PUTRAJAYA: A wave of joy swept through Dataran Putrajaya as Malaysians from all walks of life gathered to celebrate the 2024 National Day parade.
Hui Ling, 48, from Kajang, said that her family attended the parade at her son's request.
Inspired by the unity he witnessed among Malaysians during the recent Paris 2024 Olympics, he wanted to experience the same spirit firsthand.
"Despite leaving home before dawn and navigating through heavy traffic, witnessing the unity and diverse participation made it all worthwhile.
"Watching the spirited performances of the uniformed teams—the police, military, and fire brigades—brought happiness to all of us," she told the New Straits Times.
Chanddramal Theetunni, 47, drove all the way from Alor Gajah, Melaka, early in the morning to fulfil the wishes of her son, 12, and her nephew, 3, who wanted to see a "huge" Jalur Gemilang.
"We wanted to give the children a bigger National Day experience this year.
"In previous years, we attended the state National Day Parade in Bandar Hilir, Melaka, but this time, we wanted them to experience the celebration in Putrajaya. We were all thrilled to see the army, police, and fire brigades, and especially to witness the King (Sultan Ibrahim) in person," she said.
The parade also attracted school students, some of whom travelled from Ampang by public transport just to witness the event.
Nidal Khan, 16, said he and three friends came to Putrajaya specifically to watch the jet fighters' performance.
"We're satisfied that our goal was achieved, even though we had to endure a sleepless night just to get here," he said.
Noorul Alisha Hannah, 15, from Putrajaya, said that she had never missed the parade whenever it was hosted in the city.
She believes the live experience is far more exciting than watching it on television.
"This year, having my friends from SMK Putrajaya Presint 11(1) participate in the parade made it even more special for me and my two friends.
"We walked all the way from Putrajaya International Convention Centre to Dataran Putrajaya to watch them perform. It was worth it, even though we initially regretted the long walk in the rain," she said.
Both Nidal and Alisha said that their parents encouraged them to attend, and they agreed that participating in this year's event helped deepen their sense of patriotism.