30.08.2025

From the EIC Desk: Merdeka is Malaysia's code of elegance and class

Merdeka is more than history - it is Malaysia’s living pulse of prestige. This month, Gentleman’s Code salutes a nation that is not second to any. This is our Merdeka. This is our pride.

Merdeka 118, PETRONAS Twin Towers, Bufori. (GC illustration)

Words: Raja Izz


I remember eight years ago, I was there, at Bon Zainal's boutique, when the illustrious man himself turned to me and asked, "Raja, can you build something? A platform for Malaysian gentlemen? Something that shows the world our class, our code?"

I stayed quiet. My chest felt heavy. Because deep down, I knew this task seemed impossible. No one had tried before. To build such a thing from ground zero - to raise the bar so high - meant risking everything. Failure. Doubt. Broken hearts.

But then I remembered: wasn't Merdeka once impossible too?

Merdeka isn't just a day we mark on calendars. It's the beating heart of our nation. It's the fire that burns in every Malaysian chest, reminding us of the brave souls who fought, who sacrificed, who believed when others said it couldn't be done. As August 31st comes closer, I feel that fire growing stronger. My heart swells with pride. And I know, with every breath: Malaysia isn't just free - Malaysia is magnificent.

This year, at Gentleman's Code, our Editorial team made you a promise. We swore our Merdeka story would be special. That we wouldn't just scratch the surface, but dig deep into what makes Malaysia truly great: our style, our creativity, our refusal to be second to anyone. And friends, I believe we kept that promise.

We ascended to dining’s stratosphere at Park Hyatt Kuala Lumpur, where culinary artistry redefined hospitality atop the majestic Merdeka 118. We bore witness to Bufori’s new CS8 -Malaysia’s thunderous response to European automotive aristocracy, proof that our master craftsmen do not merely compete with the world’s finest, but surpass them. We immersed ourselves in the upcoming Malaysia Fashion Week 2025, where ancestral heritage waltzed with boundless imagination in pure elegance.

We identified our 2025 Merdeka Heroes - those giants who championed the pillars of gentlemen, and the quiet champions who keep our nation's honor alive every single day. And we declared that Merdeka 118 is our "Excalibur", our steel and glass monument to the sky - not just a building, but our promise to the world that Malaysia reaches higher, dreams bigger, shines brighter.

Gentleman's Code is more than pages or elite bystander. We are the only Asian platform recognised among the top 20 world best men's digital magazine, your voice of elegance and class, your reminder that Malaysian men stand tall among the world's finest. Our job isn't just to chronicle Malaysia’s greatness, but to amplify it, magnify it, immortalize it - until the world recognizes what we have always known: Malaysia bows to no nation. Malaysia is pure class.

The 2025 Merdeka Heroes.

 

This Merdeka issue beats with the rhythm of our national heart. Every story, every photo, every word fights for Malaysian excellence. It's our gift to a nation that taught us to believe the impossible.

To you, our readers, our brothers - the men who carry Malaysia's best in your hearts - we see you. You are Merdeka's children. You are our nation's living proof that greatness runs in Malaysian blood.

The world is watching. And this Merdeka, Malaysia will not just wave its flag of freedom - our country's Merdeka spirit will seize the throne, reclaiming our place as the Asian hero history once promised.

 

With honor,

Raja Izz

About the Author

Raja Izz

Raja Izz (MBA) is the co-founder and Editor-in-Chief of Gentleman's Code (GC), a publication that champions elegance and refined living.

Since its inception in 2018, under Raja Izz’s leadership, GC has reached remarkable milestones, including being recognized as one of the Top 20 Digital Men’s Magazines by Feedspot in 2025 and ranking #1 for “Elegant Man” by Google in the same year.

With his signature blend of gravitas and grace, Raja Izz does not seek the spotlight. Instead, he builds the platform—for others to rise, for values to return, and for men to remember who they once aspired to be.

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