One million attend KKLW Merdeka programme

SUNGAI PETANI: About a million people comprising staff of the Rural and Regional Development Ministry (KKLW) as well as members of the public joined its Moh Ngeteh Merdeka KKLW 2017 programme held simultaneously at 12,246 locations throughout the country.
The national-level Moh Ngeteh (Let's Have Tea) programme was held at the Institut Kemahiran Mara, Sungai Petani here and was launched by its minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
The programme, the highlight of the ministry's National Day celebrations this year, is aimed at fostering the spirit of patriotism among the ministry's staff and the public to never forget the contributions and sacrifices of previous statesmen in their effort to gain independence for the country.
Ismail Sabri also participated in a video-conference session with students and Mara staff in its overseas offices such as the United States of America, Russia, Germany, Australia, and Egypt, to ask about their progress there.
This was followed by another video-conference session with staff and students at Giatmara Langkawi, the Mara Headquarters in Putrajaya, UniKL, the Mara Advanced Skills College in Kemaman, Terengganu, KKLW Putrajaya, as well as the Mara Junior Science College (MRSM) in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah.
Meanwhile, in Putrajaya, more than 1,000 ministry staff, as well as, those in its agencies took part in the programme which was also attended by its secretary-general Datuk Borhan Dolah.
Part of the programme was the KKLW Idol talent search and a Merdeka Quiz.
This is the second year the Moh Ngeteh Merdeka KKLW programme is held after the success of the first in MRSM Pengkalan Chepa, Kelantan, last year in which 609,662 people participated throughout the country, earning it a place in the Malaysia Book of Records as the event with the most number of participants.
The programme this year also included silat performances and poetry recitals.
Meanwhile, in SONG, Sarawak, more than 510 people attended the Moh Ngeteh Merdeka KKLW 2017 programme held at the Song community hall here today.
The programme here was jointly launched with the Sarawak Celebrates-Hari Gawai Raya Merdeka programme and a Village Development and Security Workshop by Deputy Minister of Rural and Regional Development Datuk Alexander Nanta Linggi.
In Kampung Gong Datuk, Gaal, Pasir Putih, Kelantan, the programme was launched by Deputy Minister Datuk Ahmad Jazlan Yaakub. — Bernama