A WAVE of patriotism swept across Dataran Putrajaya this morning as the 68th National Day celebration, themed ‘Malaysia MADANI: Rakyat Disantuni’, unfolded in a grand and heartfelt spectacle. Thousands of Malaysians, many of whom arrived as early as Saturday evening, filled the square in anticipation of the nation’s most symbolic day.
Their Majesties, King Sultan Ibrahim and Queen Raja Zarith Sofiah, were greeted with rapturous cheers as they arrived at 8am in a blue Proton Satria Neo bearing the plate number WWW1, with the King personally behind the wheel and Her Majesty seated beside him.
Their arrival was accompanied by a flypast of five military helicopters bearing the national and armed forces flags, followed by the national anthem Negaraku and the royal salute.
A fanfare of trumpets preceded the formal honours, where His Majesty inspected the guard of honour mounted by the First Battalion of the Royal Malay Regiment, led by Major Muhammad Fikri Senan. The anthem Negaraku was played once again during the Jalur Gemilang flag-raising ceremony, marked by a 14-gun salute.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and his wife, Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, welcomed Their Majesties on the royal stage, joined by Cabinet Ministers and government dignitaries.
The Rukun Negara pledge was led by Lieutenant Commander Mohd Firdaus Arbaain of the Royal Malaysian Navy, joined by 68 students from the National Defence University of Malaysia (UPNM).
A stirring rendition of the National Day theme song by Malaysia’s national songstress Datuk Seri Siti Nurhaliza added splendour to the occasion, drawing applause from the crowd.
Many had brought along fans and light sticks from her previous concerts, eager for a rare live performance of the national theme after several years.
The parade, stretching 2.1 kilometres, featured 14,010 participants across 81 contingents and included 21 marching bands, 437 land and air assets, 116 service animals, and seven decorated floats.
The contingents represented a cross-section of Malaysian society, from government ministries, security forces and government-linked companies to private corporations and civil society groups.
Parade segments highlighted national security, the economy, local innovation, broadcasting, sports, electric vehicles, and public wellbeing.
Among the key crowd-pleasers were the National Contingent, the People's Parade, and a fleet of local and electric vehicles developed by Malaysian companies.
Among the standout moments was the Human Graphic Terrace performance, where 2,000 secondary students came together to form large-scale moving visuals.
One of the performers, Akma Nabiha Abdullah, 16, from SMK Ideal Heights, Gombak, said balancing schoolwork and rehearsals was challenging, but worth it.
“I’m proud and excited. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience. I’ve actually been involved since last year, and this time was even more meaningful,” she said. “The hardest part was staying focused. I missed some classes due to rehearsals, so I had to catch up on my studies.”
Another participant, Muhammad Adam Arif Anuar, 15, was taking part for the first time. “I was nervous to perform in front of such a large crowd, but I turned that into motivation. I wanted to give my best today,” Sinar Harian reported him saying.
Sixteen-year-old Syauqina Zulaikha Zulkifli, who was participating for the second time, said she hoped this year’s performance would be their best yet. “There were changes to the choreography, but I enjoyed every bit of it, especially meeting new friends during the preparation,” she said.
Spectators began arriving from as early as 3.30am, with some even pitching tents or checking into nearby hotels to secure prime viewing spots near the royal stage.
According to the Information Department, 15,000 parking spaces, 8,000 tiered seats and 12 large LED screens were provided to accommodate the crowd.
Among the early arrivals was Mustika Mohd Najib, 39, a housewife from Klang, who attended with her husband and children.
“We checked into a nearby hotel just to experience the celebration from the night before. This is our first time and it’s amazing. People were already gathering from 7pm yesterday,” she said.
Sinar Harian cited public servant Nariza Nayan, 40, shared that she came especially to witness Siti Nurhaliza’s performance. “It’s been five years since a live theme song performance. I even brought a fan and light stick from her last concert. This is my third time attending National Day, but this year is special.”
Meanwhile, Koay Boon Kheng, 28, a sales executive from Ipoh, made the journey to Putrajaya by bus and train to experience the national celebration first-hand. “It’s my first time here, and the atmosphere is overwhelmingly positive. I left Ipoh at 8pm, arrived around midnight, and it’s all been worth it.”
Shuttle buses began operating from Putrajaya Sentral as early as 9pm on Saturday, ferrying visitors to the celebration site at Pasar Tani Lama near Dataran Putrajaya every 10 minutes.
As Malaysia continues its journey as the ASEAN Chair and prepares to host Visit Malaysia 2026, this year’s National Day stood as a testament to the country’s unity, resilience and forward-looking aspirations—embodied by the spirit of Malaysia MADANI. - August 31, 2025
