GEORGE TOWN: Although National Day is more than a month away, the Merdeka spirit is thick in the air when 120 members of a dancing group came together at the crack of dawn to take part in the ‘Senamrobik Bulan Kebangsaan dan Kibar Jalur Gemilang 2024’ event.

Donning T-shirts in colours of the Jalur Gemilang, they clapped their hands, tapped their feet and waved their arms in the air as they danced and swayed to the beat of lively music during the 90-minute event which began 7am yesterday at the Farlim night market site.

Octogenarians Neoh Swee Ee and Cheok Chooi Khim, both 83, who live at Medan Angsana in Bandar Baru Air Itam, said they were excited when they found out about the event.

“We were looking forward to meeting residents from other parts of Bandar Baru Air Itam.

“I think this is the first time so many of us from different Kawasan Rukun Tetangga (KRT) areas have come together for an event. This is to kick off the Merdeka month celebrations,” she said.

Another participant, G. Ambigapathi, 64, said she met and made new friends at the event.

“Living in apartments does not allow us to socialise much. By attending this programme, we got to make new friends from different races and at the same time do what we love to do,” she said.

The trio said that their wish for this year’s National Day was for all Malaysians to appreciate and value the legacy of living in harmony.

“We are a diverse nation of different ethnicities and we hope the younger generation will love and respect one another, so that we can continue living in peace and harmony,” Cheok said.

Organising chairman Chooi Foo Cheong, who is from KRT Desa Intan, said the event was held for the first time to kick-start the Merdeka month.

“Previously, these KRTs organised their own programmes during the Merdeka month. But this time around, I came up with the idea to consolidate (programmes), so that we will have a bigger group with double the fun.

“I also felt that by doing this, residents from different parts of Farlim and Bandar Baru Air Itam will have a chance to come together and enjoy themselves in the spirit of Merdeka,” he said.

At the event, Insp Noor Syazana Ab Rashid from the north-east district police headquarters’ Commercial Crime Investigation Department, gave a brief talk on scam awareness.

She advised participants to quickly inform their family and the police if they suspected that they were being cheated.

“There is nothing to be shy about. Anyone can be scammed.

“The latest scams these days involve making investments online and asking us to click on a link in a WhatsApp message,” she said.

Before the end of the programme, participants sang the Jalur Gemilang song as they waved their flags joyously.

Also present was Bandar Baru Air Itam police station chief Sergeant Major Azimi Yahaya and Unity Department officer Aslina Abdullah.

https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2024/07/28/working-up-a-sweat-in-the-spirit-of-merdeka