00:00Irrespective of race, religion, we all should live as Malaysians.
00:07I am for you, you are for me.
00:09We are all human. Let us live as one.
00:15M Rajamani may be 80 years old, but the former Queen of Speed
00:20vividly remembers her first Merdeka Day celebration as if it was yesterday.
00:26At just 14, Malaysia's first female Olympian of the 1964 Tokyo Olympics
00:33joined her family at a Chinese school in Tapa to celebrate Malaya's independence.
00:39I would have been about 10 years old.
00:43We were asked to shout Merdeka, Merdeka, Merdeka three times.
00:48I didn't even know what Merdeka was, you see, then.
00:52But over the years, Merdeka has come to be more than just a historical event
00:57for this multi-gold medalist.
00:59It has become deeply personal.
01:01So much so, that whenever she hears the Negaraku, she tears up.
01:08Well, automatically tears flow down the eyes, you see,
01:11because I value the freedom we have got.
01:15Would we be having the freedom that we have today?
01:19Would we be living in luxurious homes like this?
01:22And, you know, have cars and all the facilities that we have?
01:27This grandmother of four made history as the first Malaysian woman
01:32to win a gold medal for the 400 metres at the 1966 Asian Games.
01:37She also dominated the Southeast Asian Peninsular Games, winning seven golds.
01:44Her dedication and contributions to the nation's sports
01:47earned her the National Sportswoman Award in 1966 and again in 1967
01:54when she received the honour from the late Tunku Abdul Rahman himself.
02:00Tunku Abdul Rahman was a very nice person.
02:04And he even made an attempt to come for one of the MAU runs that was in Alosta, I think.
02:12He came there mainly to see me and Negar run.
02:15Rajamani's success on the track is rooted in her childhood,
02:19in which her father played a pivotal role.
02:22He made sure that she could pursue her passion for running,
02:25even having a local cobbler make her a treasured pair of spikes.
02:30I tell you, he was a beautiful person.
02:33To get a father like him, I was blessed.
02:36He was a marvellous father.
02:39I achieved in sports because of him.
02:42Beyond uplifting the name of a nascent nation on the world stage,
02:46Rajamani played a significant role in training future Malaysian athletes,
02:51such as the Siddig brothers, who clinched the 1992 Thomas Cup,
02:56and a teenage Lee Chong Wei, who still calls her coach whenever they meet.
03:02Well, I would proudly say I'm very satisfied with what I did.
03:07I gave my best.
03:09Contribution is not what you do on the top.
03:12What about the young, the grassroot level, you see?
03:15If we don't develop them, they will not reach there.
03:18Still filled with a deep sense of pride for the country she so loves,
03:23the support she has received from fellow Malaysians
03:26has only served to make her sporting career that much sweeter.
03:30Irrespective of race, religion, you know,
03:35we all should live as Malaysians.
03:39I am for you, you are for me.
03:42That is the biggest dream I have.
03:46Irrespective of whether you are a drain sweeper,
03:50or you are the minister,
03:54we are all human.
03:56Let us live as one.
03:59Divya Ragu and Dinesh Kumar Maganadan, FMT Lifestyle.
04:05www.FMTLifestyle.com
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