ASAJAYA: Asajaya turned out in force last night (Aug 30) as a massive crowd filled the Asajaya Sports Complex for a lively celebration on the eve of Merdeka.
Families, youths and older residents from across the community began filling the venue, with the crowd swelling after 8 pm as the Konsert Malam di Ambang Merdeka ‘Dekat di Hati’ got underway.
The concert formed part of the three-day Pesta Asajaya 2026, which ran from Aug 28 to 30, bringing together local artistes and the Sarawak State Symphony Orchestra (SONS) for a night of music and entertainment.
Among those taking to the stage were Mawat, Bob Yusof, Bella Astillah and Datuk DJ Dave, alongside Hairee Francis, Raquel Then Xi Ya, Hijrah Yahya, Florence Lo and Mal Imran.
The atmosphere at the sports complex took on the energy of a major concert, with the crowd singing along, dancing and enthusiastically responding to the performers throughout the night.
Mawat’s performance of his hit, ‘Dayang Bintang’, was among the night’s standout moments, drawing a strong response from the audience.
Datuk DJ Dave also won over the crowd with his energetic interaction, at one point appearing from among the spectators before joining the performance on stage.
The concert also gave SONS an opportunity to perform outside the state’s major urban centres, accompanying selected artistes with live instrumental arrangements while others performed with pre-recorded music.
The concert, held from 8.30pm to 11.30pm, was one of the highlights of Pesta Asajaya 2026, which was held in conjunction with the 40th anniversary of Samarahan Maju Makmur 1986–2026.
As the concert programme drew to a close, people continued gathering around the venue, with food vendors serving crowds who ate and socialised around the sports complex.
Then, as the clock struck midnight and August 31 arrived, fireworks lit up the sky above Asajaya, marking the start of Merdeka Day.
