Mahathir said he observed an enthusiastic and diverse crowd at the national day parade which he attended yesterday.

“It is not right to assume that young people do not appreciate Merdeka,” Mahathir, who is 101, said in a post on X.

“I saw many Malay, Chinese and Indian youths among the spectators. Their faces were joyful, and it was clear they were celebrating independence as if they had just gained independence after being colonised.”

He said such a spirit among the youth would preserve the country, and that “there is nothing more noble than defending our beloved country”.

Mahathir’s observations follow concerns voiced by members of the older generation regarding the level of patriotism among the youth.

Retired Special Branch officer Paul Kiong, in a recent interview with the New Straits Times, urged Gen Z to remember that peace was won through “sweat and blood”.

Kiong, who spent six years undercover infiltrating the Communist Party of Malaya, also called on the younger generation to remain united as one nation.