Malaysian Heroes - Datuk Rasammah Bhupalan Known to many as Mrs FR Bhupalan, she was both a Malaysian freedom fighter and social activist. Having championed causes such as the anti-drug abuse movement, women’s rights, education and social justice, Bhupalan was one of the earliest women involved in the fight for Malaysian (then Malaya) independence.At the age of 16, she joined the Rani of Jhansi Regiment, the women’s wing of the Indian National Army, to fight the British. As founder president of the Women Teacher’s Union, she fought for equal pay for women teachers and tried to bring a disparate teachers’ unions under the same roof. Her memories of the eve of Merdeka, August 1957 “People were chatting and there were happy shouts everywhere. I never saw anything like it. Then the Union Jack came down and it was the most poignant moment.The clock struck 12 midnight and Tunku Abdul Rahman raised our flag. I was emotional with happiness because I felt that the future held great promise.Here was a country previously under colonial rule but which was now free.The whole spirit of that night was triumphant. Every person there did not represent one race, they were Malayans. For more info on Datuk Rasammah Bhupalan: dinmerican.wordpress/2011/09/04/freedom-fighter-teacher-and-social-activist-recalls-august-31-1957/
Posted on: Mon, 01 Dec 2014 03:00:01 +0000
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