The folk song “Rasa Sayang”, or “Rasa Sayange”, has a special place in many Malaysians’ memories, reminding us of our childhood. However, many still debate the song’s origin as it also has a history in other Southeast Asian countries.
Recently, the Facebook page Discover ASEAN shared a video where a class of Filipino students were singing “Rasa Sayang”. In the viral video, the students were singing the song in near-perfect Malay. According to the video’s caption, the students are in Grade 8 (12 to 14 years old), studying the song as part of their school’s Music subject.
Many have praised the students for their performance but in the comments were also many Indonesians and Malaysians debating which country “owns” the song. In their caption, the page noted that “Rasa Sayang” originated from Maluku, Indonesia, but added that it is popular in Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore.
The origin of “Rasa Sayang” has been long debated between Indonesians and Malaysians, as the song plays a huge role in the history of both countries. According to historians, the song had originated from Indonesia but a local rendition of the song has long existed in Malaysia, even as early as the late 50’s. As the song is known throughout the Malay archipelago, it is difficult to specify the origin so many recognise “Rasa Sayang” as a shared property between Indonesia and Malaysia.
What do you think about Rasa Sayang’s origin?
Watch the video of the students’ performance below:
Source: Facebook
Adleena contributed to this article.
