KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysians young and old rode the train in style yesterday, dressed in their best sarong outfit, all in the name of unity.
They were participants in the annual Keretapi Sarong event, held annually on Sept 16 and now in its sixth edition.
Despite the haze, more than 3,500 people braved the heat and smog to celebrate Malaysia Day and attend the closing ceremony of Keretapi Sarong 19 at Dataran Merdeka here.
The public were treated to a joget lambak performance by members of the National Academy of Arts, Culture and Heritage (Aswara) and the award-winning Sri Dasmesh pipe band.
Deputy Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Muhammad Bakhtiar Wan Chik said such an event showcased the solidarity and camaraderie among Malaysians to foreign visitors.
“You can see unity in diversity. I’m happy and excited to see many people supporting this programme.
“Perhaps, next year for Visit Malaysia Year 2020 (VMY 2020), we can expand this programme to passengers on board the KLIA Ekspres and Transit, and encourage tourists to join in,” he said yesterday.
Bakhtiar said the Malaysian batik would be one of the main features for VMY 2020, adding that batik and sarong were unity factors in the Malaysian culture.
“The sarong is a cultural heritage from our ancestors and it is something that all Malaysians share.
“This Keretapi Sarong 19 programme also supports the Asean Identity vision, inspired when Malaysia hosted the Asean Summit in 2015.”
Locco creative director Shamsul Bahrin Zainuzzaman said the event promoted harmony and a sense of togetherness among Malaysians, as well as the use of public transport.
“Using the train is a great way to reduce one’s carbon footprint, while the sarong is a symbol of unity. The sarong is our national culture. Every Malaysian, regardless of race or creed, owns a sarong and we want Malaysians to go back to their roots.”