2023 Merdeka Parade – Here’s Everything You Need To Know

From performances to which zones to get the best view, here’s everything you need to know about the 2023 Merdeka Day parade.

(Credit: Merdeka 360 / Facebook, TRP File)

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Celebrating our 66th National Day, this year’s Merdeka parade will be held in Putrajaya and it is reported that over 100,000 people are expected to attend.

Previously, Putrajaya has hosted the parade a few times already in 2003, 2005, 2018 and 2019.

Last year saw over 100,000 visitors at Dataran Merdeka, all excited to see the colourful and patriotic performances.

Remember the adorable doggos with their cute boots? Or the innocent kid who accidentally held up a middle finger? What about the viral Abang Bomba trend last year?

With this year’s national day theme of “Malaysia Madani: Tekad Perpaduan, Penuhi Harapan” (Determination in Unity, Fulfilling Hope), Malaysians are excited to see what’s in store for this year’s parade.

What are some of the things to look forward to?

With over 19,000 participants, here are a few things that you can expect:

The Malaysia Madani Contingent

A fusion of 1,000 participants from diverse ethnicities (Sabah, Sarawak, Peninsular Malaysia)

The Economic Contingent

Industry players such as GLCs, GLICs, telecommunication companies, and banking companies

Military, Police, and Ministries’ Assets

516 modern technology assets like electric vehicles, tanks and more

(Credit: TRP File, 2nd Army Division / Twitter)

Theme Song Performance

1,500 school students singing the theme song
Swift movements and formations with flag-waving displays

‘Kurik Kundi’ Performance

1,000 dancers showcasing Malaysian arts and culture
Accompanied by rhythmic drumbeats played by 400 drummers
Sung in alternating parts by artists such as Suki Low, Jacklyn Victor, and Zizi Kirana representing different communities

VAT 69 Commando Skydiving performance

10 VAT69 Royal Malaysia Police commandos jump out of planes with Jalur Gemilang
Land in front of the Palace of Justice Complex in Putrajaya within six minutes

Aerial Display and Acrobatic Stunts

Security forces helicopters
Acrobatic stunts of 15 vintage motorcycles (Wira Merah) by Malaysian Armed Forces

Animal Assets

118 dogs and PDRM horses

Antique cars

30 antique cars driven by 30 people from across the country
Sponsored by Agrobank

Cosplay & Mascot

A few famous local animation mascots and cosplays for the kids

5 zones to know to get the best view

Zone One: This zone, stretching from the front of the Galleria building to the Gemilang Roundabout, serves as the assembly point for the participating contingents.
Zone Two: Dataran Putrajaya will host Zone Two, where the Royal box, main performance stage, and a giant LED screen will be placed.
Zone Three: Located at the Anjung Floria site in Precinct 4, Zone Three is designated for the placement of military assets before the parade.
Zone Four: The parking area near the McDonald’s fast food restaurant will be Zone Four, accommodating 58 horses and Armed Forces’ artillery.
Zone Five: The parade route will cross Zone Five along Persiaran Perdana. This area offers multi-storey seating for up to 4,000 guests, medical aid tents, and six screens positioned in various locations, ensuring those farther from Zone Two can still enjoy performances on the main stage.

How to get there?

By Train & Bus

On 30 August, Rapid KL operates until 2 a.m. to accommodate Merdeka Eve celebrations. On 31 August, Rapid KL will begin operations at 4 a.m.

If you’re taking the train, your destination would be Putrajaya Sentral. You can also take the ERL as they have a one-day discount on 31 August only.

From Putrajaya Sentral, you can get on a shuttle bus called the Nadiputra Bus for free to Dataran Putrajaya. There are also buses provided by RapidKL with a frequency of every 5 minutes.

By Car

You can also go by car but to avoid congestion and limited parking spaces, you are encouraged to park at the designated pick-up zones and hop on the shuttle bus to Dataran Putrajaya.

Two pick-up points for Nadiputra’s buses are the Putrajaya Sentral Terminal and Putrajaya International Convention Centre (PICC).

(Credit: Kementerian Kemajuan Desa dan Wilayah / Facebook)

There will be 22 road closures in and around Putrajaya during the day from 5 am to 11 am to make way for the parade. Among the roads involved are:

Persiaran Perdana from Dataran Putra
Persiaran Perdana from Lebuh Wawasan
Persiaran Perdana from Lebuh Bestari
Lebuh Saujana leading to Persiaran Perdana
Jalan Pembangunan from Jalan Tun Abdul Razak
Jalan Pembangunan from Jalan Pemodernan

Check out the full list here.

Some reminders

Have sufficient balance in your TnG cards for a smooth sailing journey.
No drones are allowed during the entire parade or police will shoot them down on sight. (with radio frequencies of course, not bullets)
The parade starts at 7 am so be early if you don’t wanna miss anything.
Wear comfortable clothes as you’ll be in an area of crowded people.
Bring a hat, cap or an umbrella too in case the weather gets hot or the rain pours.
Bring along your Jalur Gemilang flag to wave patriotically.

Follow Merdeka360‘s Facebook, X (Twitter) and Instagram for more info and updates on the parade.

Enjoy your Merdeka Parade!

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