AI Summary
- An opposition MP, Kalam Salan, proposed renovating the Tugu Negara during the Budget 2026 debate.
- He claimed the statues’ facial features, especially the pointed nose of the main soldier, look too European.
- Kalam questioned if the monument unintentionally glorifies colonial figures instead of local freedom fighters.
- He suggested the monument should reflect Malaysian identity to boost patriotism.
- The MP believes redesigning the statues with more Malaysian features can help future generations relate better.
An opposition Member of Parliament has suggested that the iconic Tugu Negara be renovated, claiming that the statues’ facial features resemble those of Europeans.
Image Credit: Harakah Daily
Kalam Salan (PN–Sabak Bernam) made the proposal during the committee-stage debate of Budget 2026 in the Dewan Rakyat yesterday (November 6).
According to him, the main soldier depicted holding the Jalur Gemilang appears “too European,” particularly due to his noticeably pointed nose.
Image Credit: Jalur Gemilang Book of Records
Kalam also questioned whether the monument — built in 1966 — might unintentionally glorify colonial figures rather than local freedom fighters. He argued that the monument should better reflect Malaysian identity to inspire a stronger sense of patriotism.
“It’s a symbol of our country’s independence. But if you look at their faces, their sharp noses look more like Europeans. Why not change them to have shorter noses like Asians, like Malaysians?
Our faces… our noses aren’t that sharp, like mine, right?”
Kalam added that redesigning the monument to reflect a “more Malaysian look” could strengthen patriotic sentiment and help future generations better relate to the figures it commemorates.
Featured Image Credit: FMT, Instagram
