The energetic drumming of five rebana ubi not only energised the 2026 National Day celebrations but also symbolised the five principles of the Rukun Negara as the foundation of national unity and identity.
The traditional drums were among the highlights of the Gema Inovasi Madani segment at the 2026 National Day celebrations at Dataran Putrajaya today, held under the theme “Malaysia Madani: Kesejahteraan Dinikmati.”
Mohammad Husri Morni, 50, Gema Inovasi Madani Drumming segment chief coordinator, said the second principle of the Rukun Negara, namely Loyalty to King and Country, formed the basis of the performance’s concept and arrangement.
“The five traditional rebana ubi drums symbolised the five principles of the Rukun Negara, while the gongs on the left and right represented Sabah and Sarawak. Musical instruments from the peninsula were placed at the centre,” he said.
The performance also featured 700 kompang players and brought together about 150 musicians from various communities, playing instruments including rebana ubi, thavil, 24 Seasons drums, gendang pampat, gongs and kulintangan.
Mohammad Husri said the diverse instruments were combined to convey a message of unity and harmony through music.
“If previously unity was often presented through dance performances, this time we wanted to highlight musical instruments as a symbol of Malaysian unity. Each instrument had its own identity and sound, but all could be combined into a single rhythm,” he said.
He added the main challenge was synchronising the different tempos and characteristics of the instruments without compromising their individual identities.
“The thavil drumming was quite fast, while the rebana ubi was slower. However, the basic rhythm allowed all the instruments to be combined to produce Gema Inovasi,” he said.
Meanwhile, segment choreographer Mohd Hanafi Rosdi said the performance went beyond rhythm, serving as the “voice” of various communities through the participation of about 150 percussionists comprising Malays, Chinese and Indians, as well as representatives from Sabah and Sarawak.
He said each instrument carried the identity, symbolism and spirit of its respective community before being brought together in a unified Malaysian rhythm.
“The drums had a strong presence through their sound and spirit. Each community had its own drum sound and meaning. When combined, the sounds represented the voice of various communities living together as Malaysians,” he said.
Mohd Hanafi said the 24 Seasons drums, for example, reflected not only Chinese culture but also conveyed the spirit of unity and togetherness.
He said the performance’s distinctiveness lay in its combination of traditional instruments with choreographed movements, requiring synchronisation, energy and concentration from every performer.
“The audience did not merely hear the drums. They also saw the movements, synchronisation, energy and focus of the performers in conveying the story of the performance,” he said. - Bernama
