Saturday (31st August) was a day full of surprises. Our country celebrated our 67th Independence Day and many camped out in the wee hours of the morning to witness the annual Merdeka Parade. Ever since a handsome fireman, who was later famously known as Abang Bomba, went viral at the same event back in 2022, the crowd have been anticipating his return every year.
Many have also kept their eyes peeled for anything that could capture the internet’s attention. So in celebration of Merdeka, here are 5 appearances and incidents that went viral at the 2024 Merdeka Parade:
1. The Return of the Hunky Firefighters
@maxxell_0 Part Abang2 Bomba Kegilaan Ramai 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 #abangbomba #abgbombatolongsaya😆😆😆 #abgbombailoveyou #merdeka #tiktok #fypシ゚viral #fyp #fypage #abgbomba🔥🤭👩🏻🚒 #kemerdekaan #merdeka2024 #merdekaputrajaya
Abang Bomba has some good-looking friends- and Malaysians couldn’t get enough of them. At this point, it should also be a requirement to be very well-built to become a firefighter so that you can stand a chance to showcase your muscles during the Merdeka Parade. Just like the previous years, the crowd went wild at the sight of these muscular men in uniform flexing their biceps and waving the Malaysian flag during the event.
2. “Abang Askar, please shoot me!”
@maxxell_0 Abang Askar Pun tak Kalah Yah .. 💪🏻😂 #merdeka #tiktok #tiktok malaysia #fypシ゚viral #fyp #fypage #abangaskar #merdeka2024 #kemerdekaan
This particular man in the military is giving Abang Bomba a run for his money. As soon as ‘Abang Askar’ made his appearance, a person in the audience could be heard screaming, “Abang Askar! Tembak saya bang (please shoot me)!!”, much to everyone else’s amusement. That particular moment instantly went viral on social media with many saying that they were going to use the “pick-up line” if they ever come across a soldier.
3. Mat Rempit on Display: Real or an act?
@suriatizaimi Woiiii lagi santai kawan🤣🤣🤣#selamatharikemerdekaan #kemerdekaan67🇲🇾 #harikemeredekaan #harikebangsaan
If you’re thinking of committing traffic violations the night before the Merdeka Parade, think twice or else you might end up being part of the parade yourself. The Kuala Lipis police force showcased their officers arresting a Mat Rempit doing the ‘Superman’ pose on a motorcycle on their floaty during the event. Many assumed that it was not an act and that the man was actually being punished by being part of the parade.
As it turns out, the demonstration was unplanned and that the motorcycle actually belonged to the “arrested” man. His older brother came forward on Twitter saying that none of their family members knew about his involvement in the parade and only found out after he went viral.
4. Abang Kucing’s Debut
@nurnwrh.z abang kucing tolong cakaq sat laki saya ni, dia ni memang meminta 😾 #merdeka2024
It appears that our firefighters had a backup plan in case their hunky performance didn’t work out. The crowd were treated to the very adorable sight of a cat that they nicknamed ‘Abang Kucing’. One officer held the feline and waved its paws to the audience. One man can be heard screaming, “Abang kucing, cakar saya! (Please scratch me!)”, making the viral moment 10x funnier.
5. The “Nervous” Horses
@fatiyaazmii Semua kuda nervous eh 😂 #harikemerdekaan #malaysia #perarakanmerdeka
You can never truly guarantee how an event will go with animals involved. Apart from the cats and dogs that made appearances during the Merdeka Parade, many were thrilled to see horses joining the event this year. However, one netizen managed to catch the moments before these stallions marched with their riders. One horse was seen peeing and pooping, much to the audience’s dismay.
Many joked that the horse was probably nervous before the show. Another horse was seen stomping around after stepping on the excretion on the ground, possibly surprised by the gross sensation on its hooves.
Which of these were your favourite moments during the Merdeka Parade?
