The streets and train stations around Klang Valley were filled with colorful sarongs on Malaysia Day as thousands of Malaysians celebrated their multi-ethnic identities in style. The Keretapi Sarong 2023 (KS2023) flash mob program, organized by the non-governmental organization (NGO) Locco, brought together Malaysians of different ages and cultural backgrounds to stand united on Malaysia Day. The festivities began at the Bandar Utama MRT station, where participants started gathering as early as 6am.
In addition to Bandar Utama, other transit points like Putrajaya Sentral, Subang Jaya, Ampang, Gombak, Kajang, and KL Sentral, all headed to one destination – Dataran Merdeka. This year, participants not only wore sarongs but also donned traditional attire from Sabah and Sarawak. The train stations were filled with a festive mood as iconic Malaysian and patriotic songs, along with traditional dance performances, entertained the public.
At the Bandar Utama MRT station, the energetic Dikir Barat performance caught everyone’s attention. Dikir Barat is a unique musical art form that combines singing, poetry reciting, synchronized dancing, and music. While some participants were familiar with the event, many experienced the joyful flash mob for the first time. Izzati Yunus, 28, shared her excitement about ironing her sarong and baju kurung and joining the program. Another group of friends, Arissa Nazrey, 25, and Firdaus Fairuz, 24, coordinated their outfits and expressed their excitement about participating in Keretapi Sarong.
According to a RapidKL officer on duty at the Bandar Utama MRT station, at least 2,000 participants and crew members were present. After celebrating for about two hours, the group made its way to Kuala Lumpur, where thousands more joined in singing, dancing, and enjoying Malaysian food from food trucks at Dataran Merdeka. The organizers estimated that over 10,000 people were present at the event. Programme director Shamsul Bahrin Zainuzzaman announced that another flash mob to showcase Malaysian tradition, specifically for ladies, called ‘Flashmob Lenggang Kebaya,’ will be held next month.
Similar events took place simultaneously in major cities like Johor Baru, Ipoh, and Kuala Terengganu, as well as in London, United Kingdom at the Battersea Power Station.
Credit: The Star : News Feed
