PEOPLE from all walks of life are welcomed to experience a fun-filled Merdeka weekend with PESZTA!

The Merdeka-themed festival will be held in the precinct of Merdeka 118 in Kampung Attap, Kuala Lumpur, on Aug 27, 2022.

Open to all Malaysians, the event is organised by PNB Merdeka Ventures Sdn Bhd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Permodalan Nasional Bhd, in collaboration with Think City.

Embracing the patriotic spirit of Merdeka and inspired by Malaysia’s diversity, PESZTA will celebrate our nation’s rich tapestry of arts, music and heritage.

The festival will feature an exciting line-up of programmes, from entertaining performances to a community market, exhibitions and food trucks, among others.

PNB Merdeka Ventures CEO Tengku Datuk Ab Aziz Tengku Mahmud said as a landmark destination, it is crucial for the Merdeka 118 development to integrate seamlessly with the communities.

“We are happy to commemorate our 65th Merdeka Day celebration with the diverse communities within the Merdeka 118 precinct.

“As the custodian of Stadium Merdeka, our vision is to bring back the spirit of Merdeka to all Malaysians. PESZTA is testament to one of our many initiatives we support to achieve this objective.”

According to Tengku Ab Aziz, PESZTA is also a platform for the Merdeka 118 Community Grant recipients to showcase their works of art, heritage-inspired activities and homemade products.

“Our aim is to excite Malaysians, celebrate Merdeka together and highlight the historical place where our independence was proclaimed.”

During the festival, visitors can immerse themselves in an interactive Stadium Merdeka showcase by PNB Merdeka Ventures featuring historical clips as well as a 360-degree virtual tour of Stadium Merdeka and its restoration efforts.

Other exhibitions include a cultural exhibition by Borneo MTV, as well as a Literary Exhibition & Talk.

Also lined up are performances by local artistes and indie bands including Francissca Peters, The Impatient Sisters, SevenCollar T-Shirt and FUGO — all of whom will be performing on the first day of the festival.

Visitors will also be able to witness the crowning of the K2K Merdeka Idol Talent, a singing contest showcasing budding talents from the surrounding People Housing Programme communities of Hang Tuah, Sri Sarawak and Loke Yew.

PESZTA is a result of the Merdeka 118 Community Grants Programme which has been running since the first cycle was launched in June 2021.

It is organised in partnership with government and private stakeholders, as well as local artists and communities.

These include the National Department for Culture and Arts, Kuala Lumpur City Hall, Pentago House, Zhongshan Building, Sam Mansion and Japan Foundation KL, among others. — by TMR / pic source: PNB Merdeka Ventures