IPOH: Residents of Taman Klebang Putra 1 are reviving the traditional way of giving a wake-up call for sahur (pre-dawn meal) during the month of Ramadan using the rebana, a traditional Malay membranophone.
Since the first day of fasting, more than 50 people, including children, have been walking around the residential area for 30 minutes from 3.30am, calling out for residents to wake up accompanied by the beat of the rebana.
Klebang Putra 1 Rukun Tetangga Club chairman, Dr Mohamad Azrul Azly, 36, said the programme is being held for the first time in the area.
"We wanted to do something different this Ramadan and decided on this programme to revive the tradition in the residential or town area," he said when met by reporters after completing the wake-up call today.
Mohamad Azrul said the club is also considering reviving the rebana club to attract more participants.
Meanwhile, Muhammad Adam Chua Abdullah, 54, a convert who embraced Islam 10 years ago, participated in the wake-up call programme today and said it provided him with the opportunity to get to know more people in the neighbourhood.
"Family members, even children, can join. This is a new experience for me, and I think it is necessary for the local community to participate in this programme because we all get to sahur together," he said. — BERNAMA