Students from more than 100 countries witness APU’s largest Merdeka celebration

Kuala Lumpur, 10 September 2015: In conjunction with the 58^th Malaysian Independence Day and the Malaysia Day, the Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation (APU) School of General Studies, alongside with students from the faculties, organised the largest Merdeka celebration ever in APU’s history, which spanned from 5^th September (Saturday) to 10^th September 2015.

The celebrations started off with the APU Merdeka Unity Run, which was held on 5^th September 2015. It was known as one of the largest run ever organised in APU, as it saw participation from 700 students, staff and members of the public, who were of different ethnic backgrounds and nationalities. It was a beautiful sight to see the multicultural participants who teamed up with their friends, colleagues and family members while sprinting through the 5km path at Technology Park Malaysia.

In order to foster appreciation for various cultures in Malaysia among the APU community, all students and staff were given the opportunity to experience the diverse Malaysian culture with their taste buds at the Malaysian Food Fiesta, which was held on the 7^th of September. More than 50 types of Malaysian food such as Nasi Lemak, Mee Kari, Wantan Mee, Dumplings, Banana Leaf Meal, Idiyappam and Pani Puri were served by the students throughout the day. On the other hand, a traditional attire fashion show, silat performances and dikir barat took place on the 9^th of September at the Colours of Malaysia event, in which the audience was able to experience the colours of Malaysian culture further.

Supported by Traxx FM, the main highlight of the events was “Malaysia: The Journey through Time”, a 2-hour musical that featured the history of Malaysia and its pathway to independence, which was held on the 10^th of September. Deputy Minister of Education, YB P. Kamalanathan arrived at APU’s main campus in Bukit Jalil to officiate the celebrations, alongside with CEO of APIIT Education Group, Datuk Parmjit Singh. The musical portrayed the nation’s road to independence, as well as the diversity of cultures available in Malaysia, through cultural dances, drama and patriotic songs. “To bring all students from different countries to celebrate our independence is a wonderful task done by the project team at APU. It is very important for us, Malaysians, to instill what Independence Day means to our youth, as well as to make them understand the struggles our ancestors went through. I wish that many more colleges and universities in Malaysia would undertake events of this nature during the Independence Day.” said YB P. Kamalanathan, during his opening speech at the event.

The reciting of the Rukun Negara and a fusion dance marked the full stop of the celebrations. The importance of integrity, tolerance and understanding amongst different races were well communicated through the musical. It was an eye-opening experience for the international community at APU as they learnt more about the Malaysian history and the difficulties the nation went through as we gained independence in 1957. “The performers and event crew used 4 months to prepare for the celebrations. We are thrilled to see the good outcome. Our objectives have been achieved with the help of our lecturers, our fellow friends from various clubs and societies. We are glad that we are able to spread the Merdeka spirit among the community of APU!” said Niraanjana Sunathan, a BSc (Hons) in Business Information Technology Year 2 student, also the Project Director of the APU Merdeka Week Celebrations.