Write an article about Three-time National Day composer strikes a chord for patriotism .Organize the content with appropriate headings and subheadings (h1, h2, h3, h4, h5, h6), Retain any existing tags from In contrast to the modern style of previous years, composer Affan Mazlan says he weaved together folk music and traditional elements of various ethnicities for this year’s National Day theme song. (Merdeka360 pic)
JOHOR BAHRU: Being entrusted for three consecutive years to compose the official theme song for National Day and Malaysia Day has cemented Affan Mazlan’s reputation as one of the country’s leading young composers, who can instil a sense of patriotism through music.
The 25-year-old told Bernama that composing the National Day theme song since 2023 has given him a deeper appreciation for unity and Malaysia’s rich cultural heritage, while strengthening his sense of nationalism.
“I get more excited with each passing year – my sense of patriotism grows stronger,” he said. “I hope other Malaysians feel the same and will celebrate National Day with hearts full of love for the nation.”
This year’s theme song, “Malaysia Madani: Rakyat Disantuni”, was officially introduced at the launch of the National Month 2025 and Fly the Jalur Gemilang campaign held at Dataran Tanjung Emas in Muar on July 27.
The song, which was performed by Siti Nurhaliza, has earned praise from Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and communications minister Fahmi Fadzil, who both described it as catchy and melodious.
Affan’s previous theme songs were “Tekad Perpaduan Penuhi Harapan” in 2023 and “Malaysia Madani: Jiwa Merdeka” last year.
Siti Nurhaliza performing ‘Malaysia Madani: Rakyat Disantuni’. (YouTube pic)
For this year’s composition, he took a different approach, weaving together folk music and traditional elements of various ethnicities, in contrast to the modern style of previous years.
“My goal was to highlight unity. The song is rich with Malay cultural elements such as the caklempong, serunai and inang; the sitar to represent the Indian community; the dragon dance for the Chinese community; and ethnic elements from Sabah and Sarawak, including the Iban and Kadazan,” he said.
The Seremban-born composer said the two-month collaboration with the team from RTM and music director Mokhzani Ismail allowed him to immerse himself in the cultures of other communities, nurturing his patriotic spirit.
He also shared that one of the main challenges was condensing all the cultural elements into a three‑minute song while ensuring the message of unity remained clear and accessible.
“The chorus is very unifying, but in the verses and bridge, I arranged these ethnic elements one by one. When people sing this song, they’ll notice the uniqueness and diversity of our culture,” Affan noted.
One of the most touching aspects of the composition is the use of “rakyat-friendly” lyrics, including colloquial expressions such as “hai” and “eh”, along with a dikir barat segment – his favourite part of the song – that celebrates all cultures.
Affan hopes the song will inspire the younger generation to explore traditional music and better appreciate Malaysia’s artistic heritage, which he believes remains a vital medium for expressing the national spirit.
Follow Affan Mazlan on Instagram.
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