PUTRAJAYA, Aug 31 (Bernama) : This year’s National Day celebrations at Dataran Putrajaya concluded around 10 this morning with a crowd of more than 100,000 visitors and 17,262 participants in the parade.
His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, and Her Majesty Raja Zarith Sofiah, Queen of Malaysia who graced the event had arrived early in the morning and were received on arrival by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and his wife Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.
It was the first presence by Their Majesties at the country’s National Day celebration since Sultan Ibrahim was sworn in and crowned as the 17th King of Malaysia on Jan 31 and July 20, respectively.
The “Hormat Diraja” song and the national anthem, “Negaraku” was played followed by a fly-past by five helicopters carrying the Malaysian flag as well as the flags of the Malaysian Armed Forces, the Army, the Royal Malaysian Navy and the Royal Malaysian Air Force, following the arrival of Their Majesties at the Royal Stage.
Among the Cabinet ministers present were Deputy prime ministers Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof, Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil, who is the National Day and Malaysia Day (HKHM) 2024 Celebration Main Committee chairman, Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin, Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu and Transport Minister Anthony Loke.
Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad, Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir, Education Minister Fadhlina Yusof and Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh were also present.
The event, themed “Malaysia MADANI: Jiwa Merdeka,” was also attended by deputy ministers, dignitaries, and foreign delegates.
TThe parade featured 67 contingents, 36 bands, 534 assets from the Malaysian Army and Royal Malaysian Air Force, and 100 service animals.
— BERNAMA