The thirty first of August is the day Malaysians rejoice and recall the efforts of our patriots to gain Malaya's independence which was declared on that day in 1957.
Malaysia celebrated its 53rd Merdeka Day (Independence Day) on Tuesday 31st August 2010.
Over 12,000 people packed the indoor Putra Stadium in Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur to celebrate the merriment and joy of the celebration themed "1Malaysia Generating Transformation".
It was a vibrant 1Malaysia performances with colours and smiling faces of the mainly youth performers. There was also a special performance by the police and armed forces personnel.
There was no parade this national-level Merdeka celebration because of the fasting month of Ramadan.
Mai Tomyam captured the exciting and special moments of the celebration as they happened at the Putra Stadium, Bukit Jalil Kuala Lumpur.
Please enjoy the pictures below.
The Royal Malay Regiment Band looking smart in their white and gold songket samping played the national anthem Negaruku.
Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin inspecting a guard-of-honour mounted by the First Battalion of the Royal Malay Regiment in full military splendour. The First Battalion Royal Malay Regiment is the ceremonial battalion for the King.
Oath-taking: Reciting the Rukun Negara (National Ideology) led by Mohd Faizullah Bin Buyong and accompanied by 53 people representing the ethnic mix group from the government service, private sector, art and culture, NGOs and OKU.
Malaysians appreciate the Rukun Negara to strenghten national unity.
Present were (from left) former prime minister Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, Information, Communication and Culture Minister Dato' Seri Dr. Rais Yatim, Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and Yang di-Pertuan Agong (King) Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin. On the King's left is Raja Permaisuri Agong (Queen) Tuanku Nur Zahirah.
From left: Dato' Seri Dr. Rais Yatim, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and King Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin.
From left: Datuk Seri Dr. Rais Yatim, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak showing the 1Malaysia sign.
Also present were MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu (left) and MCA president Datuk Seri Dr. Chua Soi Lek.
Performers in colourful traditional costumes sang patriotic songs and waved the national flag Jalur Gemilang.
The performers proudly waved the national flag Jalur Gemilang and sang patriotic songs such as "1Malaysia" and "Jalur Gemilang".
Participants displayed the spirit of patriotism at the celebration.
The celebration conveyed the 1Malaysia spirit as shown by the participants.
The stadium became a sea of national flag Jalur Gemilang.
Performers holding up the 1Malaysia logo, the national flag Jalur Gemilang and flags of the 13 states and three federal territories.
Performers doing their pom-pon dance routine.
Performers waving the national flag Jalur Gemilang.
A colourful and vibrant movement and formation performed by youth participants.
An acrobatic formation.
A formation using cardboards with glowing lights of different colours.
The smartly-dressed uniformed navy personnel marched into the stadium to a thunderous applause.
A high-impact performance by armed forces personnel moving under the canvas.
A mass-combat display by the armed forces, the police and the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency personnel showcasing their abilities and fighting spirits.
The police demonstrated their skills in discharging their duties to maintain peace and order. .
The army showed their action-packed combat skills.
A famous person was taken "hostage" by a group of armed "terrorists" in a counter-terrorism show by the army's anti-terrorism unit, Unit Lawan Keganasan (ULK).
In a rescue operation to free the "hostage", the anti-terrorism unit (Unit Lawan Keganasan)Special Action Force elite commandos decended from ropes strung from the ceiling of the stadium.
The Special Action Force elite commandos finally apprehended the "terrorists".
Faces of Merdeka spirit and 1Malaysia:
The spirit of Merdeka and 1Malaysia as seen on the faces of the performers in colourful traditional costumes, including the armed forces and police personnel, waving the national flag Jalur Gemilang.
Information, Communication and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Dr. Rais Yatim (third from left) beaming with pride as the performances, which truly projected the 1Malaysia spirit, were praised by the people. The ministry was in charge of organizing the memorable event.
Foreign war veteran Victor Ronald Johnson, 67, from New Zealand being interviewed by the media outside the Putra Stadium, Bukit Jalil after the event came to a close.
Johnson was one of eight foreign war veterans from Australia, New Zealand and United Kingdom who were invited by the Malaysian government to receive the Malaysian Service Medal (Pingat Jasa Malaysia) on 30th August, a day before Malaysia's 53rd Independence Day for their service in defending Malaysia's sovereignty during the Malayan Emergency and the Malaysian-Indonesian Confrontation between 1957 - 1963.
Johnson was one of eight foreign war veterans from Australia, New Zealand and United Kingdom who were invited by the Malaysian government to receive the Malaysian Service Medal (Pingat Jasa Malaysia) on 30th August, a day before Malaysia's 53rd Independence Day for their service in defending Malaysia's sovereignty during the Malayan Emergency and the Malaysian-Indonesian Confrontation between 1957 - 1963.
A total of 20 recipients of the Pingat Jasa Malaysia (PJM) were honoured for defending Malaysia in a ceremony held at the Saloma Bistro & Theatre Restaurant in Jalan Ampang, Kuala Lumpur.
