Japan Euphoria in the Putrajaya Sky – Fireworks Part 7

Fireworks by Team Japan:
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It was a night of brilliant and magnificent display of fireworks by Team Japan at Putrajaya for the Malaysia International Fireworks Competition (MIFC) on the eve of Merdeka Celebrations, 30 August. Thousands of spectators, who were in the Merdeka celebration moods, were mesmerized by the dazzling display of fireworks that transformed Putrajaya into a magical wonderland.

Thursday morning, 30 August was a different weather altogether. It was gloomy and was drizzling the whole morning. As I predicted, it was fine and cool weather in the evening, most pleasant for an evening outdoor stroll in the park to support the Merdeka eve celebrations. When I arrived at the vast open-spaced car park at 8:15 p.m., I could see one Malay girl was wearing a jacket to provide her with additional warmth.
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There were thousands of cars on the road. With the additional Rela men manning the major roads, the traffic was moving orderly and there was no sign of traffic jam. Kudos to the organizer which handled it well!

The location where I have decided to station was full of revelers who came either with friends or with family members. Everyone was happily chatting. The feeling of waiting to witness a great fireworks display by our respectable country, Japan, and the anticipation of only a few hours to our 50th Merdeka Celebration heighten the mood of everyone who was there.

When I walked to the exact strategic spot which I have surveyed a few days ago, it was all snapped up by photographers who marked their territory by erecting the tripod, minus the cameras. Everyone sure came early waiting eagerly for an event that would be happening at 12 midnight – in four hours time.
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Standing next to my tripod looking at the Seri Gemilang Bridge, the launching area, I admired with pleasant feeling the Putrajaya night scene and the reflection of light from the calm lake amid gentle cool breeze. Waiting there was never a dull moment. There were many photographers to exchange ideas on the same subject matter, be it on the photography skill or the expansive equipment.

Josie, a Pacesetters runner, drove her car in the same afternoon to pre-survey the location of Putrajaya Boulevard so that she would know exactly where to go. I have a friend who traveled hundreds of kilometers from Teluk Intan, Perak, to join in the celebration. Such is the enthusiasm in supporting the event.

Glow of the Fireworks

Team Japan used a different strategy – there were very little low lying fireworks. Unlike Team Italy where we saw three-tier effect (low, medium and high), Team Japan’s displays were mostly medium and high shots with huge ball of flame that shot up in the sky in quick succession.
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As usual, there was a roar of approval when the spectators saw the glow of fireworks in heart shapes. I presumed the shape in heart touched our hearts directly.

One unique thing happened: due to the absence of breeze, the smoke formed in the sky was not being able to blow away which blurred the beautiful fireworks. When I looked at the photos, the smoke was clearly visible.

The ending was really awesome though it was a different display from Team Italy and Team Australia. The ball of flame was getting bigger and bigger until it engulfed the whole sky above Sri Gemilang Bridge.

It was most delightful and satisfying to watch that spectacular fireworks presented by Team Japan – it was worth every effort to go there, never mind the wait and traffic jam.

The next showcase is on Sunday 2 September, 10:00 p.m.: the grand finale of fireworks competition that will last for 30 minutes – the longest fireworks display in the history of Malaysia. Be there.

By KC