A crowd of thousands has gathered in the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur, to celebrate 50 years of nationhood.
After 60,000 watched scenes from the nation's history projected on to the towering skyscrapers, fireworks exploded to mark 50 years since British colonial rule on the Malay Peninsula ended.
In his anniversary speech, prime minister Abdullah Badawi stressed the importance of unity.
"We must ensure that no region or community is left behind," he said.
"We will hold true to the concept of justice and fairness for all citizens."
Britain's Prince Andrew was one of several foreign dignitaries to attend the celebrations, as well as the prime ministers of Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Singapore, the Philippines and Vietnam.
There have been worries over race relations in the country, with conflict between the secular constitution and Islamic Sharia courts.
The Christian Federation of Malaysia recently commented: "What divides us has become more accentuated than what unites us. Signs of polarization along ethnic and religious lines, along with all forms of chauvinism, racism and superiority are eroding our national unity."
