The Merdeka sun was hot, but the car was cool. Five-year-old Aina, in her new pink baju kurung, could barely sit still. "Are we there yet, Abah?"

Zoo Negara was a riot of sounds and smells. They saw the weary orangutan, the pacing tiger, and the joyful, showering elephants that made Aina squeal with delight. As they rested by the lake eating nasi lemak, the zoo's PA system began to play Tanggal 31.

A hush fell, then a murmur. One by one, voices from the crowd—Malay, Chinese, Indian—joined the song. Mak began to sing softly, then Abah, and even thirteen-year-old Luqman. They weren't just a family listening anymore; they were part of a single, harmonious voice.

Driving home, Luqman said, "We went to see the animals... but the best part was everyone singing."

Abah smiled. In the quiet car, the true meaning of the holiday, found in that shared song, carried them all the way home.

The End.

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