KUALA LUMPUR – With much socioeconomic turmoil, crimes, and political turbulence affecting Malaysians recently, sometimes disconnecting by seeking to see the beauty of Malaysian society can help us refresh our love for the nation.
This reminder comes in time for National Month and the upcoming Malaysia Day. There are several ways to appreciate and celebrate the beauty and this includes the yearly Keretapi Sarong event, which took place yesterday.
Keretapi Sarong is an annual event in conjunction with Malaysia Day which falls on September 16. However, this year, the event took place two days earlier.
Locco, the host of this yearly gathering, said they started in 2016, making this year’s event its eighth edition. Since its inception, the event has been growing steadily, from an independent and casual movement to now becoming an official event Malaysians look forward to commemorating the day when the Malaysian federation was formed in 1963, as Malaya, Sabah and Sarawak united.
From a humble movement to celebrate Malaysia’s cultural diversity by encouraging people to wear the “sarong” and other traditional clothing, it has grown into a beloved national event, which has branched out to locations outside the Klang Valley including Johor Bahru, and Ipoh, and even overseas like Berlin and Germany.
Participants gathered and kicked off their Keretapi Sarong journey at selected train stations, where activities like games and performances were held. They then took the designated trains where everyone would meet up at the final “secret” destination – where the rest of the fun awaited them.
This year, the secret location was at Lanai@Matic, also known as the Malaysian Tourism Centre – right in the heart of Kuala Lumpur at Jalan Ampang.
The event was undisputedly Malaysian, especially with local vendors selling curated items from traditional clothes to batik-themed phone cases.
Celebrities and influencers also made appearances at the event. Content creator and food entrepreneur Khairul Aming led the Rukun Negara recital – echoed by hundreds of participants in undoubtedly Malaysian outfits.
Fan-favourite food reviewer-turned-entrepreneur and host Ceddy Ang, along with Letchumi Sandraj and Izzamil Nasir co-hosted the event and entertained pumped-up participants.
The scorching sun did not deter Malaysians from “serving looks” yesterday, even with layers of batik, sarong, songket, among other intricate traditional outfits and accessories. The themed outfits are Keretapi Sarong’s main basis, made obvious in the event name, which serves as a simple yet effective tool to excite and unite people.
However, it can be said that the biggest highlight of the event from the train station to the final location is the sense of unity.
From singing the patriotic classics Malaysians have memorised since school like Jalur Gemilang, Keranamu Malaysia, and Sudirman hits like Warisan, to friendly strangers from different age groups, races, religions and backgrounds looking out for your safety and inviting you to “joget lambak” with them.
The joget lambak, a traditional type of dance usually performed by a crowd at events, brought people together while also giving a new life to older traditions.
With this year’s theme being “Bangga Malaysia” (Proud Malaysia), Keretapi Sarong 2024 promoted being proud of our homeland, identities, heritage and spirit of unity – which connects us all.
In all those little moments, we are reminded that the Malaysia we have today may not be perfect, but at least we can celebrate our different cultures with people from diverse backgrounds – making Malaysia, Malaysia. – September 15, 2024