Dataran Merdeka, Merdeka Stadium, Tugu Negara – these are the classic locations that come up when you mention “Merdeka” and the history of Malaysia.
But what of the supporting venues, unsung corners or just plain forgotten places where Malaya and Malaysia were formed?
Join us in this offbeat adventure into some of the most obscure and overlooked places that contributed to or were inspired by the Merdeka independence movement.
Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Memorial
Starting from one of the giants behind Malaysia’s independence, we have the Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Memorial.
Built in 1994, the museum mainly consists of Tunku’s original home and his restored office building.
Far from the distant and untouchable figure you see in textbooks and documentaries, Tunku’s living rooms, office spaces and personal items help you vividly experience his day-to-day routines and worries.
Some of the many exhibit highlights include the original round table used by the Federation of Malaya’s first Cabinet as well as the actual table used by Tunku to sign the Malayan Declaration of Independence.
Outside, the museum also features Tunku’s official cars, which were a maroon red Nash Rambler Custom Convertible and a jet black 1959 Cadillac Fleetwood.
Though not the actual car, the Nash Rambler is of a similar make to the car used to ferry Tunku and the Merdeka delegation in Melaka after their return from the UK.
Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Memorial
Jalan Dato Onn, Kuala Lumpur, 50480 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur
Open Tue – Sun (9am – 5pm)
*closed 12-3pm during Friday prayers
Closed on Monday
Admission Free
Memorial Negarawan
Tunku Abdul Rahman acted in concert with various leaders from all over Malayan society to achieve independence.
But how much do we actually know about these other movers and shakers of Merdeka?
That’s what Memorial Negarawan or the Statesman Memorial seeks to answer.
Just across the road from the Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Memorial, the museum is a collection of seven galleries dedicated to seven figures that played a major part in forming Malaysia, who are as follows:
- Tun Dr. Ismail Abdul Rahman
- Tun Tan Cheng Lock
- Tun V.T. Sambanthan
- Tun Dr. Lim Chong Eu
- Tun Datu Mustapha
- Tun Fuad Stephens
- Tun Temenggung Jugah
Through photographs, memorabilia and recreations of their offices and workspaces, you can explore the ups, downs and lives of various Merdeka and Malaysia figures in a sleek and colourful space.
In fact, the focus on workspaces is quite deliberate since the museum previously served as the Prime Minister’s Department Complex!
Make sure to check out the old Cabinet meeting room decked out in timeless white and wooden décor, where Tun Dr. Mahathir clocked out for the last time before moving to Putrajaya for good.
If you want a sneak peek at the exhibits, there’s also a 360-degree virtual tour of the museum’s major exhibits!
Memorial Negarawan
Jalan Dato Onn, Kuala Lumpur, 50480 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur
Open Tue – Sun (9am – 5pm)
*closed 12-3pm during Friday prayers
Closed on Monday
Admission Free
Carcosa Seri Negara
A curious name that frequently pops up in history textbooks is Carcosa Seri Negara.
This blend of local and foreign names adorns a mansion up in the hills of the Perdana Botanical Gardens.
Wait, did we say one?
Carcosa Seri Negara is actually a set of two mansions – Carcosa and Seri Negara.
Carcosa was the first to be built in the 1890s as the residence of Frank Swettenham, the British Resident-General, named macabrely after a location in the Lovecraftian novel The King in Yellow.
Seri Negara or King’s House would quickly follow in 1913 and was used as a guesthouse.
During the flurry of events leading up to Merdeka, its palatial, ivory halls would bear witness two foundational events in the birth of Malaya – the drafting of the Constitution of Malaya as well as the signing of the Federation of Malaya Agreement.
Post-Merdeka, Tunku would gift the mansion to the British as a sign of goodwill. Under Tun Dr. Mahathir, however, the mansion was returned to Malaysia after a very public campaign.
Its beautiful Gothic and Tudor architecture have inspired visits by royalty like the UK’s Queen Elizabeth II. And similar to 2025’s Dune, this real-life location has served as a fictional setting for Hollywood movies like Crazy Rich Asians.
Although Carcosa Seri Negara briefly served as a boutique hotel known for its afternoon tea and even a museum, it is now sadly closed for renovations.
Although news reports give a long-passed reopening date of July 2025, online comments mention a later August 2025 date instead.
Hopefully, in the near future, this historical and magnificent mansion will be restored to its full glory for future generations to admire.
Carcosa Seri Negara
Persiaran Tuanku Ja’afar, Tasik Perdana, 50480 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur
Currently closed for renovations
The Proclamation of Independence Memorial
The only entry in our list located outside Kuala Lumpur, the Proclamation of Independence Memorial is located right in the historical heart of Old Melaka.
Housed in a handsome Mughal-inspired mansion of a building topped by two handsome golden domes, the museum formerly housed the Malacca Club – the first European social club in the city established in 1880.
After its lease expired in 1984, the museum was established as a museum dedicated to the Malaya independence movement and especially the proclamation of Malayan independence on 20 February 1956.
Inside the impressive entrance, you get a quick tour of Malayan history before moving onto the stars of the show – the Merdeka artifacts.
From the pens Tunku used to sign the agreements, the keris dagger he held aloft as he chanted Merdeka and even a sample of the political paraphernalia of the era, you can get a close-up look at the actual items that birthed the nation we live in today.
For car nuts, the museum even houses Tunku’s famous Merdeka limousine – a White Chevrolet Bel Air he rode in during independence celebrations and political campaigns in 1959.
Sadly, the Padang Pahlawan field opposite the museum, where Tunku Abdul Rahman announced the date of Malayan Independence after his return from London, has been turned into the Dataran Pahlawan Mall.
Ready for a touch of poetic irony? Right next to the museum are the colonial heritage heavyweights of A Famosa, the Stadhuys and its beautiful Christ Church.
Here, the very city where Malayan colonization began was also where it finally ended.
The Proclamation of Independence Memorial
Memorial Pengisytiharan Kemerdekaan, Jln Parameswara, Banda Hilir, 75000 Malacca
Open Tue – Sun (9am – 5pm)
*closed 12-3pm during Friday prayers
Closed on Mondays (except school/public holidays)
Admission Free
Malaysia Tourism Centre (MaTiC)
At first glance, the Malaysia Tourism Centre doesn’t sound like the most historical or interesting place.
Sure, it boasts a grand façade with an arched entrance topped by extended room, not to mention a graceful domed minaret-like extension off to its side. But historical, really?
Yep, really!
First built as a mansion for a mining and rubber tycoon Eu Tong Seng, the building would become a base for colonial British and Japanese forces during the war years.
Once peace returned, it served as a British garrison as well as the venue for the very first meeting of the Federation of Malaya Legislative Council.
Eventually, its crowning glory would come when it was selected to hold the first sitting of Malaya’s very first Parliament on 11 September 1959.
Seated in the newly built Tunku Abdul Rahman Hall, this first meeting would mark the birth of Malayan democracy.
Later, the building would serve as the headquarters of Malayan government agencies like the National Art Gallery and the National Archives while hosting coronation ceremonies for various Yang Di-Pertuan Agong.
By 1988, the building was refurbished, renovated and renamed the Malaysia Tourist Information Complex (MATIC).
Today, besides providing information, shops and services for tourists, MATIC also organizes performances involving folk dances for the benefit of visitors.
Malaysia Tourism Centre (MaTiC)
Open Daily (9am – 5pm)
(including public holidays)
Admission Free
Hungry for more history? Malaysian heritage junkies might want to take a look at our exploration of REXKL, a former cinema turned hip hangout.
We also have a comprehensive guide to all the must-see spots along KTM’s underrated ETS train route, Malaysian and Singaporean WWII sites as well as Malaysia’s most beautiful churches.
Links
Free Malaysia Today Youtube – Memorial Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra and Memorial Negarawan
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fsysjrzkOik
FMT – Carcosa Seri Negara: A historical and national treasure left to die
https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/leisure/2020/08/29/carcosa-seri-negara-an-historical-and-national-treasure-left-to-die
Abhubback.com – Carcosa, Kuala Lumpur (1898)
https://www.abhubback.com/carcosa-kuala-lumpur
MalayMail – Anwar: Carcosa Seri Negara, Sultan Abdul Samad Building restoration key to national identity
https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2025/03/08/anwar-carcosa-seri-negara-sultan-abdul-samad-building-restoration-key-to-national-identity/168920
MaTiC – MaTiC History
https://www.matic.gov.my/en/corporate/matic-history
MalayMail – Tunku Abdul Rahman’s personal items on display for first time at KLIA to celebrate Malaysia Day
https://www.malaymail.com/news/life/2022/09/06/tunku-abdul-rahmans-personal-items-on-display-for-first-time-at-klia-to-celebrate-malaysia-day/26762
National Archives of Malaysia – The Proclamation of Independence Memorial
https://www.arkib.gov.my/en/perkhidmatan/arkib-memorial/info-galeri/the-proclamation-of-independence-memorial
Roots.sg – The former Malacca Club building
https://www.roots.gov.sg/Collection-landing/listing/1107933
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