PUTRAJAYA: The highly-anticipated 2026 National Day parade at Dataran Putrajaya will proceed as planned on Aug 31 as long as weather conditions remain favourable, says Datuk Seri Fahmi Fadzil.
The chairman of the 2026 National Day and Malaysia Day Celebrations main committee said the decision was made at a special meeting with several agencies yesterday in view of the current haze situation at the venue.
“The relevant authorities will also conduct assessments from time to time, with several contingency measures being considered depending on forecasted conditions, including cloud seeding.
“If the weather condition on the day itself is not suitable, we will stop the event,” he said after attending the full rehearsal 2026 National Day parade at Dataran Putrajaya on Saturday (Aug 29).
Fahmi, who is also Communications Minister, also said that cloud seeding would be carried out either on Saturday or Sunday (Aug 30) to help ensure clear skies for the day of the parade, depending on MetMalaysia’s findings and assessment.
With parts of Malaysia having experienced hazy conditions recently, Fahmi also advised attendees, especially high-risk individuals with asthma or respiratory problems, to wear face masks in line with recommendations issued by the Health Ministry.
Fahmi said medical teams will also be stationed at strategic locations to provide prompt medical assistance in case of emergencies.
“We have also prepared two pairs of face masks for all parade participants.
“However, we are not forcing them (to wear a mask); it will be up to the individual participants. If they feel they need to wear (face masks), they can wear them,” he added.
Over 80,000 people are expected for this year’s celebrations, either matching or surpassing turnout in previous years.
The school holidays and the transport facilities provided by the organisers are also expected to contribute to the turnout.
Prasarana Malaysia Bhd will provide 24-hour MRT services, water taxis, and feeder buses to the site, to facilitate travel for the public.
