IPOH: They gathered bright and early at the Ipoh Railway Station here, eager to show off their traditional outfits and patriotism for the country.
University student S. Lavenya Devi, 19, was among those who turned up for Keretapi Sarong 2024 yesterday, which was an activity to highlight Malaysia’s cultural diversity.
“This is my first time (attending the event). It’s so nice to see people from different races coming together to share their culture,” said Lavenya Devi, who wore a traditional kurti paired with a sarong.
She believes the event can help build a sense of patriotism among the people.
More students should join such activities to understand other cultures even more, she added.
Keretapi Sarong 2024 is the eighth edition of the event in which participants would gather at designated stations.
This year’s theme is Bangga Malaysia (Proud of Malaysia).
Yesterday, the participants took selfies and learned about each other’s traditional outfit. They also sang Malaysia Day-themed songs.
Civil servant Azaril Ameer Yahaya, 43, who wore a kuda kepang outfit, said he wanted to showcase the traditional Malay costume to the public.
“I hope more schools can get their pupils to take part in events like this to help them learn about one another,” he said.
“Furthermore, it’s a good way to promote unity and harmony among the races.”
Student Iris Lau Poh Yi, 17, who wore a cheongsam, was accompanied by her sister Lau Wei Yi, 16, and several of her Malay friends.
“It’s a great opportunity to interact with one another.”
For instance, she spoke of learning about the baju Kedah just the day before when her sister borrowed the outfit from her friends.
Housewife Mariani Mohd Hussien, 47, who was dressed in a lehenga, said that she wanted to showcase the Indian traditional attire in conjunction with Malaysia Day.
Ipoh Social Club co-founder Irfan Azhim Zulkifli, 28, said the event was held in collaboration with another non-governmental organisation, Locco.
“This year’s celebration exceeded our expectations with over 1,000 participants compared with about 500 last year,” he said.
The participants, he said, were from various parts of the state including Manjung, Taiping and Kuala Kangsar.
“They also performed the ‘joget lambak’ and reminisced about the past with nostalgic songs.”
He said the highlight of the event was a procession of the colourfully-attired participants from the train station to the Arlene House, a historical landmark opened to the public for this occasion.
“We are also promoting local products such as the local coffee shops run by young entrepreneurs in Ipoh,” he said.
This year’s KS2024 programme, began simultaneously from nine RapidKL and Express Rail Link (ERL) train stations before converging at Lanai, MaTiC Kuala Lumpur.
Besides Ipoh, similar programmes were held in selected locations, including Johor Baru, Kota Baru, Bukit Mertajam, and Alor Setar, as well as internationally in Paris and Berlin.
