant note’ and could be easily understood and remembered.[i]
In an interview with the National Archives, Paul Abisheganaden revealed that ‘the PAP government at that time was very, very hot hearted about pushing the Malay language as being the national language of Singapore’ as it was their intention to ‘become part of the larger nation of Malaysia’, and to Malayanise its civil service. Reflecting on why Zubir’s Majulah Singapura was selected as the national anthem, Abisheganaden was to aver:
Zubir Said’s song had two or three suitable elements. First, the music was martial enough to be considered an anthem, a national anthem. Secondly, the words were very suitable and after some modification, Mr Zubir Said made the words even more suitable for national purposes. And thirdly of course the lyrics were all in Malay, in the national language which was being promoted very, very strongly by the government at that time.[ii]
Zubir’s patriotic Majulah, first written for the City Council in 1958, had to undergo a few revisions before it met with the minister’s approval for use as an anthem in September 1959 when Singapore attained self-governance. Toh also requested two different versions, one for ordinary occasions and another longer version for ceremonial purpose. There was no discussion on remuneration at this stage; yet Zubir attested with deep humility and patriotism: ‘where you put your foot on the soil and then you must give your charity, your goodwill to that place. So that is in my mind’.[iii] In an interview for The Straits Times on 31 July 1979, he would affirm:
It’s all a question of loyalty. A man may be a citizen in name only, giving nothing to his country. Or a man may be a non-citizen and yet give everything.
Zubir became a Singapore citizen only in 1967.[iv]
[i] Chew, Daniel (Interviewer). August 1989. Accession No. 0001063/01 (Reel 1). Oral History Interview with Toh Chin Chye. Oral History Centre, National Archives of Singapore. Accessed 20 January 2020.
[ii] Chua, Jesley (Interviewer). August 1994. Accession no. 001415/48 (Reel 21). Oral History Interview with Paul Abisheganaden. Oral History Centre, National Archives of Singapore. See also https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/history/events/93de19b7-7475-4d2b-a556-caee2116936f. Accessed 20 January 2020.
[iii] Oral History Interview with Zubir Said (Reel 15). Zubir’s English translation of Di mana bumi dipijak, di situ langit dijunjung as expressed in the NAS oral interview. Soon after, a letter of appreciation arrived from Minister for Culture S. Rajaratnam, offering Zubir an honorarium of $2000. [NAFA Collection].
[iv] The following video features Bernard Tan’s arrangement of Majulah Singapura for Orchestra of the Music Makers. It is scored for the huge resources of the Mahler Eighth, as that was the main work on the programme that evening of July 2015. Private communication with conductor Chan Tze Law on 9 July 2020. For a glimpse of what Singapore looked like in the mid-1960s, view documentary Mangrove to Metropolis https://www.nas.gov.sg/archivesonline/audiovisual_records/record-details/46b4445e-1164-11e3-83d5-0050568939ad. Accessed 8 August 2020.