Kuala lumpur: A Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB) Komuter train journey from Kuala Lumpur Station to Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) Station today was transformed into a moving stage celebrating language, literature, the arts and patriotism through the National Day and Malaysia Day (HKHM) Kembara Bahasa programme.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the programme was organised by the Ministry of Communications in collaboration with Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP) and featured a variety of educational and entertainment activities, including patriotic songs, poetry recitals, language and history quizzes, as well as musical performances throughout the journey.
A total of 60 students from Sekolah Seri Puteri Cyberjaya and Sekolah Seni Malaysia Kuala Lumpur, together with members of the arts community, took part in the programme, themed 'Kembara Bahasa di Atas Landasan' (Language Journey on the Rails).
A student of Sekolah Seni Malaysia Kuala Lumpur, Qaseh Umairah Maswesi Ahmad, 16, who was dressed in traditional songket attire for the programme, said the experience offered a different approach to fostering a love for the Malay language and nurturing the spirit of patriotism. Qaseh Umairah, who also took part in a poetry recital, said the various interactive activities, including an Independence Day quiz, patriotic songs and a dikir barat performance, made learning more enjoyable.
'It was really enjoyable because we not only got to travel together on the KTM train, but also took part in a variety of educational and entertainment activities. Programmes like this should be organised more often to encourage people from all walks of life to use the Malay language and ensure it is not forgotten by future generations,' she told Bernama at UKM Station in Bangi.
Another student, Nur Mirza Amani Muhamad, 16, from Sekolah Seri Puteri Cyberjaya, said the programme's relaxed approach gave young people the opportunity to appreciate the Malay language in a more engaging way, while raising public awareness of its importance in daily life. 'Many young people like me are sometimes not confident about speaking proper Malay because we have been used to speaking English at home since childhood. Programmes like this show that Malay is actually easy and enjoyable to learn,' she said.
The atmosphere inside the train carriage was further enlivened by a performance by the St. John's Alumni Pipe Band Malaysia, featuring six musicians led by Pipe Major Raja Muhammad Hizami Raja Kamarulzaman. Raja Muhammad Hizami, 34, said the band performed between eight and 10 songs during the journey, including the patriotic song Keranamu Malaysia and works by the late Datuk Sudirman Arshad, using a combination of traditional Malaysian and Scottish musical instruments, such as the bagpipes and drums.
'The atmosphere on the train was truly lively as passengers enjoyed a variety of performances, including dikir barat, buskers and our own pipe band. Besides the students, other passengers also joined in the fun. Some sang along and waved the Jalur Gemilang, while others applauded throughout the performances,' he said.
Meanwhile, Ministry of Communications Senior Undersecretary (Management) Datuk Aminurrahim Mohamed said the programme was among the government's efforts to bring the national language closer to the people while fostering the spirit of patriotism ahead of the National Day and Malaysia Day (HKHM) celebrations. He said efforts to uphold the Malay language now face greater challenges due to the growing influence of digital language and slang, making it essential to continue strengthening creative approaches to promote its use.
'We hope the programme will continue to be held every year and become an iconic event in the nation's National Day and Malaysia Day celebrations,' he said. Aminurrahim said Kuala Lumpur Station was chosen as the starting point because of its symbolic significance, noting that the historic railway station has been part of the country's development for more than a century.
Meanwhile, Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP) director-general Datuk Dr Hazami Jahari said the participation of young people in programmes such as this is important in fostering a love for the national language as the foundation of the nation's identity and character. 'The younger generation is very important because they will inherit this country and shape its future. Our challenge is to ensure they have a good command of proper Malay, especially in the era of social media, which has greatly influenced the use of mixed language,' he said.
He said the media therefore has an important role to play in producing quality content that uses proper Malay, so as to set a good example for the younger generation in the use of the national language.