Soldier Turns Discarded Materials Into Decorations For National Day

ALOR SETAR, Aug 27 (Bernama) — To showcase his patriotism, a soldier repurposed discarded materials to decorate his family home in Taman Kita, Mergong, near here, in conjunction with the upcoming 68th National Day celebration.

Sergeant Major Abdul Latif Jalaluddin, 39, who serves at a camp here, said he reused various materials such as cardboard, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipes, bamboo, and beverage bottles to create replicas of tanks, blowpipes, and Jalur Gemilang-themed decorations.

“The decorations were actually made for a competition organised by the Taman Kita community in conjunction with the National Day. Initially, I had planned to do it casually, but I eventually got the idea of using recycled materials.

“So, as a family, we did everything together, including collecting cardboard to make a tank, PVC pipes for blowpipes, and other items mostly found around the house, except for the Jalur Gemilang, which we bought,” he told reporters when met at Taman Kita today.

Abdul Latif said he also turned a corner of their home into a mini museum, featuring soldier figurines, replicas of weapons, as well as family photos, including those of his late father-in-law, who was a national hero.

“This initiative not only livens up our residential area but also conveys the message of the importance of environmental preservation through the reuse concept,” he said.

Meanwhile, Norhayati Sharif, 64, chairman of Pertubuhan Muslimat Taman Kita, said the idea of organising the neighbourhood’s National Day home decoration contest was to foster patriotic spirit among residents.

“This is the first time we’re organising such a programme, and we even offer cash prizes to participants. The response has been very encouraging, and we may organise it again next year.

“Although it’s a home decoration contest, we are also instilling the spirit of independence so that the younger generation will not forget,” she added.

For Sharifah Rohani Syed Othman, 61, the competition is especially meaningful as Aug 31 is not only the National Day, but also her birthday.

“Every year I look forward to celebrating the National Day because aside from remembering the struggles of our forefathers, it is also a special day for me as I was born on Aug 31, 1964,” she said.

— BERNAMA

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