Whichever camp you’re in, there’s no reason not to partake in this year’s celebration by checking out the many fun activities that have been planned to commemorate this meaningful day.
1. MerdekaRYA
What better way to usher in Malaysia’s 65th Independence Day than to spend Merdeka eve at Merdekarya, an independent arts venue that features amazing independent musicians most nights of the week.
Their annual MerdekaRYA event starts from 8pm till late, and you’ll be entertained by five music acts, including Malaysiana rock band Putrabumi, funk-folk musician Otam, singer-songwriters Eloise Lau and Ally Lew, as well as Oraculus.
The first 60 tickets are free, plus there’ll be free flow of their famous tuak lychee from 6.00pm to 8.00pm.
And while you’re there, do try their delicious food and drinks, which includes their flavoured tuak and langkau, ginger beer, meat dishes, mocktails, burgers, as well as the crowd-favourite Indomie goreng.
So, if you’re looking to celebrate Merdeka in a place with great vibes and interesting people oozing with Malaysiana spirit and music, look no further!
To sign up for MerdekaRYA, click here.
2. PESZTA Festival
PESZTA is an arts and cultural festival that will take place on Aug 27 in the vicinity of Kampung Attap.
Co-organised by architecture firm Pentago, residential apartments Sam Mansion and the Zhongshan Building arts hub, the one-day event will feature a plethora of screenings, workshops, exhibitions, open studios, food trucks, artisanal vendors, wayang kulit and poetry performances, as well as a live art session.
From 7.00pm onwards, visitors will be entertained by musical performances by Francissca Peter, Seven Collar T-Shirt, The Impatient Sisters and Fugo.
Admission to all events is free, but do take note that some of the events require prior registration.
For more information on PESZTA, click here.
3. Pesta Buku Merdeka
From 10.00am-10.00pm, Aug 25-31, head over to Pesta Buku Merdeka at Sungei Wang Plaza in downtown Kuala Lumpur.
Co-organised by independent bookstores Bibliophile, Biblio Press, Rabak-Lit as well as Majlis Buku Kebangsaan Malaysia, the event will feature talks, poetry and music and cultural performances, as well as a host of book vendors.
With the slogan “merdeka dengan membaca” or “freedom through reading”, this is definitely the right event to stock up on local books.
For more information on Pesta Buku Merdeka, click here.
4. Lubok Vintage Market
From 10.00am to 8.00pm, Aug 26-28, head over to Central Market and check out Lubok Vintage Market.
Visitors will be able to buy, sell, trade and share, among others, antiques, vintage items, memorabilia, collectibles, art, toys, accessories and pre-loved items.
In addition, there will also be booths selling food and beverages.
For more information, click here.
5. Malaysian movie marathon
And for those who’d prefer to spend the public holiday with a relaxing night in, what better way to celebrate Merdeka than to watch some great local movies.
The good news is that Netflix is showing quite a number in conjunction with their “Rekaan Rakyat” programme.
If you’re looking for a humorous, poignant interracial love story, do watch Teddy Chin’s “Kongsi Raya”, while if you’re in the mood for a horror flick, check out Kuman Picture’s “Roh”, which bagged six awards at the 31st Malaysian Film Festival (FMM).
Don’t forget to catch “Prebet Sapu” as well. It’s a beautiful film shot in greyscale that is in essence a love story for Kuala Lumpur and her hodgepodge of people.
At the end of the day, movies have the power to bring people together by allowing one to get an insight into the lives of others, and local films that are made with plenty of heart and spirit undeniably play an important role in shaping Malaysia’s future.
For more information on other films on Netflix’s ‘Rekaan Rakyat’ list, click here.