UniMAP Holds Traditional Kebaya, Dance Competitions
Kangar, 1, March – With “Preserving Perlis Traditional Dance” as a theme, the Malaysian Royal Institutions Research Centre (PKIRM) and the Cultural and Recreational Unit (UKR) of Universiti Malaysia Perlis (UniMAP) held the Perlis Traditional Dance Under the Rule of Monarchy Competition (Pertandingan Tarian Tradisional Di Bawah Pemerintahan Diraja) here today.
Besides the dance competition, a traditional dance workshop was held and was attended by over 200 schoolchildren and UniMAP students, which was intended as a medium to maintain the existence of the branch of the cultural arts.
Acting Deputy Vice Chancellor of UniMAP Prof Dato' Dr Zul Azhar Zahid Jamal said that UniMAP being an engineering university will not be a hindrance for it to be involved in the preservation of our cultural heritage.
He said that the competition will nurture the continued love and interest among the younger generation for our cultural heritage transforming it into an enduring cultural treasure.
“In fact, this competition will more or less educate the younger generation from being easily influenced by Western dance culture such as rave, which is a controversial issue today,” he said in his speech to officiate the traditional dance competition at the UniMAP Dewan Kapitol.
Also present were Deputy President of the Perlis Malay Association (PEMANIS) Tuan Rejab Ismail, PKIRM Director Datin Paduka Datuk Prof Dr Ramlah Adam and UKR Director Izwan Izhar Haris.
Meanwhile, Rejab Ismail who was better known by his pseudonym Rejab F.I also delivered the keynote address at the ceremony.
He expressed his congratulations for UniMAP's effort to host the competition to uphold the arts and culture of the people.
“An engineering institution is able to give serious attention to cultural arts and simultaneously teach our progeny to understand and appreciate them,” he said.
Besides the dance competition and workshop, a Traditional Kebaya Costume Contest, the Perlis traditional costume from olden times, was also held.
