MALACCA: The launch of the National Month and the flying of the Malaysian flag in conjunction with this year’s National Day and Malaysia Day celebrations, complete with colourful festivities, will take place tonight at the historic Dataran Pahlawan in Bandar Hilir here.
Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad is scheduled to do the honours.
The selection of Malacca as the launch venue for the celebrations called ‘Bulan Kebangsaan dan Kibar Jalur Gemilang 2019’ with the theme ‘Sayangi Malaysiaku: Malaysiaku Bersih’, is based on the historical significance of the Dataran Pahlawan square previously known as the Bandar Hilir field.
It was here that the nation’s first Prime Minister the late Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj returned from London with his delegation on Feb 20, 1956 to announce the Federation of Malaya’s independence from the British which took place on Aug 31, 1957.
Mahathir and his wife Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali are scheduled to arrive at 8.45pm tonight and will be greeted with a ‘Selamat Datang’ performance.
Tonight’s festivities will begin with an address by Communications and Multimedia Minister Gobind Singh Deo who also chairs the main committee for this year’s Bulan Kebangsaan celebrations.
This will be followed by a speech by Malacca Chief Minister Adly Zahari, and then Mahathir will give a speech to launch the festivities which will include the ‘Jalur Gemilang’ (national flag) raising ceremony, the singing of the national anthem, a fireworks display, dance performances and a concert by several popular artistes.
An estimated 30,000 people are expected to flood Dataran Pahlawan tonight where Mahathir is also scheduled to flag off the ‘Kembara Merdeka Jalur Gemilang 2019’ convoy.
The festivities are part of a three-day celebration in Melaka which began yesterday and includes events which have already begun such as a Merdeka run, aerobics, food trucks and sales by the Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (FAMA). — Bernama
