KUALA LUMPUR 22, 2026 – The grounds of Kompleks Sogo, usually lively with street musicians (buskers), took on a different atmosphere on Saturday night as patriotic songs filled the air in celebration of National Month.
Through the Pentarama Merdeka@HoHo programme organised by the Department of Information (JAPEN), members of the public not only waved the Jalur Gemilang but also sang patriotic songs together to foster a stronger love for the nation.
Now in its third year, the programme continues to serve as an important platform for nurturing patriotism and enhancing public appreciation of National Day celebrations.
Director-General of Information Erwin Khairul Ahmad said that although this year’s programme was held on a more modest scale, the atmosphere remained lively with members of the public participating and waving the national flag.
“Tonight, so far at Sogo, the celebration has been very lively even though we did not schedule or promote the programme. But when we arrived, we surprised everyone with songs, including ‘Aku Berjanji’ sung by Faizal Tahir, which is this year’s theme song, and we saw the crowd starting to gather near us,” he said.
Speaking to reporters after the programme at Kompleks Sogo, Erwin said the warm response proved that Malaysians have a deep love for the country. However, that feeling needs to be translated into action and participation in patriotic programmes.
He advised Malaysians who have not yet flown the Jalur Gemilang to do so, as National Month is now approaching its peak.
The next Pentarama Merdeka@HoHo programme will be held on 12 September at several iconic locations, including Dataran Merdeka and Plaza Sungei Wang.
The programme involves three main stops — Kompleks Sogo, KLCC and Pavilion — to promote the ‘Fly the Jalur Gemilang’ campaign through the ‘One Home, One Jalur Gemilang’ initiative.
Erwin also invited the public to join the National Day celebration on 31 August at Dataran Putrajaya, as well as the Ambang Merdeka event on 30 August at Dataran Merdeka.
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