KUALA LUMPUR - More than 100,000 people have gathered at Dataran Merdeka, here, today for the 65th National Day celebration.
After a two-year hiatus due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the event today was more joyous as people have missed being able to attend the Merdeka parade.
People were seen cheering and waving their Jalur Gemilang throughout the event.
The Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah and the Raja Permaisuri Agong Tunku Hajah Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah arrived in a horse-drawn carriage to grace the celebration at 7.30am.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, members of the cabinet, diplomats and foreign representatives and dignitaries also attended the event.
The celebration kicked off at 8am with the hoisting of the Jalur Gemilang, the singing of the Negaraku followed by a 14-gun-salute and recitation of the Rukun Negara.
The ceremony ended with seven shouts of "Merdeka” by the master of ceremonies.
This year’s parade showcased 20,000 participants, 76 service animals attached to uniformed bodies, 369 land assets and 68 air assets from various agencies and contingents.
The Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM) Orchestra was also featured during the event playing the national anthem under the direction of the station's music director Datuk Mokhzani Ismail, who participated in teh event for the first time.
The crowd was also entertained with the "Keluarga Malaysia Teguh Bersama” song sung by Alif Satar & The Locos with the RTM Orchestra.
The Rukun Negara was recited by 65 participants led by national sprinter Muhammad Azeem Mohd Fahmi who is the current Malaysian 100 metres outdoor record holder.
This was then followed by the shouts of "Merdeka” seven times by everybody at the event.
This year, 600 secondary school students participated in a special color guard performance on "Keluarga Malaysia Teguh Bersama” under the coordination of the Student Talent Development Unit, Student Development Sector of the Selangor State Education Department.
Around 60 cadet officers from the Military Training Academy, National Defence University of Malaysia (UPNM) and trainee cadets from the Royal Malaysian Police Training Centre carrying huge flags led the segment on the nationhood parade.
This was followed by a 330 bearers of Jalur Gemilang and state flags procession.
The audience cheered loudly when the national athletes including those who represented Malaysia at the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games made an appeareance in two "hop-on-hop-off” buses.
Apart from that, there was also a vintage parade comprising 30 classic vehicles which carried local celebrities and production crew including film director Datuk Yusof Haslam and the cast of the blockbuster film "Mat Kilau”, Datuk Jalaluddin Hassan and Shaharuddin Thamby.
Another heart-robbing and much anticipated parade by the K-9 special unit stole the crowd’s attention.
The massive crowd was tightly packed along 3km of Masjid Jamek as people were making their way there as early as 7am.
Children were seen laughing and waving the Jalur Gemilang, singing along to various patriotic songs being played over the public announcement system.
Many who came were seen sporting Jalur Gemilang themed attires.
Commenting on the atmosphere of event, Muhammad Haiqal Abidin, 45, said his late father used to bring him to witness the Merdeka celebration at Dataran Merdeka and today he brought his two sons to witness the lively celebration.
"Merdeka has always been close to my heart. Since my dad's passing, I've always wanted to bring my kids to witness the parade. It is also to remind them of how beautiful our country is," he told Sinar Daily.
Meanwhile, Su Mei Yim said this was her first time experiencing the massive National Day celebration.
The 28-year old Malaysian who worked in Singapore said she came all the way from Singapore to come to the event.
"I didn't spend many days in Malaysia due to work in Singapore, but this year after two years of pandemic nothing will stop me from coming back to my country to celebrate the National Day,” she said.