Ella, Artistes Of Various Ethnicities To Perform At Malaysia Day Celebration

By Erma Idayu Mohd Yusof

GEORGE TOWN, Sept 11 (Bernama) -- The Malaysia Day 2025 on Sept 16 will celebrate the spirit of unity with popular local artistes of various ethnicities sharing the same stage.

Malaysia’s Rock Queen, Ella, will take the stage at PICCA Convention Centre @ Arena Butterworth alongside Suki Low, Roshini Balachandran, and artistes from Sabah and Sarawak, Dabra Sia and Rezza Shah.

In an exclusive interview with Bernama, Penang Information Department (Japen) director Hasmiza Hussein said this year’s celebration will not only showcase popular artistes, but also represent diverse races and religions, reflecting Malaysia’s multicultural identity.

She said the artistes’ performance will be accompanied by more than 100 cultural performers, who will create a festive ambiance with dances inspired by Malaysia’s rich heritage.

“For the singing segment, visitors can look forward to a special treat as Istana Budaya’s traditional orchestra will be the main accompaniment.

“The artistes’ performances, blending traditional music with modern elements, are expected to deliver a refreshing, vibrant, and patriotic showcase,” she said at the Penang Japen office, here today.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is scheduled to officiate the Malaysia Day 2025 celebration themed ‘Malaysia MADANI: Rakyat Disantuni’ at 8.30 pm. Also expected to attend are Penang Governor Tun Ramli Ngah Talib, Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor, and Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg.

On June 11, Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil announced that this year’s Malaysia Day celebration would be held in Penang, in line with the annual rotation of locations between Sabah, Sarawak and Peninsular Malaysia.

The celebration, which runs from 9 am to 10 pm, will also feature various programmes, including a photo exhibition and history gallery by Japen and Persatuan Sejarah dan Warisan Pulau Pinang, showcasing the pre-independence struggle, the 1957 independence moment and the chronology of nation-building after the formation of Malaysia.

Visitors can also visit Radio Televisyen Malaysia’s (RTM) interactive booth, featuring a DJ try-out set and RTM Klik, Safe Internet Campaign by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), and an exhibition booth by the Penang Public Library Corporation.

“There will also be traditional food demonstrations, such as cassava-based dishes, and exhibitions of traditional attire and tools to bring the community closer to Malaysia’s heritage,” she said.

Visitors can also explore the thematic exhibition zone, comprising Zone A, which showcases the pre-independence era through artefacts, replicas and videos of people’s lives; Zone B, which highlights the independence era with displays of national figures, recording of the independence chant and newspaper clippings; and Zone C, which features the post-independence period up to the present, with photos of the nation’s development and newspaper articles on the formation of Malaysia in 1963.

Hamiza said at the celebration, the Prime Minister will present prizes to three winners of Bersama Malaysiaku campaign, organised under the Gerakan Bersama Malaysiaku initiative in conjunction with the National Day and Malaysia Day.

She said the initiative is a nationwide unity campaign encouraging Malaysians to submit selfies along with short captions describing their background and life experiences.

“These collected photos will form a collage of Malaysian faces in conjunction with the Malaysia Day celebration. The most exciting part is that three grand prize winners will each receive prizes from the Prime Minister, a Proton e.Mas, a Proton X70 and a Modenas motorcycle,” she said.

Commenting on the preparation, she said everything is going smoothly, with the technical equipment installed and ready for rehearsals.

Large screens will also be set up outside the PICCA Convention Centre to allow the public in the compound to watch the show, as the main celebration will be held in the auditorium of the convention centre.

-- BERNAMA