Batik Fun Walk 2023 attracts over 1,000 participants

KUALA LUMPUR - Around 1,100 batik enthusiasts walked the town in batik costumes during the Batik Fun Walk 2023 today, which aims to promote batik as a national heritage and encourage walking as part of a healthy lifestyle.

In its 18th edition, participants walked a 2.3-kilometre route starting at Lanai, Malaysia Tourism Centre (MaTiC) through Jalan P. Ramlee and Persiaran Petronas, making the iconic Petronas Twin Towers an interesting feature of the route before returning to MaTic.

The event also aims to encourage the public to embrace batik as daily wear, in line with the government’s call for civil servants to wear batik at work every Thursday.

Other activities held included quizzes, lucky draws, traditional games and entertainment by artistes such as Lan Solo and Sissy Iman. Additionally, prizes were awarded for different categories, including largest group participation, most creative individual, group and family dressed in batik, as well as the oldest and youngest participant.

The walk was organised by Yayasan Budi Penyayang Malaysia (Penyayang) and strategic partners, the Malaysia Convention and Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB), MaTiC and MCM CoMetro 5 Pillars Venture.

The event was held in cooperation with the Ministry of Tourism, Arts, and Culture and supported by the Kuala Lumpur City Hall.

One of the participants, Jenny Lee, 68, said she has been participating in the event since it first started in 2003, out of her love for batik and its versatility, as well as to include light exercise in her routine as advised by her doctors.

She designed and wore a hand-stitched batik costume, which included a short dress, pants, an apron, a hat and a mask. It took her about two months to prepare for the event.

Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM) producer Azaril Ameer Yahaya, 42, believes the event is a significant platform for promoting batik, especially among the younger generation, and preserving the national heritage.

For his second participation in the walk, he chose to wear a full baju Melayu made from Batik Sarawak to show the unique motif designs. He hoped the event would gain attention on both national and international platforms. - BERNAMA