KOTA KINABALU – Thousands thronged Dataran Bandaraya Kota Kinabalu here this morning, arriving as early as 6.30am, to partake in the National Day celebrations and witness the impressive uniformed parade along Jalan Tun Fuad Stephens.
Present at the event was Sabah’s head of state Tun Juhar Mahiruddin, Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor and members of the state cabinet.
The event here is followed by another celebration in Tambunan, some 75-km away in the interior district from here.
The state will hold its first official Sabah Day commemoration in Tambunan.
At the National Day event Juhar inspected the 113-strong guard of honour from the 22nd Battalion of the Malay Regiment from Sandakan led by Maj Mohd Adam Embi.
The parade started with the helicopter fly-past squadron comprising the Police Air Unit, Royal Malaysian Navy and Maritime Enforcement Agency.
A total of 114 contingents representing the security forces, uniform bodies, ministries, schools, higher learning institutions, ethnic cultural associations, NGOs and the private sector participated in the march-past competition.
Twenty-eight motorcades also participated in today’s National Day parade.
Also present were Speaker Datuk Kadzim Yahya; deputy chief ministers Datuk Seri Jeffrey Kitingan, Datuk Seri Dr Joachim Gunsalam and Datuk Shahelmey Yahya; state Secretary Datuk Seri Sr Safar Untong, state ministers and other dignitaries
While Malaya gained its independence from the British on August 31, 1957, Sabah had gained its own on the same date in 1963.
Sabah’s independence marked the establishment of a de facto self-government in Sabah in 1963, but this lasted for 16 days prior to it joining Malaya, Sarawak and Singapore to form the Federation of Malaysia on September 16, 1963.
Singapore would later exit the federation two years later. – The Vibes, August 31, 2023
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