PETRONAS Celebrates Malaysia Day 2015 With #tanahairku Campaign

KUCHING, 5 September 2015 – The spirit of patriotism and love for Sarawak as well as the nation were at a high during the launch of #tanahairku, a campaign by PETRONAS’ to promote and strengthen social cohesion in Malaysia. 

This campaign involves the creation of three wall murals by young local artists in three locations in the city, which were revealed during the launch; each artwork showcasing the best of Malaysia, particularly Sarawak’s unique cultural heritage. 

“In conjunction with the upcoming Malaysia Day, we hope to present our nation as a melting pot of cultures and traditions. We strongly believe that the common values we share are what make us Malaysians, a message we hope will come through in the  #tanahairku campaign,” said PETRONAS General Manager of Internal Communications, Khairuddin Jaafar on behalf of Senior General Manager of Group Strategic Communications, Liz Kamaruddin.

“PETRONAS’ #tanahairku campaign serves as a subtle reminder to the younger generation about what makes Malaysia special. We use street art as a medium to reach out and stir conversations because creative expressions have the power to transform people’s behaviors. We hope that these artworks will do just that,” he added.

The third edition of the #tanahairku covers three states – Johor, Sarawak and Sabah. Through this initiative, a total of 22 street artists have been commissioned to paint 10 selected walls in Johor Bahru, Kuching and Kota Kinabalu.   

In Kuching, the three walls are located at Ethnic Tribal Café on Lebuh Carpenter; Handicraft Wall on Jalan Main Bazaar, and St Mary’s Wall on Lebuh Wayang. 

PETRONAS also recently released its highly anticipated National and Malaysia Day 2015 web film titled ‘Akrab’. Set in 1957, the film tells the story of three boys, who travelled from small town Ipoh to Kuala Lumpur to witness the symbolic ‘Laungan Merdeka’.  The 5-minute web film highlights the value of friendship and perseverance; two elements that contribute to unity in a multiracial community. 

In addition to #tanahairku and ‘Akrab’, PETRONAS also launched ‘Misi #tanahairku’ in August. The ‘mission’ had a Malaysian personality, Razif Hashim, embarking on a nationwide journey, to gather and share stories about Malaysia, through the eyes of everyday Malaysians. These stories are shared via social media, to raise the spirit of national pride and love for the country. 

Issued by:
Media Relations, External Communication 
Group Strategic Communications 
PETRONAS