KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 29 (Bernama) -- Despite being thousands of miles away, the patriotic spirit of the Malaysian community in Kazakhstan was showcased through the Jalur Gemilang Flag-Raising Ceremony and the celebration of Malaysia’s 69th National Day at Malaysia House in Astana on Saturday.
The event, organised by the Embassy of Malaysia in Astana, began with the raising of the Jalur Gemilang, followed by the singing of the national anthem, Negaraku, and the recitation of the Rukun Negara.
Malaysian Ambassador to Kazakhstan Mohd Adli Abdullah said the theme of the 2026 National Day and Malaysia Day celebrations, “Malaysia MADANI: Prosperity Enjoyed”, emphasises that national progress should not be measured solely by economic growth and physical development.
“Rather, it should be measured by the extent to which the benefits of development are enjoyed fairly, inclusively and comprehensively by all segments of society,” he said in his speech at the reception, according to a statement issued by the embassy in Kazakhstan on Saturday.
In addition to embassy officials and staff, the event was attended by the Malaysian community in Kazakhstan, including students, alumni of the Malaysia Technical Cooperation Programme (MTCP) and friends of Malaysia.
Adli also called on the Malaysian community in Kazakhstan to continue embracing and reflecting the values of Malaysia MADANI through hard work, integrity, discipline, courtesy and a spirit of mutual assistance.
“Every Malaysian living abroad has a role to play as an ambassador of the country by strengthening Malaysia’s image while fostering a spirit of unity and togetherness,” he said.
The reception was also held in conjunction with the MTCP Alumni Get-Together 2026, hosted by the Ambassador.
“In the context of Malaysia-Kazakhstan relations, the MTCP serves as an important platform for sharing experiences in human capital development, sharing expertise, and strengthening professional networks and friendship between the two countries,” the statement said.
The MTCP, established in 1980 as Malaysia’s contribution to South-South cooperation, provides training programmes, capacity-building initiatives and postgraduate study opportunities to developing countries.
As of 2025, a total of 196 Kazakh officials had benefited from various capacity-building programmes under the MTCP.
“This initiative also reinforces the commitment of the Embassy of Malaysia in Astana to further strengthen and expand Malaysia-Kazakhstan relations comprehensively, based on strategic cooperation between governments, close people-to-people ties, as well as expertise-sharing and human capital development for the mutual benefit and prosperity of both countries,” the statement said.
-- BERNAMA