Like in previous years, a parade will be held on August 31 in conjunction with the country's Independence Day celebration, this time taking place in Putrajaya.

To prepare for the big day, a three-day parade rehearsal was conducted from Wednesday (August 27) until today (August 29). Members of the public who were in the vicinity also had the chance to watch the rehearsals live.

In past years, many had eagerly looked forward to the appearance of the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) K9 unit. But this year, it wasn't the dogs that caught everyone's attention. Instead, a surprising participant took the spotlight, an orange cat!

A video that went viral on several TikTok accounts showed the cat, affectionately nicknamed "Oyen," riding aboard a Civil Defence Force (APM) boat that was part of the parade. Wearing a small harness and sitting comfortably next to an officer, Oyen could be heard meowing several times, even seemingly asking to be cuddled.

In another clip, the mischievous feline was seen attempting to walk towards the edge of the boat before being quickly pulled back by the officer.

Unsurprisingly, Oyen's presence became a hot topic online. In the comments section, many viewers expressed amusement, joking that the cat had now become part of the Merdeka parade because it often causes "so many problems." Others even teased that Oyen should be officially recruited into a special unit dedicated to finding missing cats.

Whether intentional or not, Oyen has undoubtedly added a dose of cuteness to this year's Merdeka celebrations, stealing hearts while stealing the show.