Malaysians from various backgrounds gathered with their families and friends for the Malaysia Day 2025 celebration at the PICCA Convention Centre @ Arena Butterworth. The event featured interactive activities and historical exhibitions, attracting visitors keen to mark the occasion through educational and cultural engagement.
Mohd Shukri Dan, 44, from Sungai Petani, noted that the public holiday allowed him to bring his wife and two children to the exhibition. “Usually, during holidays we go out to eat or to the shopping mall, but this time I wanted to do something different. It’s not often that I take my family to an exhibition like this, at least our family time is spent on something beneficial,” he told Bernama.
Ainna Fatihah Ismail, 41, from Butterworth, highlighted the appeal of the Malaysia-themed exhibitions, particularly the food demonstrations. “I really enjoy cultural exhibitions because they showcase the diversity of our country. The food demonstration, featuring tapioca, which was referred to as wartime food during the Japanese era, was fascinating, as we had the opportunity to taste what people used to eat back then,” she explained.
Lim Wei Ling, 54, a self-employed individual from Bukit Mertajam, attended to view the range of historical artefacts on show, including old newspapers and historic maps brought by the Penang Public Library Corporation. “I really love historical items like newspapers and old documents, but it’s not easy to see them in person. So when I heard there was an exhibition with newspapers and old maps here, I immediately came to see our historical items for myself,” Lim said.
Miftahul Amran Zainal Abidin, 36, from Balik Pulau, participated in the family colouring competition. “It’s fun to spend time with my children while joining activities like this because it’s a good way to strengthen family bonds, plus colouring is my child’s favourite activity,” he remarked.
The main event for Malaysia Day, themed ‘Malaysia MADANI: Rakyat Disantuni,’ is set to take place tonight. The celebration is scheduled to be attended by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Penang Governor Tun Ramli Ngah Talib, Sarawak Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas (representing Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg), and Sabah Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Shahelmey Yahya (representing Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor).
