Loudest cheers for Olympic medalists at National Day parade
KUALA LUMPUR: While there was joy shared all around at Dataran Merdeka, the biggest cheers, undoubtedly, went to the Malaysian Olympic medal winners.
Riding through the National Day parade path on a bright yellow double decker bus, the Olympians waved at the raucous crowd.
The Olympic contingent, clad in their signature tiger stripe uniforms, were made up of medalists Goh V Shem, Tan Wee Kiong, Goh Liu Ying, Chan Peng Soon, Pandelela Rinong, Cheong Jun Hoong, Azizulhasni Awang and, of course, world number one shuttler Datuk Lee Chong Wei.
Besides the star athletes, this year's parade included the customary marching bands and contingents from various branches of the civil service and the military.
Tanks, boats and even missile launchers were paraded in between segments of uniformed marchers and patriotic music.
Flyovers by helicopters and fighter jets from the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) wowed the thousands who watched the parade.
Another contingent, which was popular with the children, was the 'animation segment' that hoisted giant balloons in the form of characters from the popular Malaysian animated series BoBoiBoy.
It even included an interactive visual section where, during a short skit depicted on the LED screens, the characters called on the audience to yell 'Merdeka' in order to defeat one of their villains.All in all, it was a successful parade celebrating Malaysia's independence and many a Malaysian would have gone home with a roused sense of patriotism.
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