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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
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| Malaysia marks 50 years as nation | Malaysia marks 50 years as nation |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Thousands of people have been attending huge celebrations in the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur, to mark 50 years of nationhood. | Thousands of people have been attending huge celebrations in the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur, to mark 50 years of nationhood. |
| Dancers and drummers paraded through Merdeka Square, or Independence Square, to celebrate independence from Britain, which came on 31 August 1957. | Dancers and drummers paraded through Merdeka Square, or Independence Square, to celebrate independence from Britain, which came on 31 August 1957. |
| Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi used an anniversary speech to urge people to unify as a nation. | Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi used an anniversary speech to urge people to unify as a nation. |
| "We must ensure that no region or community is left behind," he said. | "We must ensure that no region or community is left behind," he said. |
| "We will hold true to the concept of justice and fairness for all citizens." | "We will hold true to the concept of justice and fairness for all citizens." |
| The celebrations come at a time when debate is growing about what it means to be Malaysian in the ethnically diverse nation, correspondents say. | The celebrations come at a time when debate is growing about what it means to be Malaysian in the ethnically diverse nation, correspondents say. |
| Military on parade | Military on parade |
| Some 60,000 people gathered on Thursday evening to watch scenes of the nation's last 50 years projected on to the capital's skyscrapers. | Some 60,000 people gathered on Thursday evening to watch scenes of the nation's last 50 years projected on to the capital's skyscrapers. |
| Malaysia's air force joined the celebrations | Malaysia's air force joined the celebrations |
| Fireworks lit up the sky and the national flag was raised to mark the end of British colonial rule on the Malay peninsula. | Fireworks lit up the sky and the national flag was raised to mark the end of British colonial rule on the Malay peninsula. |
| Friday's celebrations featured a fly-past by the Royal Malaysian Air Force, as well as displays from the police cavalry and tracker dog units. | Friday's celebrations featured a fly-past by the Royal Malaysian Air Force, as well as displays from the police cavalry and tracker dog units. |
| Several foreign dignitaries attended the celebrations, including Britain's Prince Andrew. Prime ministers from Thailand, Singapore, the Philippines, Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia were all present. | Several foreign dignitaries attended the celebrations, including Britain's Prince Andrew. Prime ministers from Thailand, Singapore, the Philippines, Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia were all present. |
| Dramatic changes | Dramatic changes |
| The BBC's Asia correspondent, Andrew Harding, says Malaysia has changed dramatically since 1957. HAVE YOUR SAY Malaysia is at a crossroad. Multiracial equality has to be maintained for meaningful progress Pancha Chandra, Belgium class="" href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?threadID=7231&edition=2&ttl=20070831101343">Send us your comments Political stability and years of ambitious development have transformed the economy. | |
| There are concerns that Malaysia's authoritarian brand of democracy is being challenged by an increasingly conservative form of Islam, with Sharia courts overriding the country's secular constitution, he says. | There are concerns that Malaysia's authoritarian brand of democracy is being challenged by an increasingly conservative form of Islam, with Sharia courts overriding the country's secular constitution, he says. |
| But the general mood in Malaysia seems to be one of optimism as this nation reflects on half-a-century of upheavals and progress, our correspondent adds. | But the general mood in Malaysia seems to be one of optimism as this nation reflects on half-a-century of upheavals and progress, our correspondent adds. |