Initially, this year’s Malaysia Day celebration in Kuching, Sarawak was to be held in Padang Merdeka. Due to unhealthy air pollution index, they moved the event to Stadium Perpaduan and celebrated the historic occasion on Sept 16.
In the end, more than 10,000 people flooded the indoor stadium for the event which commemorated the establishment of the Malaysian federation.
The theme for 2019’s National Day and Malaysia Day is “Love our Malaysia: A Clean Malaysia” and it stresses the importance of unity and patriotism to ensure the well-being of the people and shared prosperity.
Attending a Malaysia Day celebration for the first time, this writer felt the true spirit of being a Malaysian.
Among the highlights are performances featuring 300 drums and a shadow play themed “United We Stand, Divide We Fall”. The shadow play delivers a message of friendship, cohesiveness, peace, conflict and nation-building, and overall, it was a unique performance.
Present for the event were Yang di-Pertua Negeri Sarawak, Tun Abdul Taib Mahmud and wife Toh Puan Datuk Patinggi Hajjah Raghad Kurdi Taib, as well as Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and wife Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali together with Deputy Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.
Also at the event were Sarawak Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Openg, Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Mohd Shafie Apdal and other state and federal ministers.
