Celebrating Unity in Diversity: a Malaysian Experience at #TANAHAIRKU

Galeri PETRONAS’ #tanahairku showcases PETRONAS’ festive TV commercials that have brought Malaysians together over the past twenty years

Galeri PETRONAS unveiled #tanahairku: Two Decades of Bringing Malaysians Together, a unique exhibition that celebrates the nation’s racial unity and harmony by reliving 20 years of PETRONAS festive TV commercials which have brought Malaysians together.

Inspired by the late national laureate Dato’ Dr Usman Awang’s poem “TanahAir”, the exhibition rekindles a sense of nostalgia and reawakening amongst Malaysians from all walks of life. The #tanahairku retrospective commemorates our national unity and social harmony that has been integral within the fabric of Malaysian society for many years.

Speaking at the official exhibition opening, Puan Liza Abdul Rahman, PETRONAS’ Senior General Manager, Group Strategic Communications said PETRONAS was the only organization that produced commercials for all major cultural festivals in Malaysia, noting that the commercials are beyond just promoting festive cheer.

“It has always been PETRONAS’ intention to help promote and inculcate the common underlying values within our diverse heritage, traditions and cultures that bring together all Malaysians from all backgrounds.

“The PETRONAS festive commercials portray the quintessential essence of the Malaysian spirit and its unique identity in promoting a sense of unity, beyond racial and religious lines.

“‘Tanah airku’ is more than just a slogan or catchphrase. It conveys such strong emotions and gratitude for our country, reflecting the essence of Malaysia - a nation that is multi-ethnic, multi-cultural and multi-lingual, where people of diverse races and religions live and thrive together in harmony.

“We strongly believe that the common values we share are what make us Malaysians, a message we hope will shine through in the #tanahairku exhibition,” she added.

Featuring a selection of 21 iconic and memorable festive commercials, #tanahairku depicts the real life experiences of the featured individuals of each ethic group and highlights the various aspects of our society, culture and religious beliefs.

The exhibition takes visitors on a sentimental journey through six themes: Proud to be Malaysian, Our Diversity Makes Us Beautiful, What’s Life Without Love?, A Lifetime of Friendships, Kerna Kita Satu Sama Dipunyai, and Negaraku Powered by the People.

Visitors will be taken back in time to the late ‘90s, when PETRONAS premiered its first Merdeka TV commercial, The Little Indian Boy. It tells the story of an Indian boy and his vivid memories of that historic day in 1957 spent with his late father.

Guests will also relive one of PETRONAS’ most heart-warming commercials, the simple yet beautiful Tan Hong Ming In Love. The short video shows a young Tan professing his love for schoolmate, Ummi in an impromptu interview recorded at their school by story-teller extraordinaire, the late Yasmin Ahmad.

Also featured is the first Deepavali television commercial from 1996; the Hari Raya 2006 commercial titled Plastic Bowl; the 7 Sons & A Cow commercial from 2003 and a potpourri of multiple award-winning PETRONAS TV commercials.

While providing an immersive and interactive experience, the exhibition also lets the audience peek at behind-the-scenes of PETRONAS festive advertisements, props and scenes used in the commercials.

Additionally, the #tanahairku exhibition features a series of 10 amazing mural artworks commissioned by 22 local street artists in city heritage quarters in Johor, Sarawak and Sabah. These works comprise the third edition of PETRONAS’ street art project.

Each artistic expression is a reflection of the local cultures and highlights PETRONAS’ efforts to bring people together to express their ideals of unity and love for our nation.

The #tanahairku exhibition is currently open for public viewing until February 7, 2015 from Tuesday to Sunday, 10am to 8pm at Galeri PETRONAS, KLCC. Admission is free.

Issued by:

Galeri PETRONAS
Group Strategic Communications
PETRONAS