Colourful National Day, Malaysia Day celebrations A strong sense of patriotism filled the air as tens of thousands of people

joined the nations leaders at Dataran Merdeka here for the first ever simultaneous celebrations of the National Day and Malaysia Day. The younger generation dominated this years celebrations, forming the largest group among the 10,000-strong participants in the four-segment parades. The participants, comprising school students, teachers, security personnel, and government and private sector employees started to gather around the venue as early as 5am to get ready for the historic occasion. The celebrations got underway soon after the arrival of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin, and Raja Permaisuri Agong Tuanku Nur Zahirah at 8am. Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak and wife Rosmah Mansor as well as Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin and wife Norainee Abd Rahman had earlier arrived at the venue. Also present were the Yang di-Pertua Negeri of Sabah Juhar Mahiruddin and wife Norlidah RM Jasni as well as the Yang di-Pertua Negeri of Sarawak Abang Muhammad Salahuddin Abang Barieng and wife Norkiah Abdullah.Cabinet ministers were also at the celebrations. The massive crowd who lined up along the road from Jalan Raja right to the Jalan Sultan Ismail intersection applauded and cheered and waved the flags as the guests of honour made their way into the venue. The celebrations got off with Tuanku Mizan getting a salute from Major Ahmad Muzaimi Mohd Ali of the First Battalion of the Royal Malay Regiment. This was followed by the playing of the national anthem Negaraku by regiments band. At the same time, seven Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) helicopters made a flypass, carrying the national flag Jalur Gemilang as well as the flags of the Malaysian Armed Forces, Royal Malaysian Army, Royal Malaysian Navy, RMAF, Royal Malaysia Police and the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency. His Majesty then inspected the guard-ofhonour mounted by 103 personnel of the regiment. This was followed by the hoisting of Jalur Gemilang and the singing of Negaraku, after which a 14-gun salute was fired. The Rukun Negara was read by 54 youths headed by Muizzuddin Maarof, 18, a student of Sekolah Agama Menengah Tinggi Sultan Hishamuddin, Klang. This was later followed by the shouts of Merdeka and 1Malaysia. The celebrations proceeded with 2,300 trainee teachers performing a choir on the Rukun Negara as 2,500 students took to the field to perform a human formation as a visual interpretation of the national principles. This was then followed by the parade of contingents. Among those who took part in the parade were Perak mufti Harussani Zakaria, singer Aizat Amdan, musician Ahmad Nawab, filmmaker Yusof Haslam and top badminton player Lee Chong Wei, on Proton Lotus as well as on classic cars. Among the contingents was the 195-member Young Creative Generation group headed by Information, Communications and Culture Ministry secretary-general Kamaruddin Siaraf comprising artistes, arts activists and TV as well as movie mascots of Upin dan Ipin, Cicak Man and Merong Mahawangsa.

Other contingents in the parade included farmers, taxi drivers and their vehicles as well as 32 floats and car from the two national carmakers, Proton and Perodua. The Proton cars included the Proton warrior series of Tuah, Jebat and Lekir as well as electronic cars Saga Easy and Exora Ree. The vehicles paraded by Perodua were the Alza Infinite, Kelisa Buggy, Perodua Eco Adventure and Myvi 1.5. The celebrations also featured for the first time a combined combat demonstration by police and the armed forces. The one hour and 40 minutes celebration ended with 5,541 participants singing patriotic songs followed by a paragliding show. Before leaving the Dataran Merdeka after the celebrations ended, Datuk Seri Najib walked into the crowd and shook hands with them. He also addressed them, thanking them for their presence and congratulating the parade participants for coming up with a compelling performance. It was truly an exciting performance, he said, to the delight of the participants and spectators. The event marked the return of the event to Dataran Merdeka this year. The National Day celebrations took place at Parliament Square in 2009 and at the Putra Stadium in Bukit Jalil last year.