PUTRAJAYA, Aug 31 — Instead of just flying the Jalur Gemilang, the younger generation demonstrated their spirit of patriotism by actively participating in the National Day 2026 celebrations at Dataran Putrajaya this morning.
With about 80 per cent of the nearly 11,000 participants aged below 30, including students from institutions of higher learning and schools, it was this group that dominated participation in various segments of this year’s National Day celebrations.
The National Department for Culture and Arts (JKKN) director-general, Mohd Amran Mohd Haris, said the involvement of young people was one of the key pillars of this year’s celebrations, covering the main performances, percussion ensemble, human graphics, parade and uniformed body contingents.
He said the participation of the younger generation in national programmes was important to provide them with space to understand the meaning of independence, in addition to fostering the values of sacrifice, discipline and the spirit of togetherness among people of various races.
“The spirit of this National Day celebrations lies with the younger generation. If we want to ensure the continuity of independence and the patriotic spirit, for me, the younger generation should be the backbone or main pillar of such programmes.
“(With their involvement) the younger generation can understand the concept behind the implementation of the programme and gain a deeper understanding of the meaning of independence. It is not merely about flying the flag or participating in a programme, but it’s more than that,” he told Bernama.
The significant participation of the younger generation could be seen, among others, through Gema Inovasi MADANI, which was the opening performance of today’s celebration involving 1,900 participants, including 150 main performers supported by 1,500 students from 36 schools through a human graphics performance.
Mohd Amran said the performance brought a new element to this year’s celebrations, themed “Malaysia MADANI: Kesejahteraan Dinikmati”, as it marked the first time percussion elements were combined with colourful human graphics in the opening segment.
Behind the large-scale performance, he said participants aged below 30 also demonstrated a high level of commitment and discipline throughout the preparation period, with training beginning in June and having to wake as early as 4 am to be at Dataran Putrajaya by 5 am.
He said their determination also dispelled the notion of some parties who often questioned the patriotic spirit of the younger generation, adding that each of them had their own way of expressing their love for the country.
“To achieve a large capacity, especially for the Human Graphic segment, we really need the involvement of the younger generation, particularly school students. That’s because they are among the groups that are easy for us to identify and involve directly.
“Not just in Malaysia, but in any country, if we look at celebrations involving national programmes, most of them will involve the younger generation because they are the inheritors of independence and will inherit the leadership of the country,” he said.
Mohd Amran said their involvement in the celebration also served as a learning process for young participants as they had to adhere to the rules and schedules set, thereby developing discipline that could be applied in their daily lives.
He said the National Day celebrations was also the best platform to strengthen integration by bringing together students from various schools with participants from government agencies, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and people of different races.
“This is where interactionm, communication and networking take place among students from various schools, ministry agencies and NGOs. Malays and non-Malays, as well as people of various races, are all here, allowing us to foster a positive spirit,” he said.
This view was shared by percussion performer N. Poojashree, 26, who described her participation in the National Day celebrations as an excellent opportunity to express her love for the country through the performing arts.
Poojashree, who works in the hospitality sector and is also active as a part-time dancer, said she began pursuing dance while still in school and had the opportunity to learn various traditional dances, including Inang, Joget and Zapin.
For the youngest of two siblings, the spirit of patriotism should not be judged based on a person’s background, as being Malaysian allows her to explore and perform the cultural arts of other communities.
“I’m not just representing the Indian community because I can also perform Malay and Chinese cultural dances. To me, that is the beauty of being Malaysian, and I am proud to be a part of it,” she said.
Poojashree, who is participating in the National Day and Malaysia Day (HKHM) celebrations for the second time, described her experience this year as being more special because she had, for the first time, the opportunity to perform on stage by combining dance and percussion elements.
“I am always happy when I get to perform. As long as I’m healthy and able to dance, I want to continue performing, and this is also my way of expressing my patriotic spirit towards the country,” she added.
