COVID-19: Celebrating Malaysia Day in new norm

PEKAN, 16 Sept -- Menteri Besar Pahang Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail (depan) bersama barisan kepimpinan kerajaan negeri Pahang mengibarkan Jalur Gemilang sambil menyanyikan lagu patriotik pada Majlis Sambutan Hari Malaysia 2020 Peringkat Negeri Pahang di Dewan Institut Kemahiran Belia Negara (IKBN) Pekan, hari ini. Penghargaan kepada petugas barisan hadapan pandemik COVID-19 antara pengisian sambutan kali ini. --fotoBERNAMA (2020) HAK CIPTA TERPELIHARA

by BERNAMA / pic by BERNAMA

Malaysians celebrated the 2020 Malaysia Day today, to commemorate the establishment of the Malaysian federation, in a lively atmosphere despite the country facing the COVID-19 pandemic.

Although people’s movement is limited due to having to adhere to the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) set following the implementation of the Recovery Movement Control Order (PKPP), but the spirit of love for the country is still evident in the new norm.

Without official celebrations in some states like in previous years, various parties took the initiative to enliven the celebration on a small scale.

Pahang Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Ismail took the opportunity to have a friendly chat via video conferencing with frontline staff from around Pekan, namely the district police headquarters, hospital, fire station and 505 Regiment Camp Sungai Miang.

The state-level celebration was also enlivened with pantomime performances themed on the fight against COVID-19 and singing by firefighters Syafiq Farhain, and members of the uniformed team, which took place at the National Youth Skills Institute (IKBN) today.

In SABAH, Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal said the Malaysia Day celebration was quite important especially for Sabahans to recall the history of the formation of Malaysia on Sept 16.

He said the date was the starting point for Sabah and Sarawak to be free from the shackles of colonialism.

“That is the sacrifices made by past freedom fighters, when Sabah was once partially conquered by the Japanese, before achieving independence,” he told reporters after the state-level Malaysia Day celebration at the Sabah International Convention Centre (SICC) here.

Also present was Sabah Yang Dipertua Negeri Tun Juhar Mahiruddin and wife Toh Puan Norlidah R.M Jasni.

In PERAK, although there was no official celebration organised by the state government but in Perak Tengah district, 35 people participated in the Perak Tengah District Heritage Tourism Convoy.

The motorcycle convoy was organised by the Agro Entrepreneur Institute (iGROW) and iGROW Skills Training Centre students.