Merdeka Looks A Little Different When You’re On Duty

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Pesawat gagah membelah awan,
Gerbang tinggi penuh gemilang,
TUDM teguh bertahan watan,
Jasa dan bakti terus dikenang.
_{(Mighty aircraft soar through the clouds, majestic skies shine bright, TUDM stands strong defending the nation, their service and sacrifice will always be remembered).}

Those were the inspiring words shared by Norkhayati Mohamed Hashini, Business Executive Officer for Coffee at Nestlé Malaysia, in honour of the brave men and women of the Royal Malaysian Air Force (TUDM) who spend their days and nights keeping Malaysia’s skies safe.

Because while the rest of us were enjoying the long Merdeka weekend, TUDM personnel were counting down to take-off and putting in the hours ahead of the National Day celebrations on 31 August.

And there was plenty to get done, because someone’s got to fly the Merdeka FlyPast aerial performance during the parade, okay!

Leading up to Merdeka, Malaysia’s favourite coffee brand, NESCAFÉ, was on the ground with our Abang and Kakak pilots at the Subang Air Base in Selangor, helping to refuel them as they worked behind the scenes to get everything ready for the big day.

The gesture was part of NESCAFÉ’s “Ngopi Dulu & Kekal Bersemangat Bersama” initiative, which celebrates Malaysians who keep showing up, pushing forward and doing their part every day.

And when Merdeka finally came, all that hard work took to the skies, with TUDM aircraft flying over the National Day parade in formation and giving the crowd in Putrajaya one seriously impressive show.

From the ground, the Merdeka FlyPast looked pretty spectacular. But behind the scenes (or should we say, in the cockpit) were weeks of preparation, long hours and plenty of hard work.

It’s A Full-Time Job, Holidays Included!

For TUDM Brigadier General Yusri Jamari, Base Commander at Subang Air Base, that work comes down to something much bigger than a single day of celebrations.

We, in TUDM, shoulder the responsibility of defending the sovereignty and integrity of the country and its interests through the effective use of air power, whether as crews in the air, crews on the ground or air traffic controllers.

TUDM Brigadier General Yusri Jamari.

Yusri said that Merdeka is also a chance to reflect on what independence actually means, and the freedom Malaysians get to enjoy because of it. And independence, he said, is about remembering “who we are and the values that unite us as a nation,” while taking responsibility for keeping those values alive.

It means that we can live together in an atmosphere of peace and harmony, respecting each other despite our different backgrounds and having the opportunity to build a better future for future generations.

TUDM Brigadier General Yusri Jamari.

And that responsibility doesn’t exactly take a holiday either.

TUDM Lieutenant Colonel Ahmad Syazwan Mohamed, Commanding Officer of the No.1 Squadron at Kuching Air Base in Sarawak and one of the pilots who took part in the FlyPast, on the other hand, said that Merdeka is also a reminder of what previous generations fought for, and what those serving today are still protecting.

“We must appreciate the efforts of those in the past who sacrificed their blood and sweat to ensure our independence,” he explained, and said that that sacrifice and commitment don’t stop just because Merdeka Day celebrations are over — especially when you’re tasked with protecting the nation.

We’re always prepared, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.

TUDM Lieutenant Colonel Ahmad Syazwan Mohamed.

Then there’s TUDM Captain Nur Farah Muhammad Syukri, a Co-Pilot with the No.1 Squadron, who sees Merdeka from a different angle, quite literally! For her, the meaning of Merdeka is having the freedom to “live our daily lives in peace and safety with the people we love.”

This year’s FlyPast was an especially proud one for her, since her squadron hadn’t taken part in one for quite some time. She got to fly different aircraft over not just the Putrajaya parade, but above the crowds at the Merdeka celebrations in Ipoh, Perak, too.

The most beautiful memory of Merdeka is, of course, getting to join the FlyPast. My squadron has not done the FlyPast for a long time. So, for us to have the opportunity to join again this year is a very proud achievement.

TUDM Captain Nur Farah Muhammad Syukri.

A Little Recharge Before The Next Take-Off

For all the hours spent in the air, some of the most meaningful Merdeka moments happen firmly on the ground. And for Ahmad Syazwan, one of those moments involved his family, of course, and says a lot about the people behind those uniforms and flight suits.

My special memory on Merdeka Day was last year, when my family came together to take a picture with me in front of the plane that I was flying.

TUDM Lieutenant Colonel Ahmad Syazwan Mohamed.

And for both the Lieutenant Colonel and the Captain, having a little place to spend some downtime between all that work is just as important.

For this year’s Merdeka FlyPast, that space was the Henry Lounge, also known as the “flight crew room” at Hangar B for TUDM’s No. 20 Squadron in Subang.

It served as the base of operations for the FlyPast team, but also became a place for personnel to take a breather between duties.

As part of NESCAFÉ’s support for the team, the lounge was refurbished and decked out as a recharge corner, giving flight and technical crews a more comfortable space to rest, relax and reconnect during their demanding routines.

In every flight, we have a crew room for us to rest and stand by in case there is an immediate task. And Alhamdulillah (thankfully), today at Subang Air Base, Nescafe has provided a vending machine to ensure that all flight crews and technical crews can stay fresh with the beverages they provide.

TUDM Lieutenant Colonel Ahmad Syazwan Mohamed.

Ngopi Dulu, Malaysia

In the weeks leading up to National Day, more than 80,000 cups of NESCAFÉ Classic, NESCAFÉ 3-in-1, and NESCAFÉ Ready-to-Drink Cans made their way to TUDM personnel and Merdeka frontliners to help keep them going through the long hours and busy preparations.

At NESCAFÉ, we believe resilience is often found in the small, everyday acts of determination — in the choices Malaysians make each day to keep going, pursue what matters to them, and make a difference in their own way. Through ‘Ngopi Dulu & Kekal Bersemangat Bersama’, we want to be an everyday partner who gives Malaysians a moment to recharge and the motivation to take on what comes next.

Nestlé Malaysia Coffee Business Executive Officer Norkhayati Mohamed Hashini.

In total, NESCAFÉ served up more than 120,000 cups to frontliners, volunteers and Malaysians at the Merdeka Day parade in Dataran Putrajaya. And there was plenty to choose from too, with NESCAFÉ Classic, Ready-to-Drink Cans, and more.

But the Ngopi Dulu vibes weren’t just for Merdeka. Earlier this year, NESCAFÉ also made stops at other communities across the country, bringing along some much-needed caffeine and a little pick-me-up for those on the go and hard at work.

There’s More Kopi Brewing

There’s more coming to keep Malaysians kopi-cupied this International Coffee Month, too!

NESCAFÉ will take things a step further by sharing genuine, emotional stories from Malaysians, collected from all the initiatives they have done for Merdeka Day and the upcoming Malaysia Day celebrations.

The stories will then be turned into short films by a new generation of young directors, giving us a closer look at the real people and moments behind them.

The films will be showcased at NESCAFÉ’s concourse event at IOI City Mall Putrajaya on the 10th of September, where the brand will also launch a new Youth Programme for young Malaysians.

Catch the short films when they drop this International Coffee Month, and head over to NESCAFÉ’s socials to see the Malaysians behind the stories tell them in their own words.

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