MOVE over, ‘Abang Bomba’! This year, ‘Abang Askar’ took centre stage at the Merdeka Parade, capturing the hearts of netizens across the country.

While last year’s event had everyone swooning over the firemen, this time, the Askar (Armed Forces) —alongside JPJ (Road Transport Department) personnel—came ready to impress with their pumped-up physiques and undeniable charm.

While ‘Abang Bomba’ also kept the crowd entertained with adorable pick-up lines displayed on signs, however, the spotlight seems to have shifted.

‘Abang Askar’ seems to have stolen the show this time around, winning over a whole new legion of fans.

As the parade concluded, the tide had undeniably turned, with ‘Abang Askar’ emerging as the unexpected stars of the event.

A viral video posted by @anishaizad featuring the hot and muscular ‘Abang Askar’ quickly gained traction online, amassing over 811,000 views, 82,500 likes and over 670 comments.

Netizens flooded the comments with admiration, praising the ‘Abang Askar’ for being the true heartthrobs of the parade.

One user called you commented: “Abang Bomba has some competition this time!”

“First time seeing Abang Askar smile during the parade.

“Usually, they have such serious faces, I’d be too scared to greet them,” mignon wrote.