Malaysia’s Independence Day is just around the corner and there are lots of promos and entertainment for you to enjoy in celebration of this very special day. Apart from the main event – the annual parade – people have also been looking forward to the Sambutan Ambang Merdeka 2024 show.
This Merdeka Eve celebration was supposed to take place tomorrow night (Friday, 30th August), at Dataran Merdeka but sadly, plans have changed. Last night (Wednesday, 28th August), the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) issued an official statement to announce that the Merdeka Eve celebration is now cancelled. Here’s why:
According to the statement posted on DBKL’s official social media accounts, the Sambutan Ambang Merdeka 2024 will no longer take place due to the giant sinkhole that occurred at Masjid India. The area has been closed off after the surface layer of the ground collapsed which is believed to have been caused by heavy rain and storm. This was the second reported sinkhole in KL following the first one last Friday (23rd August).
An Indian tourist was reported missing after the latest tragic incident, believed to have been swallowed up by the sinkhole. A search and rescue operation is currently still in progress. “This cancellation is to respect the victims of several incidents that happened around the city of Kuala Lumpur recently,” the statement reads. Shortly after the announcement, a few celebrities who were supposed to appear and/or perform at the now-cancelled show shared the devastating news with fans on social media.
Professional emcee Eswan and singer Aina Abdul reposted the event’s cancellation on their Instagram Stories. Other celebs and performers who were supposed to join the festivity include Mawi, Hijjaz, Bienda, Maman, Osama Yamani, Syamira Nazir, and Fazleen Hishammudin. They have yet to speak out about the cancellation.
Fans were obviously upset that they could no longer enjoy the Sambutan Ambang Merdeka 2024 but understood the severity of the situation and expressed gratitude to the authorities who are doing their best to find the missing victims.
