National Day: Heart Image and Number ’69’ to be Drawn Across Putrajaya’s Skies via ‘Melukis Senja’ Aerobatic Performance
PUTRAJAYA: The skies of Putrajaya are set to become a giant canvas as a heart image and the number ’69’ are drawn in the air through a special aerobatic performance called “Melukis Senja” (Painting the Dusk), creating yet another special moment in conjunction with this year’s 69th National Day celebration.
This debut performance, held in conjunction with National Day, will feature the Krisakti EXTRA 300 aerobatic aircraft, piloted by former Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) officer and retired Major Datuk Halim Othman, affectionately known as “Toogoo”. The aerial act will be set against the backdrop of Putrajaya’s panorama and the sunset between 7:00 and 7:30 pm this evening, taking place at the New Millennium Monument parking area here.
He said the idea stemmed from a desire to bring something different to this year’s National Day celebration, further complemented by the choice of Putrajaya as the location due to its landscape-including the lake, buildings, and bridges-which provides an attractive backdrop for a performance that combines aerial stunts with the sunset atmosphere.
“Merdeka is a day of grandeur for us to celebrate together. So, I wanted to bring something different in terms of an airshow performance. We have 10 crew members, including myself, a co-pilot, technicians, and engineers, to make today’s ‘Melukis Senja’ a success,” he told Bernama when contacted.
To ensure safety, Halim said the performance has gone through an approval and risk assessment process with relevant agencies, including the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM), Putrajaya Corporation, and the Ministry of Communications.
“For any air display, airshow, or air presentation, we must obtain approval from CAAM. So, we worked on this for nearly six months to obtain the approval and to evaluate the safety risks. Training for this performance was done over approximately three months,” he said.
He said among the highlights of the performance is the act of drawing the number ’69’ and a heart in the sky using just a single aircraft, which will be produced through aircraft manoeuvres and smoke. It will also feature several aerobatic manoeuvres at both high and low speeds, before smoke and pyrotechnics are used towards the end of the show.
“We will start the show with several movements, random movements accompanied by smoke… because while I am flying in the air, I will assess when is the best time to release my pyrotechnics. And five minutes before the end, there will be a fireworks display, so visitors shouldn’t leave early,” he said.
At the same time, Halim also reminded visitors not to fly drones while the performance is taking place, as it could pose a risk to aircraft safety.
He said public feedback from previous training sessions has also been very positive, based on reactions seen on social media, and he expects the performance location to be filled with visitors today.
“Wow, mesmerizing, and it will be a good memory-those are the three words to describe ‘Melukis Senja’,” he said.
Halim, who retired from the RMAF in 1998 after his last posting flying the F/A-18 Hornet in Butterworth, Penang, returned to the world of aerobatics about 10 years after retirement because he missed the experience of being in the cockpit.
He subsequently learned aerobatic flying in the United States and Europe, besides participating in air races before establishing his own flight team.
‘Melukis Senja’ is one of the side programmes in conjunction with RIUH Merdeka, organized by MyCreative Ventures Sdn Bhd (MyCreative), which celebrates the patriotic spirit and brings the community together to appreciate creativity, culture, and a sense of togetherness.
RIUH Merdeka also provides a platform for artists, performers, and local entrepreneurs to showcase their talents and works, while expanding networking opportunities between artists and entrepreneurs. The event will run from 2:00 pm today until 4:00 am (August 31) and from 8:00 am to 2:00 pm tomorrow.
BERNAMA