Traditional Malay wedding charms AARDO international civil servants

New Straits Times

a day ago

LANGKAWI: A group of 20 civil servants from 17 member countries of the African-Asian Rural Development Organisation (AARDO) were captivated by the vibrant traditions of a Malay wedding ceremony in Kampung Sungai Itau today.
The delegates, who are in Malaysia for an eight-day international training programme organised by the Institute of Rural Advancement (INFRA) with the support of the Rural and Regional Development Ministry, took part in various aspects of the ceremony, including customary games and traditional food preparations.
Participants in the programme included representatives from Bangladesh, Egypt, Eswatini, Gambia, Ghana, India, Kenya, Liberia, Korea, Mauritius, Namibia, Nigeria, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Zambia and Jordan.
Alagie Gaye from Gambia said the opportunity to witness a Malay wedding was a valuable experience that offered clear insight into the traditions and way of life in Malaysian villages.
"I learned a lot about traditional Malay attire, local games, and the very warm way guests are welcomed. I'm so happy to have been part of this and will bring these memories home to Gambia.
"You can only truly appreciate a culture when you live among the people and learn from them directly," he said.
Gautam Singh from India echoed a similar sentiment, saying the opportunity to live with a host family provided invaluable insights into Malaysian village life.
"Langkawi is a beautiful island, and programmes like this allow us to gain a deeper understanding of cultures beyond our own. I hope more initiatives like this continue," he said.
INFRA director Abd Jalil Ismail said the programme was designed to deepen the participants' understanding of Malaysia's rural development policies and approaches.
"They are not only learning about our policies but are also seeing the results for themselves, such as in Kampung Sungai Itau, which previously received the Madani Village Award," he said.
Malaysia was recently chosen to host the AARDO International Training Programme aimed at promoting inclusive and sustainable regional development.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi had said that since joining AARDO in 1962, Malaysia has actively contributed to capacity-building and training through INFRA.