SAMARAHAN: The 36th Malay Dance and Song Festival (FTLA) Southern Zone successfully brought together performers, students, arts practitioners and members of the community at DeTAR PUTRA, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS), here on July 24 and 25.
Organised by the Sarawak Arts Council, the two-day programme provided a platform for participants to showcase traditional Malay songs and ethnic dances while promoting greater appreciation of Sarawak’s diverse cultural heritage.
The Southern Zone programme was part of the 36th FTLA, which is being conducted across several zones to widen participation among the state’s arts community.
One of the main attractions was the Iban ethnic dance competition, which highlighted elements of Iban cultural heritage through traditional movements, costumes and artistic presentation.
The Malay song competitions also drew attention, with singers competing in separate women’s and men’s categories. The programme gave local performers an opportunity to demonstrate their vocal abilities while presenting songs linked to Sarawak’s Malay cultural traditions.
In the women’s original Malay song category, Fatin Syaza binti Syaari emerged as champion, followed by Puteri Nabilah binti Jamaluddin in second place and Zaharmirzatul binti Azlan in third.
For the men’s category, Nurhazzlan Shah bin Jamaluddin took first place. Firmanul Hakim bin Husaini finished second, while Mohd Afirul Affan bin Mohd Azmi secured third place.
The Iban ethnic dance competition saw Anak Seni Creation emerge as the winner. Sarawak Art Legacy took second place, while Kelab Anak Seni Benak Sri Aman finished third.
The participants performed a variety of traditional and original songs, including Sri Kedah, Sri Siantan, Embun Menitik, Dunia Sekarang, Mas Merah, Bentan Telani, Sembwa Balik and Timang Banjar.
Besides the competitions, the Southern Zone programme also featured a Native Malay Song Singing Workshop and the Ngelakar Seni programme. These activities provided opportunities for participants and arts practitioners to exchange ideas, improve their skills and discuss the development of traditional arts.
The festival also served a wider purpose beyond competition. It aimed to preserve Malay dance and song traditions, identify local artistic talent and encourage more members of the public to take part in cultural and arts activities.
The organisers also emphasised the importance of ensuring traditional performing arts remain relevant to younger generations and continue to have a place in contemporary Sarawak society.
A wide range of educational institutions, cultural associations and community organisations were involved or invited to participate in the programme. Among them were UNIMAS, School of Arts Malaysia Sarawak, Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak, Politeknik Kuching Sarawak, ICATS University College and Universiti Teknologi MARA Sarawak.
Community and cultural organisations representing different ethnic groups in Sarawak were also included, reflecting the festival’s wider role in encouraging cultural interaction and understanding.
Admission to the festival was free, allowing members of the public to attend the performances and activities at DeTAR PUTRA.
The successful Southern Zone programme in Samarahan demonstrated how traditional performing arts can bring communities together while creating opportunities for emerging performers to develop their talents.
Through the 36th FTLA, the Sarawak Arts Council continues to provide a platform for local artists and cultural practitioners to preserve, develop and introduce Sarawak’s rich performing arts heritage to a wider audience.
