Kuala lumpur: A captivating human graphic performance, combined with choir elements, is set to be one of the show-stopping highlights at the National Day celebration at Dataran Putrajaya on Aug 31. The performance, featuring 12 unity and harmony-themed songs, will be delivered by 2,000 Form One to Form Four students representing 50 secondary schools across Selangor. Choir conductor Ong Zen Kai said the new element was not merely for entertainment but carried a message of unity and harmony in the context of Malaysia's multi-racial society.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Ong stated that the four-part vocal harmony, which formed the essence of choral singing and the core of the performance, represented unity that could resonate with every member of the audience. "Each voice symbolises a race and just as harmony creates music, our country will prosper if we unite, with the benefits shared by all the people," he explained during a central training session at the KSL Esplanade Hotel. Ong expressed his initial doubts about conducting 2,000 students but gained confidence after observing their determination during joint training sessions.
Meanwhile, Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Saujana Putra student Nik Alesya Dania Zaidi expressed her excitement about participating in the performance. She mentioned feeling fortunate to have been selected after an interview and screening process conducted by the Selangor State Education Department, allowing her to experience the celebration firsthand.
Muhammad Arif Naqib Khairul Kamal, a student from SMK Pandan Jaya, shared that the performance deepened his appreciation of independence, as participants were trained to understand every verse of the lyrics. The experience of singing with 2,000 students was described as giving him goosebumps, a sentiment he believed would be shared by the audience.
The human graphic team, under head coach Ahmad Hafiz Awaludin, has been training intensely, committing to eight-hour sessions from Monday to Thursday for the past two months. The team will showcase a variety of movements through 12 songs, including a medley of popular Malaysian tunes, and will also accompany Datuk Seri Siti Nurhaliza in performing the celebration theme song. Themed 'Malaysia MADANI: Rakyat Disantuni', this year's National Day celebration will be held at Dataran Putrajaya, with Malaysia Day to follow in Penang on Sept 16.