KUALA LUMPUR: Heartwarming festive commercials from Petroliam Nasional Bhd (Petronas) to commemorate major celebrations have always been a favourite among Malaysians.
This year, it continues its effort with the release of a webfilm, titled “Donut ke Karipap? (Doughnut or Currypuff?), in conjunction with the upcoming Hari Raya Aidilfitri. The four-minute film follows five young characters from the company’s previous productions for the Chinese New Year, Gawai and Kaamatan festivals as they discover the virtues of fasting.
Petronas group strategic communications senior general manager Zahariah Rahman said the webfilm covered values, such as patience, kindness, sacrifice and unity, in line with the spirit of Hari Raya.
She said the theme of the film was consistent with Petronas’s commitment to bring Malaysians closer through its festive campaigns.
“Petronas is proud to present another warm Malaysian story, which will hopefully leave a lasting impression on everyone.
“Through our campaigns, we continue to invite Malaysians to remain rooted to our common values, traditions and culture, and to reflect on these important threads that bind us together.
“People looked forward to Petronas’s festive campaigns. In previous years, we produced films with heart-wrenching scenes. This year, however, we did something different and employed children to deliver the message of unity.”
The webfilm’s director, Ismail Kamarul, said the story was about a boy, Hakim, whose mother strictly told him to fast throughout Ramadan.
“It is a challenge for Hakim as he loves to eat. But, with the help of his friends, he manages to fast for the entire month. The movie is titled ‘Donut ke Karipap?’ because the snacks are prominent in our community. Hakim would imagine doughnuts when controlling his hunger and currypuffs when it is time to break fast. We thought it would make a catchy title.”
Muzayyin Mahyuddin, 10, played Hakim. Other characters in the film were Joseph (Mohamad Hamyzan Ishan Johan, 10); Anang (Emille Jasmine, 10); Arathi (Sanjithadevi Sri Vijayan, 10); and, Ah Keong (Clement Eng Kai Yao, 13).
Viewers can visit www.petronasofficial.com to view the film.