KUALA LUMPUR: Although the 2024 National Day parade and celebration was not held at Dataran Merdeka here, Malaysians still thronged the historic site to make memories with their loved ones, capturing them in pictures and videos.
A Bernama check found the area bustling with people wearing National Day-themed attire, taking selfies against the historic Sultan Abdul Samad building as mementos.
Homemaker Nurizan Jaffor Ghani, 34, took the three-hour journey from Perak to Dataran Merdeka with her family to celebrate National Day today, which is also her 13th wedding anniversary.
“This is the first time I’ve come here to celebrate National Day with my husband and three children. We wanted to experience the atmosphere here, surrounded by iconic buildings,” she told Bernama Saturday (Aug 31).
Donning a Jalur Gemilang-themed hijab and attire, Nurizan and her children drew the attention of foreign tourists who took photos with them.
Members of the public were also seen taking photos with a Proton Tiara car adorned with a Jalur Gemilang motif parked by the roadside.
The proud owner of the 28-year-old car, Azmi Mansor, 68, said he spent about 12 hours and forked out RM800 to paint the car and decorate it with Jalur Gemilang.
Meanwhile, Norshidah Abd Moti, 45, said since she could not watch the National Day parade in Dataran Putrajaya as she did in previous years, she decided to visit Dataran Merdeka and take photos with her family, expressing her gratefulness for the harmony that the country has enjoyed so far.
Another visitor, Paizah Abdul Hamid, 62, said the visit took her back to the early days of her career as a lawyer, inspiring her to contribute more to society so people could live more comfortably.
“Showing love for the country is not just by celebrating (National Day). We can also give back to society and do charitable work. Wherever we can help, we should,” she added. – Bernama
