Kampung Attap in Kuala Lumpur will come alive on Sept 14 for the day-long Peszta 2024 event. Photo: Burstmode
In Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Day season is a full-on arts and cultural fiesta, where the capital city’s energy amps up with day-long festivals, colourful exhibitions and endless community-led fun.
It’s a chance for the masses, notably in the Klang Valley, to come together, swap stories, wave flags, wear sarongs and indulge in the best of what makes Malaysia truly special.
But amid the big, bold celebrations and train rides in KL, Malaysia Day also offers a quieter, more personal side. Smaller shows and community events give people a chance to reflect and connect on a deeper level.
From photography walks to pop-up bookshop exhibits, these gatherings add meaning to the festivities, reminding us that Malaysia’s strength lies not just in its diversity, but in its unity.
As Malaysia Day approaches next Monday, there’s no shortage of ways in the Klang Valley to dive into the nation’s vibrant cultural mosaic.
The Zhongshan Building is one of the main festival sites set for Peszta 2024 on Sept 14. Photo: Burstmode
All ready to Peszta!
Returning for its third year on Sept 14, Kampung Attap’s one-day arts extravaganza, Peszta, promises to be bigger and better than ever. With a vibrant, youthful energy, this post-pandemic festival has quickly become one of KL’s most exciting Malaysia Day events.
The festival’s name – a deliberate misspelling of the word “pesta”, the Bahasa Malaysia word for “festival” – represents its three anchoring venues: (Pe)ntago House, (S)AM Mansion, and the (Z)hongshan Building. A few new venues are set to bring even more fun to the event.
This year’s Peszta also extends to Merdeka Stadium, where visitors can tour the iconic venue and explore special exhibitions. The experience then circles back to the vibrant festivities in Kampung Attap.
Most activities at the Kampung Attap festival site – which opens at 11am – will be free and open to all.
The Zhongshan Building arts hub will host workshops, talks, exhibitions, performances, and installations. At Happy Together, participants can paint murals with Grammy Granny and Air Puah Saje. Activities include clay-building, moss pet-making, and vintage camera portraits. Pentago House offers architecture talks and the launch of Making Malaysia by R+ and GDP Architects. Nearby, Triptyk hosts kids' cooking and ice cream workshops.
The spirit of this family-friendly festival lies in wandering and discovering, as each corner reveals something new to explore and experience.
Art installations include Kaito Sakuma’s “liquid mirrors” on Zhongshan’s rooftop and Sputnik Forest’s immersive video display at RegalPark Hotel. History buffs can explore KL & Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall’s exhibitions on human rights, Loke Yew, and local history, alongside a talk with director Amanda Nell Eu. Over at SAM Mansion, Malaysian pride takes centre stage with live music and dance, featuring a ukulele troupe (from Sekolah Kebangsaan Hang Tuah 2), Temuan sewang (dance) performances (from Orang Asli Bukit Tadom), and an LED lion dance.
Throughout the day, local markets in the area will offer a mix of food, crafts, and vendors.
Starting at 6pm, the “Mantap Kampung Attap” stage lights up the Zhongshan Building car park with a an evening of music. Headlining the event is Malaysia’s beloved vocalist Ning Baizura, followed by Johor’s ska-punk band Plague of Happiness, Sarawak’s indie-pop group Nicestupidplayground, KL’s own reggae outfit Salammusik, neo-soul singer-songwriter Leaism, multi-lingual hip hop collective Blanco Music, and jazz vocalist Jo Lixian.
Peszta is supported by the Kampung Attap community, Merdeka 118, PNB Merdeka Ventures, KL City Hall, Majlis Perwakilan Penduduk Wilayah Persekutuan, Think City, and Yayasan Lim Yee Hon.
Visitors take a closer look at a woodcut series 'Sabah Tanah Air-Ku' by Pangrok Sulap, which is part of the Nusa national collection exhibition at the National Art Gallery. Photo: The Star/Faihan Ghani
Malaysian art, a discovery
The Nusa exhibition at the National Art Gallery in Kuala Lumpur is an ideal activity for the long Malaysia Day weekend, showcasing an impressive range of local artworks across four galleries from the national collection.
Following the recent wave of art collector-based exhibitions, it’s a perfect moment to appreciate the scale and breadth of the National Art Gallery’s collection. This extensive display showcases a diverse range of mediums and features works from some of Malaysia’s most prominent artists.
What can you expect as a first time visitor? Nusa traces the evolution of Malaysia’s modern art from the 20th century to the present, weaving together the country’s artistic history and its regional ties.
Featuring over 460 artworks, the exhibition (free admission) explores narratives related to social and cultural structures, economic activities, symbols and rituals, and issues of identity and diversity.
It invites visitors to engage in thoughtful discussions about these themes, reflecting the richness of Malaysia’s artistic heritage.
With the Hospital Kuala Lumpur MRT now operational, you can conveniently exit at Jalan Kuantan (Entrance B) and enjoy a six-minute walk (450m) to the National Art Gallery.
The Keretapi Sarong flash mob is a beloved highlight of Malaysia Day celebrations in the Klang Valley. Photo: The Star/Faihan Ghani
Ride the Bangga Malaysia line
Keretapi Sarong is a loud and proud annual event in the Klang Valley where colourful sarongs and traditional threads take over the city’s trains, transforming them into moving celebrations of culture.
Now in its eighth year, this flash mob-style festivity sees participants rocking their traditional attire, turning everyday commutes into a lively, impromptu party.
Keretapi Sarong, themed “Bangga Malaysia” (Proud Malaysia) this year, is set to take place at various train stations in the Klang Valley on Sept 14. Participants will gather simultaneously at selected stations, namely LRT Subang Jaya, LRT Gombak, Putrajaya Sentral, KL Sentral, MRT Kajang, LRT Ampang, MRT TTDI, MRT UPM and MRT Damansara Sentral before heading to a secret final destination. For details on the event, check out the social media pages.
With no set itinerary, the day (which starts at 8.30am) focuses on uniting people, celebrating local heritage, and keeping Malaysian traditions alive in the heart of the city. From belting out patriotic tunes to enjoying cultural performances, this event turns mundane train rides into super fun experiences, filled with Instagram-worthy moments and a sense of community for both locals and tourists.
Malaysia’s Queen of Ethnic Pop, Noraniza Idris, also hopes her performance at the Keretapi Sarong this Saturday will boost the popularity of ethnic music, particularly among the younger generation.
In a recent social media update, illustrator Superdoofus teased the arrival of limited-edition batik sarongs designed specifically for this year’s Keretapi Sarong.
The Hari Malaysia Nationwide Photowalk, taking place on Sept 16, will span 33 locations across the country. Photo: The Star/Art Chen
Meet your neighbour and say hello
The Hari Malaysia Nationwide Photowalk, taking place on Sept 16, will span 33 locations across the country. The Klang Valley is also included in the route, with popular spots such as Klang, Petaling Street, Chow Kit, Brickfields, Kampung Baru, and Putrajaya all featured on the trail.
Spearheaded by photographer Kim Boon and team, this community-driven project aims to capture and celebrate the diverse essence of Malaysia through the lens of its participants (free event, registration required).
“We recognise that Malaysia’s true essence lies in its people. This event invites photographers and non-photographers alike to explore and document the extraordinary lives of ordinary Malaysians. Let’s reignite our appreciation for Malaysia Day and promote photowalking as a healthy and engaging activity. Meet your neighbours, reconnect with old friends, and discover the extraordinary stories around you,” reads the event’s mission statement.
At press time, 550 participants have signed up for the walk across the nation, and some locations are approaching full capacity.
A view of the 'Palm Practices' exhibition in KL, showcasing works from the Jelai Asli Craft and Tompoq Topoh weaving groups. Photo: Handout
Weaving a bond with nature
The Forest House has teamed up with the Gerimis Art Project to explore the significance of palm plants in the lives of the Semai and Mah Meri communities through their latest exhibition, Palm Practices.
Hosted at the Forest Learning Centre within the Perdana Botanical Gardens in KL, this new exhibition spotlights the intersection of art, environment, and nature, offering an insight into how these indigenous peoples incorporate palm plants into their cultural practices and daily lives.
On display until Oct 31, Palm Practices showcases works from the Jelai Asli Craft and Tompoq Topoh weaving groups, looking into the patterns, shapes, colours, and spiritual significance of palm plants in these communities.
The exhibition illustrates how palms are woven into the daily routines and rituals of the Semai and Mah Meri peoples. As globalisation and environmental changes threaten these communities, Palm Practices aims to highlight their essential bond with nature and the pressing risks of deforestation and climate change.
In addition to the free exhibition, an open day on Sept 15 will feature educational public programmes. Highlights include a talk on palm diversity in Malaysia by Datuk Dr Saw Leng Guan and a presentation by the Gerimis Art Project on the Mah Meri Bunga Moyang. The day will also offer hands-on workshops led by Orang Asli craft makers from Jelai Asli Craft and Tompoq Topoh, with prior registration required for participation.
A view of the 'Benuasia: Portraits Of Indigenous Tribes/Orang Asli' exhibition at Tsutaya Books, Pavilion Bukit Jalil. Photo: Handout
A journey through portraits
Looking for something a little more quiet and a little less crowded? Head to Tsutaya Books at Pavilion Bukit Jalil in KL for Benuasia: Portraits Of Indigenous Tribes/Orang Asli, an inspiring showcase of portrait prints by photographer Jeffrey Lim.
Found in various displays across the bookstore until Sept 16, Benuasia looks at inherited identity and the cultural evolution of indigenous tribes found in Peninsular Malaysia through 20 traditional silverprint portraits of Orang Asli, where every image tells its own story in the play between light and shadow.
“It’s the first time I’m exhibiting works reflecting on the entire Kanta research project, and I hope to produce many more works from all the narratives I’ve been exposed to and the lives of whom we know so little about,” says Lim.
Each portrait is paired with Lim’s thoughtful reflections on the subjects, delving into themes of indigeneity, citizenship, spirituality, and alter-narratives. The photographs shown are available for purchase, and a portion of the proceeds from each sale will be directed towards supporting the individuals featured in the photos and their communities, promoting the rights of indigenous people and amplifying their voices.
To wrap up the showcase, Lim will host a session titled “A Journey Through Images: Kanta Manuscript And Portraits Project” at 2pm on Sept 15 at the in-house café. He’ll share insights and experiences from his research project. No registration is needed – just drop by!
Shia’s 'The Special Day' series (2010) is back in the spotlight at a pop-up exhibition in Petaling Jaya. Photo: Filepic
The cats are back!
Here’s a word-of-mouth exhibition to explore: Sarawakian artist Shia Yih Yiing’s The Special Day series, originally made in 2010 to commemorate Malaysia Day, is currently on display at The Strand Mall in Kota Damansara, Petaling Jaya, throughout this month.
This pop-up exhibition, organised by Fergana Art, features the complete series (12 paintings) along with two additional works. The series imagines a “kittengarten”, a playful and poignant metaphor for educating the young about Malaysia’s diverse landscape.
For art enthusiasts and the curious, the series provides a delightful and thought-provoking glimpse into how the kittens prepare for a special school performance, immersing themselves in the rich tapestry of Malaysia’s many cultures.
Through her art, Shia reflects on the complexities and nuances of the nation, offering both a celebration and critique of its multicultural identity.
A view of the The Lain Lain Project exhibition, put together by Borneo Laboratory. It is showing at the GMBB creative mall until Oct 20. Photo: The Star/Azlina Abdullah
The idea of ‘lain-lain’
If you haven’t checked out the Borneo Laboratory’s The Lain Lain Project yet, this long weekend offers the perfect opportunity. Running at the GMBB creative mall in KL until Oct 20, this multimedia exhibition presents a fusion of three transformative projects developed over the past four years. It’s an immersive experience that captures the essence of Borneo’s diverse cultural and artistic expressions.
Visitors will walk through three distinct sections, starting with “Serumpun”, which tells the personal stories of artisans from Borneo-based craft communities, followed by “Big Trip”, which delves into how ancestral wisdom shapes broader global connections across generations, before ending with “Lain Lain In Kuala Lumpur”, which looks at the complexities of “lain-lain” in the Malaysian context.
“I hope that visitors to The Lain Lain Project will leave the exhibition more open to accepting one another’s differences, as each of us are different as individuals, and yet as humans, we are the same,” says Borneo Laboratory founder Wendy Teo, who curated the exhibition.
