M’sian Olympians to Don Traditional Oufits by Rizman Ruzaini For Opening Ceremony, Netizens Divided

In a video shared by Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh, it was revealed that Malaysian athletes representing the country at the Olympics Games opening ceremony in Paris will wear the traditional Malay costume, 'The Malaya,' designed by renowned local designer Rizman Ruzaini.

'The Malaya' pays homage to pre-independence warriors and features Baju Kurung complete with a headscarf for female athletes, while the men will be dressed in Baju Melayu Teluk Belanga, complemented by songkok and sampin. The costume was designed by local designer brand Rizman Ruzaini (Rizman Nordin and Ruzaini Jamil).

In the video, Rizman said he was proud that the contingent would carry the country's pride by adorning the cultural attire in Paris.

Image Credit: KBS

He also said the traditional attire would be worn with a matching "kerubong" synonymous with Malay women, making them look more polite and presentable.

Meanwhile, the Baju Teluk Belanga was chosen as a symbol of respect for the newly installed King (His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim), who is from Johor.

“This collection is an inspiration, (which) we wish to dedicate to our national heroes such as Datuk Maharajalela, Dol Said, Yamtuan Antah, Datuk Bahaman, Abdul Rahman Limbong, Tok Janggut, Mat Kilau and Tuanku Abdul Rahman," said creative director Ruzaini Jamil.

“We specially chose olive green with golden motives, which, when seen under light, appear golden, motivating the athletes to bring back the Gold Medal for Malaysia,” he added.

Ruzaini said the selected colours, such as browns and olive greens, evoke a classic aura and are 'very intimate to Asian skin.'

Furthermore, Rizman said the Songkek Busana and Scarf are specially designed with unique motives that inspire our athletes to participate in the games to win the gold medal.

"The scarf was specially designed to incorporate patriotic values. Thus, the design included the Merdeka date, national day theme and other national and patriotic elements," he said in the video.

Doesn’t represent Malaysia

The video has since gone viral on social media and sparked conversations among Malaysians. Although most netizens seemed to like the design of the outfits, some social media users raised a couple of concerns.

Netizens questioned why no elements of the Jalur Gemilang were incorporated into the costumes, while some debated why it had to be Malay traditional costumes, which they argued didn’t represent East Malaysia.

Image Credit: X

Meanwhile, some stated that the costumes were more suited for a fashion show than the Olympics.

Image Credit: X

What do you think of the outfits? Let us know in the comments.

Featured Image Credit: KBS, X