Axiata & Celcom advance the spirit of independence through technology this National Day

Axiata & Celcom advance the spirit of independence through technology this National Day.

Inspired by true events in 1957, Axiata and Celcom’s 2019 National Day film titled Getaran Pertama chronicles the search for the first choir to sing the national anthem of the soon-to-be independent Malaya.

We follow the adventure of Ahmad Merican, the Music Supervisor of Radio Malaya and his good friend, music teacher and conductor, Tony Fonseka as they take on the task to fulfill Tunku Abdul Rahman’s wish of seeing everyday Malayans – regardless of race, creed and background – uniting as
one voice to herald the birth of our new nation.

The heartwarming film will be followed by a special encore performance of “Negaraku”, conducted by the late Tony Fonseka. A feat made possible through deep learning modules that analysed pictures of the conductor, which were then used to map out his facial features in order to render a
true-to-life virtual likeness via mixed reality technology.

Partnering with creative agency M&C Saatchi, Axiata and Celcom embarked on a journey to uncover one of the lesser known stories (albeit one of the most inspiring) behind our national anthem.

The tale surrounding the first choir to sing “Negaraku” is brought to life with the help of both the Merican and Fonseka families. First-hand accounts about the choir were gained through interviews and personal anecdotes shared by Tan Sri Ahmad Merican as well as the sons and daughter of the
late Tony Fonseka.

Treasured family photographs also served as inspirations, while historical
locations like the Tunku Abdul Rahman Memorial became iconic settings that added to the richness of the story. Getaran Pertama is set to be Axiata and Celcom’s most iconic National Day film yet.

Getaran Pertama is set to be Axiata and Celcom’s most iconic National Day film yet. Watch the film and the choir’s encore performance on www.celcom.com.my