Anwar joins 20,000 at Sarong Music Run

KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim joined about 20,000 participants at the Malaysia Sarong Music Run 2026 here today.

Anwar, who opened the event at Kuala Lumpur City Centre, later walked with participants from the Petronas Twin Towers to Pavilion Kuala Lumpur.

He was accompanied by Communications Minister Datuk Seri Fahmi Fadzil and Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing.

Before flagging off the run, Anwar urged participants to remain active and take care of their health.

"Thank you everyone, young and old, women and men. Keep up the spirit of looking after your health, stay healthy and take care of the country," he said.

The event featured 3km and 5km runs, drawing about 20,000 participants from Malaysia and abroad.

This year's programme also featured a 2km Jalur Gemilang procession, while singer Datuk Seri Siti Nurhaliza made a special appearance to lead the Rukun Negara recitation.

Hisam Hasim, 49, a Singaporean civil servant, said he travelled to Kuala Lumpur specifically to take part in the event after learning about it through social media.

An avid runner, Hisam took part in the 5km category and said the event allowed him to experience the strong sense of patriotism among Malaysians.

"I could really feel the Malaysian spirit and patriotism throughout the event. It was a great atmosphere and something special to experience," he said.

He said another highlight was seeing Siti Nurhaliza and Anwar in person.

"I was excited to see Siti Nurhaliza and the prime minister in the flesh. It made the experience even more memorable," he said.

Meanwhile, Muhammad Syarifuddin Qadar, 18, said the event marked his first participation in an organised run.

Syarifuddin, who is awaiting his next college intake, said he initially took up running to improve his cardiovascular fitness for combat sports but gradually developed a passion for it.

"At first, I ran to improve my cardio because combat sports require good endurance. But the more I ran, the more I started enjoying it. There is a sense of freedom when I run," he said.

Syarifuddin, who participated in the 3km category, said the experience had encouraged him to take part in more running events in future.

"This is my first run, and I will definitely join more running events after this," he added.