For Sabah teens, being part of Malaysia Day gala is worth giving up school hols

Colourful performances await visitors to the Malaysia Day celebration at Padang Merdeka on Sept 16.

KOTA KINABALU: Teenagers Khaleeda Idzwani and Syafiah Qistina sacrificed their school holidays to be part of a significant event in Sabah – this year's national-level Malaysia Day celebration here.

Although their contribution was modest, the 17-year-olds were thrilled to be part of the event, which will bring them face-to-face with the country’s leaders.

Dressed in traditional Bajau attire, Khaleeda said she never imagined she would participate in such an important event, something she had only learned about in school.

“We learned about the formation of Malaysia and the events that took place, but I never thought I’d get to be part of the celebration. Seeing the country’s leaders up close was a real bonus,” she said here on Saturday (Sept 14) night.

Khaleeda and Syafiah, her schoolmate from SMK Putatan, have been assigned to distribute souvenir books to VIPs, including Governor Tun Dr Juhar Mahiruddin and his wife Toh Puan Dr Norlidah RM Jasni; Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and his wife Datin Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail; Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor and his wife Datin Seri Juliah Salag; and Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg.

“We did our research, especially to familiarise ourselves with what the VIPs' spouses look like. There’s no room for mistakes,” said Syafiah.

Both girls, among 200 event crew members, were met at the full dress rehearsal on Saturday night.

Malaysia flags being ushered into the centre stage, part of the Malaysia Day celebration programmes.

They said it would be an honour to be part of the celebration as they could express their patriotism and join thousands in commemorating Malaysia’s formation.

The event themed “Malaysia Madani, Jiwa Merdeka” reflects the government’s commitment to ensuring that the Madani aspirations are embraced by every leader and citizen.

The theme highlights the importance of living by noble, inclusive and progressive values rooted in the essence of a free spirit.

Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Christina Liew, along with co-chairman of the celebration committee, Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil, expressed satisfaction with the preparations, though they noticed some room for improvement.

“We’re almost there, but some tweaks are still needed. I believe the team will handle them well to ensure a special show on Monday (Sept 16) at Padang Merdeka, right in the heart of the city,” said Fahmi, hoping for favourable weather after several days of rain.

Liew encouraged the public to attend and enjoy the celebration, which rotates among Sabah, Sarawak and Peninsular Malaysia every year.

“We only get to host this event once every three years, so we’re making sure everything runs smoothly,” she said.

The celebration will kick off at 5pm, with the first 5,000 visitors receiving reusable bags and a chance to meet "superheroes" while enjoying performances by local artists such as Elica Paujin, Nick Arddley, Den Bisa, Yico Wong, Dhania and Rosario Bianis during the pre-show session.

A key highlight of this year’s celebration is a special performance titled “Rumah Madani: Jiwa Merdeka”, showcasing Malaysia’s achievements and strengths through five segments: Negaraku (My Country), Perpaduan (Unity), Dinamik Kemajuan (Dynamics of Progress), Transformasi Negara (National Transformation), and Jiwa Merdeka (Spirit of Independence).

The signing of a Malaysia Day special commemorative book by Anwar, Hajiji and Johari will be the evening’s highlight, serving as a reminder of Malaysia’s formation, followed by a cake-cutting ceremony with the Governor and his wife.

A special four-minute video titled Surat Kemerdekaan will be screened, produced by Finas' Sabah Branch, delivering a message to the younger generation about the importance of safeguarding the nation.

Juhar will symbolically launch the event by placing a key in a specially prepared device to activate a holographic presentation and LED light show, followed by a drone performance featuring formations of Malaysia Madani, Jiwa Merdeka, the Malaysia Madani emblem, and the flags of Sabah, Sarawak and Malaysia.

The night will conclude with a spectacular 10-minute fireworks display, followed by performances by Sabah-born Garry Chaw, now a star in Taiwan, alongside Amir Jahari, Fauziah Gambus, Stacy Anam, Akim and Faizal Tahir.