Time to polish your knowledge of traditional games because The Ministry of Tourism, Arts, and Culture (MOTAC) just announced that it would be holding the country’s seventh Malaysia Games Festival after two years of its absence due to Covid-19.
The two-day festival which will be managed by the National Department of Culture and Arts (JKKN), will take place on September 23 and September 25, from 7 am to 12 am at Dataran Merdeka in Kuala Lumpur.
Malaysia Games Festival (FPM) is an annual festival that highlights the traditional games and sports in the country.
Director-General of the Department of Arts and Culture (JKKN), Mesran Mohd Yusop said an estimated 10,000 people are expected to visit the festival this year.
“Other than celebrating the traditional games and folk sports of various races in Malaysia, I hope that this festival will continue to uplift and preserve the uniqueness and diversity of Malaysian art and tradition,” he said.
“We also aim to help cultural art enthusiasts and entrepreneurs by giving them opportunities to sell their arts, crafts and products through the Bazaar sale.”
More than a thousand civil servants and private sector workers will participate in some of the games like tarik tali (tug of war), galah panjang, congkak, batu seremban (five stones), sepak takraw, kain pelikat football game, dam (checkers), terompah gergasi (giant clog) race, blowpipe, and archery.
The public will also be able play traditional games such as kelereng (marbles), kaki hantu, lari dalam guni berkembar (sack race), tarik upih / guni and terompah gergasi.
There will also be a MyGasing Championship involving two international teams – Brunei and Singapore.
You can also watch professional kids race around in their pocket bikes in the Pocket Bike Competition and go cheer for your favourite team during the Malaysian Open Tug-of-War Championship.
