Malaysia has just celebrated its 69th National Day on Aug 31!
One of the highlights of the Merdeka celebrations took place around the PETRONAS Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur.
Colourful fireworks lit up the night sky, while a spectacular drone light show added to the excitement.
Hundreds of drones flew together to form pictures of famous Malaysian symbols. Can you guess what they were?
There was a wau, or traditional kite, the Jalur Gemilang, Malaysia’s national flower, the hibiscus and a map of Malaysia!
The celebrations continued the next morning in Putrajaya with the Merdeka Parade at Dataran Putrajaya.
The parade was full of excitement as tanks and other military vehicles rolled through the area. More than 100,000 people attended the celebrations.
Perhaps you watched the parade on television with your family. You may even have waved your own Jalur Gemilang while watching!
Malaysia is a special place because people from many different backgrounds live together. We have different languages, cultures, traditions and favourite foods.
National Day may be over, but the Merdeka spirit can stay with us every day. Here is the second batch of letters from Starchild readers on the topic, National Day.
“Malaysia is home to a unique species called the Malayan tiger, one of the smallest tiger subspecies in the world. Sadly, it is now critically endangered, with fewer than 150 remaining in the wild.
“Malaysia is also home to the world’s largest roundabout, as listed in the Guinness World Records. Located in Putrajaya, it has a circumference of 3.4km.
“Malaysia is also famous for its beautiful natural wonders. Kinabalu National Park in Ranau, Sabah is home to several species of rafflesia, which produces the world’s largest flower. One of the things I love most about being Malaysian is being able to experience and appreciate our many different cultures, traditions and celebrations. I also love exploring beautiful places in Malaysia, such as Genting Highlands and Cameron Highlands in Pahang and Batu Caves in KL,” says Jashwini Yuvaraaja, 12.
“I am from China, and I have lived in Malaysia for one year. Malaysia is different from China in many ways. China has four seasons: spring, summer, autumn and winter. Malaysia is hot and sunny throughout the year, so I do not need to buy winter clothes. I also like the interesting buildings in KL, such as Merdeka 118 and the PETRONAS Twin Towers.
“So far, I really like living in Malaysia because there are many delicious foods. My favourite foods are nasi lemak, curry puff and roti canai. Malaysia is a wonderful country with many interesting things to see and enjoy,” says Lyu Liang Fu, 11.
“Malaysia’s National Day is on Aug 31. We celebrate the independence of Malaysia on this special day. Our flag, the Jalur Gemilang, has a blue rectangle with a crescent moon and a 14-pointed star. It also has seven red stripes and seven white stripes. I like visiting places such as SkyWorld in Genting Highlands, Pahang and Jonker Street in Melaka. Malaysia also has many types of delicious foods. I like pan mee (a noodle dish), nasi lemak with fried chicken and roti canai. When we sing the national anthem, Negaraku, we should stand up and sing loudly and proudly,” says Tan Yu Xing, 11.
Seven-year-old Li Xin Yan writes: “I like Malaysia because there are many interesting places to visit. I love eating roti canai and visiting the PETRONAS Twin Towers.”
“Our national animal is the Malayan tiger and our national flower is the hibiscus. The hibiscus has many colours, but our national one is red. There are some popular places such as PETRONAS Twin Towers and Merdeka 118 in KL, and the Red House, Jonker Street and A Famosa in Melaka. Some popular foods are nasi lemak, roti canai, cendol, ais kacang and satay. Our flag has a yellow crescent moon and a 14-pointed star inside a blue rectangle. It also has seven red stripes and seven white stripes. Our flag is called Jalur Gemilang,” writes Kya Loo Qing Xin, 10.
“Malaysia has many famous places and beautiful buildings. The PETRONAS Twin Towers are one of the most famous landmarks in KL. Mount Kinabalu in Ranau, Sabah is the highest mountain in Malaysia. Some popular Malaysian food include nasi lemak, cendol and satay. I am proud to be a Malaysian,” says Ariel Li Xin Xue, 10.
ITEM: Imagine finding a secret garden hidden near your home or school. What a wonderful surprise! What would you see inside? Would there be colourful flowers, tall trees or giant mushrooms? Perhaps butterflies, birds and friendly animals live there too. What makes your secret garden special? Use your imagination and write about your magical discovery.
Email your contributions to lifestyle@thestar.com.my by Sept 18. Please put “STARCHILD: My secret garden” in the subject line of your email.
Scanned drawings should be in jpeg format, with a resolution of 200dpi. Your contributions must carry your full name, age (open to children aged 12 and below only), gender, phone contact, and address. Instead of handwritten letters, please type out your letters.
Starchild: National day drawings
Li Xin Yan, 7
Tan Yu Xing, 11
Kya Loo Qing Xin, 10
Ariel Li Xin Xue, 10
Jashwini Yuvaraaja, 12
Lyu Liang Fu, 11
