An exhilarating celebration

ALL Malaysians have had to forgo usual birthday celebrations at least once since 2020: depending on the date, some have had to stay home twice in a row with no public acknowledgment of getting older. Some may secretly prefer this, but if social media is any indication, birthday parties are back with a vengeance.

The birthdays of heads of state remained public holidays during the movement control orders, but without any of the official events traditionally associated with them. It was therefore exhilarating that this month, the birthday of the Yang di-Pertuan Besar Negri Sembilan was once again celebrated. Although some aspects like the military parade were not yet able to be reinstated owing to ongoing Covid-19 restrictions, most events were able to proceed with physical distancing.