Kuala lumpur: As Malaysians nationwide mark the 68th National Day today, a nasi kandar restaurant here chose to celebrate in its own special way: by offering free drinks to customers for 24 hours.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the initiative by Nasi Kandar Nasmir at its Bandar Cassia branch was more than just a gesture of appreciation for loyal patrons. It also turned the outlet into a space of unity and goodwill for people of all races.

Nasmir Holding director Mohammad Nasmir Kadhar Shah said this was the first time such a programme had been held at the branch, and he hoped it would help strengthen the spirit of togetherness among Malaysians. ‘As we all know, nasi kandar is a favourite dish enjoyed by Malays, Chinese, Indians and others. Restaurants like this naturally bring people together, regardless of background. Offering free drinks is symbolic of our unity and shared identity as Malaysians,’ he told reporters here today.

The free drinks, which began flowing at 7 am today and will continue until 7 am tomorrow, come with every food order – whether roti canai, nasi kandar, or any other dish. By noon alone, more than 2,000 glasses had been served, with iced Milo and iced Nescafe topping the popularity list.

But for Mohammad Nasmir, the true measure of success lay not in numbers, but in how the initiative brought people of different races under one roof in the spirit of National Day. ‘From the response we’ve seen, we are considering extending this celebration to other Nasmir outlets next year,’ he said.

The festive mood at the restaurant was further lifted by patriotic d©cor, with hundreds of Jalur Gemilang flags proudly on display, while staff members added to the atmosphere dressed smartly in T-shirts featuring the colours of the national flag.