KUALA LUMPUR (XINHUA) – Malaysia marked the 64th anniversary of its independence on Tuesday (Aug 31), with a scaled-back celebration due to the ongoing Covid-19 situation in the country.

The celebration, hosted in the country’s administration centre of Putrajaya, was held under the new normal circumstances for the second year, with various programmes and a small-scale parade of the armed forces and civil service branches.

The programme was held in compliance with standard operating procedures, with the physical presence of a limited number of viewers, while others could watch the proceedings on television or virtually.

Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob, who was undergoing self-quarantine after being in close contact with an individual who tested positive for Covid-19, joined the celebration virtually.

In his address to the nation on Monday, Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri called on his countrymen to remember that the country faced many challenges to achieve independence and build itself up afterwards, urging them not to lose hope.

“The challenge that we are facing today has never been experienced by leaders and previous governments. Now, we are faced with several simultaneous challenges, namely disease outbreaks and economic turmoil,” he said.

He also urged Malaysians to cooperate in the national vaccination drive to help the country return to normalcy.

“This success will pave the way for economic recovery in this country and allow us to live in the new normal. The economy should be restored, the well-being of the people should be improved, investor confidence should return,” he said.

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