TANAH MERAH: Villagers of Kampung Bukit Kechik have decided on a unique way to usher in and celebrate National Day this year by coming together to weave a 35-metre Jalur Gemilang flag using mengkuang or screwpine leaves.
Kampung Bukit Kechik Malaysian Family Community chairman Mohd Nor Hassan, 62, said residents have been weaving since July 28 and added that this year’s National Day celebration would be merrier compared to during the Covid-19 pandemic, when celebrations were muted.
“To weave a Jalur Gemilang as large as this, the villageers organised a gotong-royong, with the men going into the jungle to look mengkuang trees to harvest the leaves.
“After stripping the thorns off, the women will soften the leaves using hand-operated rubber rollers before leaving the leaves out to dry. This is to make the leaves easier to weave,” he told reporters here today.
He said he was proud of the strong cooperation between the villagers and that they were willing to go on rotation to complete the flag and beautify the village with flag decorations around houses.
Mohd Nor said that before the Covid-19 pandemic, villagers used to create the Jalur Gemilang using bamboo, coconut husks and rubber seeds obtained from around the village.
“This Jalur Gemilang mengkuang flag will be paraded on August 30 starting from the main road in the village before being exhibited at the Perpaduan Kindergarten accompanied by children dressed in flag patterns.
“The celebration will also be enlivened with the singing of the Negaraku, a dikir barat performance and talks about independence in the run-up to August 31,“ he added.-Bernama
