Formerly known as the Selangor Club Padang, this site was originally used by the British for cricket and other social sports starting in the late 19th century. It became the "birthplace of Malaysia's sovereignty" at precisely midnight on August 31, 1957, when the British Union Jack was lowered and the Malayan flag was hoisted for the first time. This symbolic act marked the official end of British colonial rule and the birth of a new nation. Today, the square is the primary venue for the annual National Day Parade (Merdeka Day) and serves as a premier civic space for festivals, concerts, and historic gatherings, bridging the gap between Malaysia’s colonial past and its dynamic future.