Three-time National Day Song Composer Affan Mazlan Strikes Chord For Patriotism

By Nur Faradilla Mohamad

JOHOR BAHRU, Aug 2 (Bernama) -- Being entrusted for three consecutive years to compose the official theme song for National Day and Malaysia Day has cemented Affan Mazlan’s reputation as one of the country’s leading young composers in instilling patriotism and love for the nation through music.

The 25-year-old said that composing the theme song since 2023 has deepened his appreciation for unity and Malaysia’s rich cultural heritage, while strengthening his sense of nationalism.

“Every year, I get even more excited. Honestly, the patriotic spirit in me grows stronger. I hope that Malaysians feel the same way and celebrate National Day with hearts full of love for the country,” he told Bernama today.

The theme song, titled ‘Malaysia MADANI: Rakyat Disantuni’, was officially introduced at the launch of the 2025 National Month and Fly the Jalur Gemilang campaign held at Dataran Tanjung Emas, Muar, on July 27.

The song, which calls on all Malaysians to embrace the core values of Malaysia MADANI, emphasising development based on humanity, social well-being and justice, is performed by the nation’s top singer, Datuk Seri Siti Nurhaliza.

The song has earned praise from Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil, who both described it as catchy and melodious.

This is the third consecutive year that Affan has been entrusted with composing the official National Day and Malaysia Day theme song, following Tekad Perpaduan Penuhi Harapan in 2023 and Malaysia MADANI: Jiwa Merdeka in 2024.

For this year’s composition, Affan took a different approach, weaving in folk music and traditional elements from various ethnicities, in contrast to the modern, corporate style of previous years.

“My goal this year was to highlight unity. The song is rich with Malay cultural elements such as the caklempong, serunai and inang; the sitar to represent the Indian community; the dragon dance for the Chinese community; and ethnic elements from Sabah and Sarawak, including the Iban and Kadazan,” he said.

The Seremban-born composer said the two-month collaboration with the Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM) team and music director Datuk Mokhzani Ismail also allowed him to immerse himself in the cultures of other ethnic communities.

“Incorporating multi-ethnic musical elements led me to explore the cultures and artistic styles of each community. Without realising it, the process nurtured my patriotic spirit,” he said.

One of the main challenges, he noted, was condensing all these cultural elements into a three‑minute song while ensuring the message of unity remained clear and accessible.

“The chorus is very unifying, but in the verses and bridge, I arranged the cultural elements one by one. When people sing this song, they’ll notice the uniqueness and diversity of our culture,” he said.

Affan said one of the most touching aspects of the composition was the use of ‘rakyat-friendly’ lyrics, including colloquial expressions such as hai and eh, along with a dikir barat segment that celebrates all cultures.

“My favourite part is the dikir barat segment because it allowed me to highlight all the cultures. Kudos to Datuk Seri Siti Nurhaliza for delivering it so beautifully and with such soul,” he said.

He hopes the song will inspire the younger generation to explore traditional music and appreciate Malaysia’s artistic heritage, which he believes remains a vital medium for expressing the national spirit.

-- BERNAMA