IN an article titled “Malay community not properly represented at George Town Festival” in the New Straits Times (Aug 14), the Penang Malay Heritage and Historical Society (Pewarisan) president Professor Datuk Dr Ahmad Murad Merican claimed that George Town Festival had “marginalised” Penang’s Malay community.
This year’s programme had a strong representation of the wider Malays in the various fields of arts and culture.
SVARA ASEAN, George Town Festival’s opening musical showcase, featured Malay headliners Adibah Noor and Sean Ghazi.
Macam-Macam Asean, George Town Festival’s opening weekend market, featured Malay vendors and crowd favourite Peperangan Bintang, a Star Wars-inspired wayang kulit.
Another fellow Malay, Dr Farouk Yahya, delivered an illuminating talk on Malay magic and divination.
A recent popular event was a musical concert by the
legendary Datuk Seri Ahmad Nawab, who has won
numerous awards.
Two weekends ago, the majority of Butterworth Fringe Festival shows were conducted in Bahasa Melayu, by Malays.
This is evident in its booklets, which were also written in Bahasa Melayu.
The festival’s “Malay Music in the Park” series places
Malay musicians front, right and centre at Armenian Park every Friday.
And there is still over a week left to the festival.
Among the Malay participants in this year’s festival programme are A. Samad Said, Dina Zaman, Jahabar Sadiq, Zunar, Anis Ibrahim, Mohd Latib, Aida Redza, Dr Hardy Shafii, Mislina Mustaffa, Pak Daim, Dina
Nadzir, Alhafiz Jamat, Haryany Mohamad, Maizul Effendy, Mohd Yusof Bakar, Nor Hisham Osman, ARD Omar, Rafaat Hamzah, Zamzuriah Zahari, Regina Ibrahim, Suzy Suleiman, Izan Tahir, Habsah Abang Saufi, Anissa Abdul Aziz, Engku Iman, Hana Nadira, Marina Mahathir, Farah Amin Ali, and Mohamed Ramli Mohd Yusof.
Also involved are 15 Malay publishing houses, 30 creative entrepreneurs, eight Malay mural artists, three Malay cartoonists, 14 Malay-run food trucks, Pneumanarch music group, Jabatan Kebudayaan Dan Kesenian Negara Pulau Pinang, Pertubuhan Silat Harimau Merah Bang Segera, and other Malay individuals.
The festival invites proposals from all Malay groups for George Town Festival 2018.
JOE SIDEK
George Town Festival director,
George Town, Penang