Fifty-six years ago, Umno was etched into the history books as the party which helped free Malaysia from British colonialists, a feat which it has hitherto never stopped reminding Malaysians about.

The declaration of Independence was made by Umno's second president Tunku Abdul Rahman at Stadium Merdeka, which grew even more famous over the years by playing host to premier entertainment, sporting and national events.

Today, the ageing stadium hosted yet another historical milestone. It was the site of the biggest ever rally organised by opposition parties, which no doubt helped set a new record for the 30,000 capacity stadium.