Malaysia celebrates 66th Independence Day with a parade

Malaysia celebrates its 66th Independence Day on Thursday in the administrative capital of Putrajaya, with over 20,000 people taking part in parades that involved flag-waving uniformed personnel and military vehicles.

The Southeast Asian nation, known then as Malaya, was freed from British colonial rule in 1957 before taking on the name Malaysia in 1963 when the countries peninsular joined with Singapore along with its Sabah and Sarawak states on Borneo Island.