TM Merdeka Millionaire is a reward programme by TM to reward its loyal customers. Held for the first time last year, this programme has been renamed in conjunction with the nation’s 50th Independence this year. All customers need to do is answer simple questions about themselves and their lifestyle and this year specially, the programme also requires participants to creatively express their feelings about Independence. Furthermore, TM is giving away more prizes which include holiday packages to local and overseas destinations as well as a special Merdeka Day Prize, on top of the Grand Prize of RM1 million cash.

The programme commenced on May 2007 and will end on 31 December 2007. For further info on the programme, customers can visit www.tmonline.com.my

With Menara TM as the background, this year, TM will be projecting images and inspiring messages on people who have contributed to the nation. This initiative is hoped to foster a sense of nationhood among Malaysians as well as to show gratitude to all Malaysians who have helped to build the beautiful nation.

“The gargantuan image projection will show our 5 Prime Ministers as well as our unsung heroes such as policemen, soldiers, firemen, nurses, teachers, postmen, farmers, lawyers and even hawkers. It shows the role they have played in their own way, be it big or small and with great pride that we are all part of this nation,” said Dato’ Wahid.

The images are put into 15 slides with transition effects from one slide to another. The image projection is also interspersed with slides on TM’s iTalk, streamyx and Celcom Merdeka promotions.

Using 28 large format projectors and running on DMX software, the ‘big screen’ is 54 metres wide and 120 metres tall. This visual extravaganza can be seen at night for a month, i.e beginning today, 15 August until 14 September 2007 from 7.45pm until 12 midnight.

The theme Thanking Malaysians will also be visible through TM’s television commercials, print advertisements, outdoor advertisements at 18 sites nationwide among others. For example, each year, TM produces different festive campaigns to celebrate the various ethnic festivities in Malaysia and this year, to commemorate the 50th Year of Independence of Malaysia, all creatives for the festivities are specially designed to honour the contributions of each major ethnic group towards the progress of the nation. The creatives encompass TV commercials, festive cards, festive gifts and festive money packets.

TM unveiled the campaign with its 2007 Chinese New Year TV commercial that portrayed distinguished local Chinese leaders such as Tun Tan Cheng Lok and Yap Ah Loy who played a significant role towards the country’s development.

TM is promoting special products and services for this year's Merdeka celebration. Among them is the iTalk Merdeka promotion, which offers lower rate for IDD calls to countries such as Singapore, Indonesia, Australia, USA, China, India and Pakistan through the use of iTalk cards. With this special rate, Malaysians can be in touch with their loved ones abroad and talk much longer during this celebration.

Streamyx Merdeka Bash is another special promotion from TM for its customers. Under this package, customers can subscribe to Streamyx 1.0 Mbps broadband, at a special price of RM77 per month for a 24-month subscription period. These customers enjoy various value-added services (VAS) such as free modem, free 1-year subscription to Barclays English Premier League on Hypp.TV, free 1-year subscription to online newspaper (The Sun) and magazines (Virtual Malaysia & Traverama), free 1-year subscription to Britannica Encyclopedia from B-smart, 10 free song downloads from Music@BlueHyppo and free 3-month access to online games at Gamezone.

With the main objective of fostering pride of being a Malaysian, TM this year continues to give away national flags to its customers. Under this initiative, customers who make business transactions at any of the 104 TMpoints nationwide will receive a car flag and a TM sticker each. In addition, TM’s fleet of vehicles nationwide will also be adorned with these flags and stickers. A total of 17,980 car flags and stickers have been allocated for this initiative.

Listeners of Mix FM, Era and MY, will stand a chance to win RM200 daily, courtesy of TM, if their Thank You message is chosen as the best entry for the day. This radio contest invites listeners to submit their Thank you messages via the websites of these three stations and seven best messages for the day will be chosen. A total of 70 winners will receive RM200 each and TM merchandises during the contest period, which begins on 22 August and ends on 31 August 2007.

Customers who conduct their transactions at TMPoint outlets around the country will be given handphone charms as a token of appreciation. A total of 100,000 handphone charms will be given to customers nationwide.

TM is publishing a commemorative book in conjunction with the 20th anniversary of its privatization this year. This book will be launched next month in conjunction with the country’s 50th anniversary celebration of Independence. The book will reflect the growth and achievements of TM, one of Malaysia’s leading government-linked companies (GLCs) and profile its role as a catalyst in the development of Malaysia’s telecommunications sector. The book is a comprehensive narrative with interesting pictures on how a Government Telecommunication Department first established in 1946 was transformed into a viable enterprise and veritable institution some 60 years later.

In conjunction with this year’s Merdeka celebration, Menara Kuala Lumpur will also present a sound and lights show called Cahaya Gemilang using a new technology of light presentation. It is an interactive product that can synergise with FM radio.

To get the employees excited about this year’s Merdeka celebration as well as to thank their contribution, TM has created the nostalgic Merdeka ambience in line with its theme of Thanking Malaysians at Menara TM, its corporate headquarters. The lift and lobby décor  carries pictures of its employees reliving the Merdeka spirit.

TM’s exchanges nationwide will also be decked with Jalur Gemilang, the National Flag.