KUALA LUMPUR — Two traditional Malaysian wear, the Royal Pahang Weave (Tenun Pahang Diraja) and Nyonya Kebaya from Melaka are among the cultural crafts to be showcased at the Asian Sports Museum in Hangzhou, China this September.
The selection of the two outfits representing the East Coast and the south of Peninsular Malaysia was made through a public voting process in the ‘Proud To Be Malaysian’ campaign on the social media platforms Facebook and Instagram of the national car manufacturer, Proton.
National hockey legend Datuk Mirnawan Nawawi handed over the Royal Pahang Weave and Nyonya Kebaya from Melaka to the convoy of the third series of the ‘Asian Games, Nation Drive’ organised by Proton on tour in Melaka yesterday.
Proton Edar Sdn Bhd’s marketing and network support deputy director, Steven Zhou Qi said Proton, as one of the official vehicles of the games, will continue the fourth series of the ‘Asian Games, Nations Drive’ to the north of the country to complete the collection of Malaysian cultural craft to be sent to Hangzhou.
“Being the national car of Malaysia, we have a few responsibilities.
“Firstly, we want to take this opportunity to promote and increase the Asian Games awareness with a series of activities we have organised since last year, including the ‘Asian Games, Nation Drive’.
“Besides that, we want to promote Malaysian culture, craft and products to the world, especially after the Covid-19 pandemic to boost tourism and the economy.
“Chosen as official vehicles for the Asian Games proves the quality and strength of our cars to place the Malaysian brand globally,” he said in Melaka yesterday.
The third series of the ‘Asian Games, Nation Drive’, which was also joined by 12 media representatives, started from the Proton Centre of Excellence in Subang Jaya last Saturday before going to the Royal Pahang Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah Weaving Expansion Complex, Kuantan to see the weaving process and pick up the craft.
The convoy that is test driving various Proton models such as the X90, X70 and X50, then continued its journey to Melaka yesterday.
In the earlier ‘Asian Games, Nation Drive’ series in Borneo, beaded pinacol necklaces from the Rungus people in Kudat, Sabah and sape, a traditional lute of the Orang Ulu community in Sarawak were also selected to be displayed at the Asian Sports Museum.
All the collected craft collections will be handed over to the Malaysian Contingent to be brought to Hangzhou ahead of the 19th Asian Games, which will take place from September 23 to October 8. — August 28, 2023