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Yesterday, an opinion column discussed the attire of the Malaysian Olympics contingent during the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympics. The article claimed the attire received many accolades worldwide despite heavy criticism back home.
'The Malaya,' designed by Rizman Ruzaini, sparked debate for resembling a Hari Raya outfit or a wedding reception attire, which some felt didn't reflect the Malaysian identity appropriately. The writer emphasised that differing expectations make it challenging to please everyone and urged a shift in focus towards the country's ability to collect medals in Paris, questioning if Malaysia would win its first Olympic gold medal after so long.
I must disagree with the writer's opinion. In sports, whether at an international event or a school-level competition, it's not solely about winning; it's about sportsmanship. Sportsmanship encompasses fairness, respect for opponents, graciousness in winning or losing, and adherence to rules.
The official attire worn by athletes is deeply connected to sportsmanship principles. Athletes serve as ambassadors for their sport, team, and country. Their attire isn't just about aesthetics; it exemplifies sportsmanship values to fans and younger athletes.
Therefore, public scrutiny of the Malaysian team's attire is warranted as it concerns public interest.
When I first saw the attire in the media, I laughed. It was claimed that the colour of the attire would shine like gold under the sun, symbolising our aspiration for gold medals. However, it reminded me of 'warna taik kucing' (the colour of cat faeces). Perhaps the designer was overly focused on gold, losing sight of other important aspects.
I believe an ideal official attire for our contingent should reflect national pride, our unique cultural identity, be attractive, and comfortable. Is that too much to ask?
In Malaysia, governing bodies set many standards and expectations on us, the public. Many of us have experienced changing our attire to meet these standards or face shame at government offices for not meeting the criteria of the ‘etika pemakaian’ (dress code). Remember when Malaysians were draped in sarongs for wearing slightly shorter pants or skirts or were barred from wearing traditional outfits deemed too revealing?
Authorities claim these incidents are about appropriateness for the venue, not shaming individuals. So why isn't our criticism of the Olympics contingent attire viewed similarly? We're not shaming anyone; we're discussing its appropriateness for the opening ceremony.
In my 50 years as a Malaysian, I've seen the effort put into designing official logos or official attires. The theme, colour, message, and representation all carry significant weight. Even at the school level, the official t-shirt for sports day or a ‘persatuan’ (club) is carefully decided to represent the school's identity. Why wasn't the same done for something as important as the Olympics?
This is why Malaysians can't accept the unattractive attire chosen for the Olympics. It’s tasteless and inappropriate. We should not be silenced for criticising it.
Instead, governing bodies should step down from their high horses, apologise for the mistake, and promise to do better in the future. Why is it so difficult to admit your mistakes anyway?
Admittedly, the official clothes of the country's Olympic athletes have Raya vibes. They’re beautiful and attractive, suitable for weddings. But for the Olympics? They missed the mark.
Fa Abdul is a content creator under the Newswav Creator programme, where you get to express yourself, be a citizen journalist, and at the same time monetize your content & reach millions of users on Newswav. Log in to creator.newswav.com and become a Newswav Creator now!
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