KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 10- On August 31, Malaysians celebrated the 56th Merdeka anniversary with a great patriotic zeal, added with dazzling shows on the sidelines.
For once the Merdeka celebration unleashed a totally different euphoria and a deep affection for the country, truly reflecting the spirit of the theme “My Sovereign Malaysia: My Native Land”.
The organisers of the celebration subtly sent a message to the hearts of the people on why patriotism and unity is vital in defending the nation’s sovereignty.
Patriotism and the unity of the nation, has been the buzz words since the intrusion episode earlier this year in Lahad Datu in Sabah. The subsequent security operations to flush out the intruders from South Philippines under ‘Ops Daulat” saw eight policemen and two soldiers were killed in the line of duty along with 68 rebels.
The dark chapter in the Malaysia’s modern history posed a serious threat to the nation’s sovereignty, and the Merdeka celebration provided the best platform to honour the fallen heroes in the episode and renewed resolve in preserving the country’s sovereignty.
A GREAT WAY TO CELEBRATE
About 15,300 people took part in the itineraries at Dataran Merdeka, with more than 200,000 members of the public watching the event directly and millions more all over the country following the events from their television screen.
A great sense of pride radiated from the faces of those at the venue, with the children donning clothing reflecting the colours of the Jalur Gemilang adding to the gaiety of the Merdeka day celebrations.
Saying well done to the participants, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said he too was impressed with the patriotic fervour shown by Malaysians.
The three hour parade divided into four themes – Rukun Negara (the 5 National Principles), United People Universal Unity, The Nation’s Prosperity People’s Well-being and My Sovereign Malaysia.
The celebration theme is oriented towards the comprehensive elements of unity, patriotism, sovereignty and national security while the 56th Merdeka anniversary logo reflected the affectionate feelings for the country and Malaysia recognised as a sovereign state.
SACRIFICING TIME AND ENERGY
Among those who worked behind the scene were Pak Ngah Productions Sdn Bhd, the main coordinator for civilian events and also the Malaysian Armed Forces (ATM).
The company’s production manager Mohd Sabri Mohamed Mokhtar noted that among the events under the company’s coordination were the creative graphics around Dataran Merdeka and the creative formations at the Dataran Merdeka field.
“About 2,200 students from Selangor were trained for the creative show while another 2,000 from Kuala Lumpur were trained for the creative graphic show.
“We were aware that this year’s theme was out of the ordinary and required more time to train. Therefore, we started training during the fasting month in July with 17 training sessions conducted until the big day,” he told Bernama.
COMMITTED PARTICIPANTS, THE ARMED FORCES ASSETS
All training and rehearsals were conducted at Stadium Bukit Jalil and Dataran Merdeka from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. except for the ‘gayung perang’ (a symbolic war performance) by the armed forces.
On who mooted the idea of the shows, Mohd Sobri explained that the idea came from many parties within the organising committee.
“All the shows this time were based on the agreed theme…in doing things we sought the advice of Communication and Multimedia Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek,” he said.
The Merdeka celebration also highlighted the nation’s security assets – more than 300 equipment owned by the Armed Forces, Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM), the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (APMM), Fire and Rescue Services, Civil Defence and the Prisons Department.
The head of the Malaysian Armed Forces Affairs Department Lt. Col Bakhtiar Nor Md Alias noted that: “The show put up by the armed forces this time was very different and the last time the equipment were showcased were in 2008. Now we highlight ATM assets based on the Merdeka theme.”
He was happy to note a bigger turnout to watch the parades conducted by the security forces.
The 400-member contingent involved in the ‘Ops Daulat’ to flush out the rebels in Lahat Datu were also honoured at the parade.
– BERNAMA
