RESIDENTS in Taman Klebang Putra 1 in Ipoh are reviving a tradition this Ramadan. They are giving wake-up calls for sahur (pre-dawn meal) by using the rebana (traditional Malay membranophone).
In the early hours of the morning, for 30 minutes from 3.30am, more than 50 individuals, including children, will walk around the residential area, which is about 3km.
Every day since the first day of Ramadan, they have been calling out for residents to wake up, accompanied by the beat of the “rebana”.
Klebang Putra 1 Rukun Tetangga Club (KRT) chairman, Dr Mohamad Azrul Azly, 36, said the programme, held for the first time in the area, also helped to bridge the gap between residents in the area.
"We (KRT) wanted to do something different this Ramadan and decided on this programme to revive the tradition in the residential or town area,” he said when met by reporters after completing the wake-up call today.
According to Mohamad Azrul, the club is also considering reviving the rebana club to attract more participants.
Meanwhile, a convert, Muhammad Adam Chua Abdullah, 54, who embraced Islam 10 years ago and took part in the wake-up call programme today, said it gave him a chance to get to know more people in the neighbourhood.
“Family members, even children can join. This is a new experience for me and I think the local community must participate in this programme because we all get to sahur together,” he said. – Bernama, April 2, 2023
