Kuala lumpur: 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.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, about 80 per cent of the nearly 11,000 participants were aged below 30, including students from institutions of higher learning and schools. This group 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, highlighted that the involvement of young people was one of the key pillars of this year's celebrations. Their participation spanned the main performances, percussion ensemble, human graphics, parade, and uniformed body contingents. He emphasized the importance of involving the younger generation in national programmes to provide them with space to understand the meaning of independence while fostering values of sacrifice, discipline, and togetherness among people of various races.
Mohd Amran stated, "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." He added that their involvement helps them understand the concept behind the programme's implementation and gain a deeper understanding of independence beyond just flying the flag.
The significant participation of the younger generation was evident in Gema Inovasi MADANI, the opening performance involving 1,900 participants, including 150 main performers supported by 1,500 students from 36 schools through a human graphics performance. Mohd Amran noted that this performance introduced a new element to this year's celebrations, themed 'Malaysia MADANI: Kesejahteraan Dinikmati', by combining percussion elements with colourful human graphics.
The young participants, aged below 30, demonstrated a high level of commitment and discipline throughout their preparation, with training beginning in June and requiring them to wake as early as 4 am to be at Dataran Putrajaya by 5 am. This determination challenged the notion that the younger generation lacks a patriotic spirit, as each participant found their own way to express love for their country.
Mohd Amran explained that the involvement of the younger generation, particularly school students, was essential for achieving a large capacity, especially in the Human Graphic segment. He noted that national programmes worldwide often involve the younger generation, as they are the inheritors of independence and future leaders.
Their participation also served as a learning process, helping them develop discipline applicable to daily life by adhering to rules and schedules. The National Day celebrations provided a platform for strengthening integration by bringing together students from various schools, government agencies, NGOs, and people of different races.
Percussion performer N. Poojashree, 26, shared her experience, describing her participation as an excellent opportunity to express her love for the country through performing arts. She values the cultural diversity of Malaysia, allowing her to perform traditional dances from different communities.
Poojashree, participating in the National Day and Malaysia Day (HKHM) celebrations for the second time, found this year's experience more special due to her opportunity to perform on stage by combining dance and percussion elements. She expressed her desire to continue performing as a way of expressing her patriotic spirit.