Riding The Rails Of 'Sayang Malaysia' On Malaysia Day

By Abdul Hamid A Rahman

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 16 (Bernama) -- I see those trains almost every day.

They pass near my home, accompany part of my journey to the office and quietly carry thousands of people through the city.

There is perhaps a little “Sayang Malaysia” in me whenever I look at the infrastructure that keeps the economy moving.

Then I realised that thousands of others had gone beyond merely feeling or imagining that love for Malaysia.

They expressed it.

Dressed in sarongs, batik and traditional attire, Malaysians turned ordinary stations and carriages into moving showcases of culture through Keretapi Sarong 2026, while giving greater visibility to local textiles, creative businesses and Malaysia’s tourism appeal.

This year’s edition also introduced the song “Joget Sarong” as its official theme song, while adopting “Sayang Malaysia” as the theme for Keretapi Sarong 2026 to reflect patriotism and pride in the nation.

Bank Muamalat Malaysia Bhd chief economist Dr Mohd Afzanizam Abdul Rashid said Keretapi Sarong shows how cultural participation can create economic activity without losing its social meaning.

“What we are seeing here is not just a cultural gathering. There is an economic chain around it, involving transport, local textiles, food, small traders, designers and tourism-related activity.

“The interesting part is that culture itself becomes a form of economic participation,” he told Bernama.

Mohd Afzanizam said that when people choose to wear local fabrics, spend on local products or travel to join an event like this, they are circulating money within the domestic economy while also strengthening demand for Malaysian-made goods.

“For younger consumers, this is also important because traditional products are being reintroduced in a way that feels current rather than ceremonial.

“That creates room for local businesses to innovate around heritage instead of treating heritage as something static,” he said.

He said that from a tourism perspective, events like this also add value because visitors increasingly look for experiences that feel local and authentic.

“So the economic contribution is not only about how much is spent on that particular day. It is also about visibility, repeat demand and the wider value attached to Malaysia’s cultural identity,” he said.

This year, what struck me most as a journalist observing the event was how naturally the idea of “Sayang Malaysia” unfolded around me.

Around me, Malays, Chinese and Indians arrived in a burst of colour, some wearing sarongs and batik, while others wore their respective traditional attire.

Foreign tourists were there too, watching, photographing and joining in the atmosphere, turning the stations and trains into a vivid picture of Malaysia’s cultural diversity.

It was there that I felt “Sayang Malaysia” was not confined to a slogan or a theme song.

It could be seen in the fabrics people chose to wear, the local products they supported, the public transport they shared and the ease with which strangers occupied the same space as part of something larger than an ordinary train journey.

In that sense, Keretapi Sarong was not merely a celebration of heritage.

It was also a reminder that love for a country can move through everyday choices -- what people wear, what they buy, where they travel and how they participate in the economy around them.

For one day, “Sayang Malaysia” was more than a theme.

It was felt, shared and carried throughout.

-- BERNAMA