KUALA LUMPUR: City dwellers have expressed their hope that the 54th Independence Day celebration to be more meaningful than last year where entertainment programmes had taken the centre stage.
For Mohd Ikmal Adanan, 30, as this year’s celebration falls at the end of Ramadan, he felt that it should be celebrated with religious activities as a mark of respect to the holy month without undermining the meaning of independence.
“Do not hold activities where young people merely gather and shout ‘merdeka’ without appreciating the significance of independence,” he said.
Norshalinda Ismail, 27, said entertainment programmes should be minimised as they would not be able to instil the meaning of independence among the people.
“I think the celebration should be able to translate the meaning of independence and inculcate its values, not merely holding concerts, cultural performances and fireworks,” she said.
Mohd Iqbal Hamzah, 28, said the Independence Day celebration should emphasise on programmes which could instil patriotic fervour with the participation of the public.
He said public participation on patriotic activities was rather unsatisfactory as can be from the response to the yearly fly the Jalur Gemilang campaign.
“I think the people prefer entertainment such as singing, dancing and fireworks to mark the joyous occasion rather than patriotic activities such as fly the Jalur Gemilang campaign,” he added. — Bernama