Credit : Erwin Khairul's X
Information Department of Malaysia (JAPEN) Director-General Erwin Khairul Ahmad has thanked the committees and personnel behind this year’s National Day and Malaysia Day celebrations, after nearly 1,000 of them were honoured at the official closing ceremony of HKHM 2026 in Putrajaya.
In a post shared on X late on the night of October 26, 2026, Erwin said the closing ceremony celebrated almost 1,000 personnel for their commitment and sacrifice in making the celebrations, themed “Malaysia MADANI: Kesejahteraan Dinikmati” (Malaysia MADANI: Well-being Enjoyed), a success.
https://x.com/erwinkhairulahm/status/2114747916237857226
“Thank you to all the committees and personnel for their dedication and contributions,” he wrote, closing the post with a Malaysian flag. Photographs accompanying the post show Communications Minister Datuk Seri Fahmi Fadzil addressing guests at a lectern beneath a backdrop reading “Majlis Perasmian Penutupan Sambutan Hari Kebangsaan dan Hari Malaysia 2026”, guests seated at dinner tables, handshakes among officials and the presentation of a certificate of appreciation on stage. The backdrop dated the event Monday, October 26, 2026, at 8.30pm.
22 committees recognised
Fahmi, who is also chairman of the HKHM 2026 Main Committee, attended the ceremony to express appreciation for the contribution, sacrifice and commitment of those involved in both celebrations, according to media reports of the event. A total of 22 committees appointed to run the national-level celebrations received certificates of appreciation, recognition the Ministry of Communications said reflected cooperation across ministries, departments, government agencies and volunteer bodies. Also present were the Chief Secretary to the Government, Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar, Deputy Communications Minister Teo Nie Ching, and the ministry’s Secretary-General, Datuk Abdul Halim Hamzah, who chaired the HKHM 2026 Working Committee.
From Ipoh to Putrajaya and Kuching
This year’s celebrations opened with the launch of National Month and the Jalur Gemilang flag campaign in Ipoh, Perak, on July 19, 2026, officiated by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. The National Day celebration on August 31, which included a parade and procession, was held at Dataran Putrajaya in the presence of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and the Raja Permaisuri Agong, while Malaysia Day was celebrated at the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) in Sarawak, attended by the Yang di-Pertua Negeri of Sarawak, the Prime Minister, the Premier of Sarawak and the Chief Minister of Sabah. According to the ministry, the two celebrations also received sponsorship worth RM51.5 million in goods, services and cash from 147 strategic partners.
For JAPEN, which comes under the Ministry of Communications and is the government’s main public information agency at federal, state and district levels, the closing ceremony marked the end of a season that began in July. Erwin, who took the helm of the department on June 22, 2026, as its 20th Director-General, used his post to put the spotlight on the people behind the scenes rather than the main events themselves, praising the committees and personnel for their dedication.
The closing ceremony brings the HKHM 2026 calendar to a formal end. In its statement on the ceremony, the Ministry of Communications said that, in keeping with the theme “Malaysia MADANI: Kesejahteraan Dinikmati”, this year’s celebrations had highlighted the government’s continued commitment to building a developed, harmonious and prosperous nation regardless of background.
Source : Erwin Khairul’s X, with Ministry of Communications information reported by Utusan Melayu+, Suara Merdeka and The Capital Post.
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