In high spirits: Dancers rehearsing for the Malaysia Day celebrations at Padang Merdeka.
KOTA KINABALU: Sabah is all set to host the Malaysia Day celebrations.
A number of events have been prepared to commemorate the historic day of Malaysia’s formation on Sept 16, 1963.
More than 30,000 people are expected to make a beeline to the historic Padang Merdeka, located in the heart of Kota Kinabalu, where they will be entertained with a cultural and musical extravaganza, which promises to be a memorable one.
Khaleeda Idzwani and Syafiah Qistina said volunteering at the national-level celebration is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
The two friends, both 17, gave up their school holidays to join in on the event.
Dressed in traditional Bajau attire, Khaleeda said she had never imagined she would be part of such an important milestone.
“We learned about the formation of Malaysia and the historical 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.”
The two schoolgirls, from SMK Putatan, have been tasked with distributing souvenir books to guests, including Sabah Yang di-Pertua Negeri Tun Juhar Mahiruddin and his wife Toh Puan Norlidah RM Jasni; Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and his wife Datuk 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 to familiarise ourselves with what their spouses look like. There’s no room for mistakes,” said Syafiah when met at the full-dress rehearsal on Saturday night.
The two girls said they are proud to be part of the celebration commemorating Malaysia’s formation 61 years ago.
Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Christina Liew, along with her co-chairman of the national celebration, Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil, inspected the rehearsal.
Liew encouraged the public to come and enjoy the celebration, which rotates between Sabah, Sarawak, and Peninsular Malaysia every three years.“We only get to host this historic 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 to receive recyclable bags while enjoying performances by local artistes.
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 (Dynamic Progress), Transformasi Negara (National Transformation), and Jiwa Merdeka (Spirit of Freedom).
The signing of a Malaysia Day special commemorative book by Anwar, Hajiji and Abang Johari will be the evening’s highlight, serving as a reminder of Malaysia’s formation, followed by a cake-cutting ceremony with Juhar and Norlidah.
A special four-minute video titled Surat Kemerdekaan will be screened, produced by the state branch of the National Film Development Corporation (Finas), which delivers a powerful message to the younger generation about the importance of safeguarding the nation.
Juhar will launch the event by placing a “key” into a specially prepared device, activating a hologram presentation and LED light show, followed by a drone performance featuring formations of Malaysia Madani, Jiwa Merdeka, the Malaysia Madani logos, and the flags of Sabah, Sarawak and Malaysia.
The night will conclude with a 10-minute fireworks display, followed by performances by several popular singers.
