MALAYSIA. Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (Malaysia Airports) organised a Deepavali Kolam Competition at Kuala Lumpur International Airport’s Main Terminal Building last week, as part of the company’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) effort to nurture the Malaysian culture and tradition among “˜the generations of tomorrow’.
Some 40 children from schools surrounding Sepang – Sekolah Kebangsaan Cyberjaya, Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan Tamil Dengkil, Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan Cina Sepang and Sekolah Kebangsaan Taman Putra Perdana – participated in the World of Colours Deepavali Kolam Competition.
Malaysia Airports Commercial Services Senior General Manager Puan Faizah Khairuddin said: “In conjunction with the Festival of Lights celebration, Malaysia Airports is doing something special, different and fun while communicating the joy and meaning of the festive season at the same time. This year, we organised a competition for children from different schools, involving them in a Kolam competition. Malaysia is a melting pot of different ethnicities and cultures and through this competition, we hope to nurture a healthy respect and understanding for each other’s culture.”
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The participating children were treated to a “˜Happy Meal’ feast sponsored by McDonald’s upon arrival |
Khairuddin added: “This is also a great opportunity for our visitors, especially international travellers, to indulge in the unique, colourful art of Kolam.”
Before the start of the competition, a professional Kolam artist conducted a 20-minute demonstration of the techniques and skills of drawing a traditional Kolam. The panel of judges and children were briefed on the multiple techniques and criteria that they will be judged upon during the competition.
Eight teams of five members each had to colour-in a predetermined 3ft by 3ft Kolam design using multi-coloured beans, rice and sand.
The judges, comprising representatives from Malaysia Airports, DR Group and McDonald’s, evaluated each team’s Kolam based on colour coordination, creativity, teamwork and speed.
Teams from Sekolah Kebangsaan Taman Putra Perdana emerged as the first and second prize winners while Sekolah Kebangsaan Cyberjaya nabbed the third prize.
The winning teams were given the opportunity to grab as many chocolates as they could from the Choc Stop store, owned by DR Group.
According to the company, the store was “˜alight with cheers and frenzy’ as students stuffed handfuls of treats into their pockets, pants and even shirts to suffice their team.
Khairuddin said: “We believe that allowing the children to dash and grab anything in a chocolate shop is a child’s dream come true and we are pleased to present this lifetime opportunity for the children in our competition.
“We want travellers and the general public to appreciate that KLIA is more than just an airport. #We also want the community to come and participate in our events and activities, be it festivities and even our annual shopping campaign. The way we see it, KLIA is a lifestyle centre where people can come together to join in our celebration or just for leisure to enjoy each other’s company.”
As a token of appreciation for their support and participation, all participating schools also received a cheque of RM1,000 (US$279.50) each from Malaysia Airports.
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Students from Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan Tamil Dengkil carefully awaiting the correct combination of coloured beans; (Left to right) Teo Hui Ling, Ng Bee Pin and Gan Poh Yin from Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan Cina Sepang decorating their Kolam | |
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Superb teamwork from the Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan Cina Sepang group to quickly complete their work of art; The first prize winners from Sekolah Kebangsaan Taman Putra Perdana with their winning masterpiece | |
KLIA Shopping Campaign
The World of Colours Deepavali Kolam Competition is part of the many activities scheduled under the KLIA Shopping Campaign 2008/2009 – Magic 10 Celebration.
Throughout the campaign that spans ten months, activities will be organised to showcase the Malaysian culture to international visitors and to encourage shopping at KLIA. At the same time shoppers will be rewarded with luxurious prizes for their support towards the campaign.
As reported, the shopping campaign started on 26 August this year and will end in June 2009. It features three shopping contests within an “˜Ultimate Contest’ offering RM2.7 million (US$754,496) worth of prizes, including two lots of RM50,000 (US$13,972) cash prize and a holiday package worth RM30,000 (US$8,384). The grand prize winner will drive away with a brand new Lexus GS300 worth RM420,000 (US$117,379).
Daily instant prizes – with a minimum spending of RM250 (US$70) – and weekly prizes will also be given away to shoppers at KLIA or LCCT-KLIA.
Official sponsors of the shopping campaign include Lexus and MasterCard Worldwide. MasterCard will be offering additional privileges for MasterCard holders who spend in KLIA and LCCT-KLIA.
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Which one?: Happy student Nurul Fadhilah Mohd Yusof during the Chocolate Dash at Choc Stop; Performers entertaining the crowd with the classical Karnataka performance | |
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