MERDEKA and Malaysia Day celebrations will be “a lot cheaper” this year compared with last year’s, said Gobind Singh Deo.

The communications and multimedia minister said this was in keeping with Putrajaya’s austerity drive.

“So for this particular year, the expenses are a lot less,” he told reporters, at the rehearsal for the launch of the National Month (Bulan Kebangsaan) and Fly the Jalur Gemilang 2018 campaign in Penang, tonight.

Gobind did not share the figures as he needed to check them first. “I can give you the figures later,” he said.

“I think to be fair, you must understand that we celebrated the 60th anniversary last year. So because of that, there was additional cost incurred. It was a celebration at a slightly different level.”

Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad will launch the month-long Merdeka celebration tomorrow at Padang Kota Lama in heritage George Town.

Tens of thousands are expected to attend the event, the first major national event to be held in Penang since it fell into opposition hands in 2008.

Themed “Sayangi Malaysiaku”, the event will last three days, beginning today. Activities tomorrow night include fireworks display, flash mobs, buskers’ performances and a concert by local artistes.

Dr Mahathir will also launch the Jalur Gemilang Expedition Convoy comprising 18 vehicles and 40 high-performance motorcycles that will travel across Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan.

The event will kick off the national celebration and Jalur Gemilang campaign in all the states. Putrajaya will host the finale to the Merdeka celebration on August 31, and Kota Kinabalu will close the Malaysia Day celebration on September 16.

Asked why Penang was chosen as the launch venue, Gobind said it was Dr Mahathir’s decision.

“This is an important event, as it is the first Merdeka and Malaysia Day celebration with a Pakatan Harapan government under the leadership of Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Deputy Prime Minister Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.

“We want to make sure everyone from all areas of the country is included in the celebration, so we are starting up north in Penang with the launch.

“Every state will have a role to play until we reach Putrajaya and Kota Kinabalu,” he said.

Gobind said Malaysia was a lucky nation with various races and cultures, and the country would show that there was unity and mutual respect among the people. 

“It makes us unique and the world looks at us as the model. I also feel lucky as the organisation chairman, seeing the good cooperation of everybody,” he said, thanking the Penang government for working well with the federal agencies in the event.

The rehearsal tonight drew a large crowd.

Gobind said it was a good sign that the crowd tomorrow would be even better.

“We hope the weather will be as good as tonight’s”. – August 3, 2018.