Added: Sep 2, 2008
From: virtualmalaysia
Duration: 3:44
KUALA LUMPUR, 31 August 2008 -- "Unity, The Pillar of Success" (Perpaduan Teras Kejayaan) -- that is the theme for this year's 51st Merdeka Day celebration throughout Malaysia. The sun had yet to rise that day, but thousands and thousands of spectators were already making their way to the Merdeka Square to witness the year's Merdeka parade, where distinguished guests of the country like His Majesty DYMM Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin, Prime Minister of Malaysia Dato' Seri Abdullah bin Haji Ahmad Badawi, and Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia Dato' Sri Mohd Najib bin Tun Haji Abdul Razak, were expected to turn up for the event as well. Other than that, media from neighbouring countries, such as Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, Brunei and Indonesia, were also invited to share and revel in our joy of 51 years of nationhood. The gloomy clouds above threatened rain for the day, but that did not dampen the mood of everyone present for the parade. Surely enough, the clouds gave way as the event proceeded, and the sun beamed down on the children of Malaysia. The crowd went on bouts of cheers, when Dato' Seri Ahmad Badawi and Dato' Sri Najib Tun Razak arrived at the venue, each driving a white Proton Persona and a red Proton e-Savvy respectively. Later, the applause continued as His Majesty arrived at precisely 8 in the morning with the Queen Consort, Raja Permaisuri Agong Tuanku Nur Zahirah. The clock tower above our heads chimed eerily, as his polished shoes stepped on the red carpet laid out for the distinguished guests, leading up to the VIP stage. After His Majesty's inspection on the guard of honour, the event began with the assembly standing for the National Anthem, as five Royal Malaysia Air Force helicopters bearing the Malaysian flags passed by overhead. Next, was the recite of Rukun Negara, before the crowd was led to seven Merdeka! cheers that echoed off the buildings surrounding the Merdeka Square. Some 6,000 participants from high schools and primary schools in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur began their formation performance as they flooded the field in red, blue, yellow and white -- the colours of the Malaysian flag. The primary school students dressed in multiracial costumes too danced along to the encouraging beats of the patriotic songs blaring through the speakers. After that, the parade began, led by the Royal Malay Regiment orchestra with 70 other contingents, which included the retired police personnel, the Malaysian Armed Force veterans, the Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM), the Malaysian Fire Brigade (BOMBA) and the Kuala Lumpur City Council (DBKL). The proud faces of the Malaysian Armed Forces rolled out last, forming the largest contingent with over 1,000 strong personnel tailed by ferocious battle tanks and invulnerable armoured vehicles. Proton Holdings Berhad also joined in the parade, rocking up the stretch with 11 different Proton car models, dating back to the first Proton Saga in 1985 till the latest re-designed Proton Saga of 2008. Marching bands from high schools around Malaysia also joined in the parade, leading the contingents past the grand stand, where the distinguished guests were. Such bands included those from Victoria Institution, Ave Maria Convent of Ipoh, Perak, and SMK Chung Hua, who has won international accolades at the 2007 International Music Festival in Giulianova City, Italy for winning the Best Overall Band Champion Trophy, the Best Press Prize for Overall Best and was voted Most Popular Band by a public jury. Colourful floral floats also made an entrance, proudly displaying the wonderful diversity of our nation's lush tropical landscape thanks to the inspiring people at Universiti Teknologi Petronas, Sime Darby and the Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC). For the finale, some 10,000 participants from the Integrated People's Component (Komponen Rakyat Bersepadu), comprising of pre-schoolers, local university students, government servants, government-linked bodies, private corporations and ethnic group organisations, flocked the whole procession stretch in red, blue, yellow and white, waving the Jalur Gemilang as they danced to patriotic tunes like Bahasa Jiwa Bangsa, Tanah Pusaka, Tanggal 31, Muhibbah (which was sung in the three main languages in Malaysia: Malay, Chinese and Tamil), Kita Anak Malaysia, and the theme song for the year, Perpaduan Teras Kejayaan. Things may have been bleak this year for Malaysia, what with the recent change in the political status, and price hike in practically everything, but that morning, the children of Malaysia of all races -- young and old, boys and girls, men and women -- were united under one sincere goal: to pay tribute to 51 years of love, pride and joy to a place we all call home.
Channel: Travel
Tags: 51st celebration day gemilang jalur kejayaan malaysia merdeka perpaduan teras unity
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