With less than 3 days on the calendar, Malaysia is due to celebrate its 67th birthday in grand fashion. If you’re hoping to catch the festivities yourself, here is everything you need to know about Merdeka 2024 for the Malaysia National Day parade.
Since 1957, Malaysia’s independence has long been commemorated with a spectacular show of patriotic pride, where the nation comes together to pay tribute to this great land that we all are fortunate enough to call home.
Merdeka 2024: Malaysia National Day parade
In the same likeness as other celebrations of national independence and identity held by its regional peers, the National Day parade showcases the best of Malaysian bounties, from the strength of its civil forces to the warmth of its multicultural communities.
Slated to take place at Dataran Perbadanan Putrajaya for a second consecutive year since 2023, the Merdeka 2024 parade will begin from 7am onwards on August 31st 2024 (Saturday). Prior to this, Putrajaya has hosted the procession in 2003, 2005, 2018, and 2019.
While Malaysians may be under the impression that the parade has always been held in either Dataran Merdeka in Kuala Lumpur or Putrajaya’s main square, you’ll be surprised to know that the event has been held in various parts of the country over the years, including Sarawak’s capital of Kuching in 1993 and 2006, as well as Georgetown, Penang in 1998.
Overview of the Merdeka 2024 Parade
According to the official itinerary issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Merdeka Malaysia National Day parade will begin from Persiaran Perdana in Precinct 3. It will proceed to move up along the main avenue flanked by the Palace of Justice, the Putrajaya Corporation headquarters, as well as the Ministry of Finance, before ending at the Putra Mosque just after Putra Bridge.
In terms of performances, there’s plenty to look forward to from the likes of civil departments as well as some of the nation’s most prominent names from all sectors of industry.
This includes an adrenalin-charged firebreathing performance by the Malaysian Army and of course cameos from the K9 animal unit. Members from the Malaysian Fire Brigade are also expected to turn up the heat, just as they have from years prior.
Automobile enthusiasts will be glad to learn that national carmaker Proton will be debuting their first-ever electric vehicle (EV), the Proton e.MAS 7, during this year’s procession. The compact crossover, which was jointly developed with Chinese automaker Geely, will be joined by 24 other models significant to Proton’s history including the original Proton Saga from 1985.
The Merdeka 2024 procession is expected to invite 400 different local vendors to join in the fun, so you can expect all manner of great eats and shops during your visit.
How to get there, and viewing options
As for how you can get to Putrajaya for the Malaysia National Day parade, visitors are strongly encouraged to make full use of the many public transport options available. The MRT Putrajaya line will be the de facto choice in this case, and can be boarded from various major neighbourhoods in the Klang Valley including Sungai Buloh, Damansara, Kepong, and central KL.
Upon arriving at the Putrajaya Sentral MRT Station, watch for the MS01 shuttle bus that will take you directly to Precinct 2 along Jalan Tun Abdul Razak for free. This is in addition to four other free shuttle buses that will operate concurrently on the 31st throughout Putrajaya. Details are as follows:
Bus MS01
- Stations: MRT Putrajaya Sentral, Jalan Tun Abdul Razak Presint 2
- Date of operation: August 30th 2024 to August 31st 2024
Bus MS02
- Stations: Putrajaya International Convention Centre (PICC), Jalan Tun Hussein Presint 3
- Date of operation: August 31st 2024
Bus MS03
- Stations: Taman Botani, Putra Square
- Date of operation: August 31st 2024
Bus MS04
- Stations: MRT Putrajaya Sentral, Kelab Tasik Putrajaya, Putrajaya Water Safety Park, Taman Warisan Pertanian Putrajaya, Alamanda Shopping Centre, Shaftsbury Putrajaya, The Everly Putrajaya, Kompleks Nasyrul Quran, Putrajaya Wetland Park, Pusat Rekreasi Air, Taman Etnobotani, Laman Kelulut, Vine Garden, Taman Botani Putrajaya
- Date of operation: August 31st 2024
Bus MS05
- Stations: MRT Putrajaya Sentral, Double Tree Hotel, Kompleks Sukan Air, Marina Putrajaya, Putrajaya International Convention Centre, Taman Sri Empangan, Dataran Jerumbun
- Date of operation: August 31st 2024
On the other hand, all major public transport networks including the LRT, MRT, Monorail, BRT on the Sunway Line, and select bus routes, will operate 24 hours from 6am on August 30th 2024 to 11.30pm August 31st 2024.
Visitors are not advised to travel by private car due to multiple road closures in Putrajaya for the Merdeka 2024 parade. They are expected to take place from 7pm on 30th August 2024, to 31st August 2024 until the end of the procession at the following locations:
- Persiaran Barat to Lebuh Saujana
- Lebuh Sentosa to Lebuh Saujana
- Lebuh Sentosa to Lebuh Wawasan
- Jalan Presint 8 to Lebuh Wawasan
- Persiaran Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah Susur to Laman Perdana
- Jalan Presint 18 to Lebuh Bestari
- Jalan Presint 18 to Jalan Tun Hussein
- Lebuh Setia to Jalan Tun Hussein
- Lebuh Saujana to Jalan Tun Hussein
- Jalan Presint 5 to Lebuh Gemilang Perdana
As for those who would like to spectate from afar, you can always tune into the RTM livestream on the day itself, accessible through the broadcaster’s official website.
Feature and hero image credit: Shahbaz Hussain/Pexels, Haiqal Hadi/Pexels
