Over a thousand colour the streets in batik during fun walk

BY: Patrick Beech

Clad in traditional batik, more than 1,000 people participated in the "Batik Fun Walk" at the Lanai, Malaysia Tourism Centre (MaTiC) in Kuala Lumpur, recently. 

This year marked the 18th edition of the event, which started in 2003. 

The participants walked a 2.5km route, past the iconic Petronas Twin Towers, before returning to the starting point. 

Organised by Yayasan Budi Penyayang Malaysia (Penyayang), the event is aimed to encourage the public to embrace batik as daily wear, in line with the government's call for civil servants to wear batik at work every Thursday. 

In addition to the fun walk, participants enjoyed traditional games, fun quizzes, fitness challenges, lucky draws, clowns and magic shows, as well as entertainment by singers Lan Solo and Sissy Iman. 

The youngest participant, three-month-old Orked Trisha Ahmad Tamizi, secured two tickets to a hotel high-tea and a one-year gym membership, for joining the event. 

The Oldest Participant Award winner, Zaina Abu Bakar, 85, also received two tickets for a weekend high-tea. 

The registration fees will be donated to cancer initiatives through Penyayang Pesakit Kanser, a support group that offers services and aid to cancer patients in several healthcare facilities.