Dubai: Malaysians in the UAE came together at Amity University on Saturday to mark their national sports day and to renew their commitment to an active lifestyle. The day is observed with much fanfare by the Malaysian diaspora all over the world.
Around 7,000 Malaysians live and work in the UAE, with more than half of them based in Dubai and the Northern Emirates. On Saturday, at least 400 of the growing community competed in various sports like football, volleyball, badminton and a host of other activities.
Children also particiapted in various fun activities, with the winners walking away with attractive prizes.
“This event is part of the government’s policy to encourage a healthy and active lifestyle. Our goal as envisioned in vision 2020 and TN 2050 is to bring up fitter generations and transform the lifestyle and people’s approach to sports,” said Yubazlan Yousuf, Consul General of Malaysia to Dubai.
Coming close on the heels of the announcement by Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai Crown Prince, of the Dubai Fitness Challenge, the Hari Suka Negara, or national sports day, Yousuf said, also encourages Malaysians to take part in the fitness challenge.
Apart from encouraging a healthy lifestyle, events like these bring families closer and foster a stronger national spirit, Chieh Kian Choong, executive member of the Malaysian Business Council UAE and a volunteer at the event said.
“Malaysia is home to multiple ethnicities and religions where everyone lives together in harmony. People take part in celebrating different community festivals and enjoy great camaraderie. This event is one example where you see everyone participating and enjoying together,” said Choong, an ethnic Chinese member of the community.
According to Kamal Kamruddin, a Malaysian statistician who has been based in Dubai for seven years, the national sports day not only brings out the community spirit but also showcases the passion for sports among younger Malaysians.
“I love playing different sports, particularly badminton, and I don’t miss any opportunity to play. This was a good opportunity for me to showcase my skills and have a good time. We should have more of this and it should not be just an annual event,” said Kamruddin.
Malaysian expats in the UAE are employed in various sectors, particularly aviation, engineering and manufacturing.
UAE is Malaysia’s biggest trading partner among the GCC countries, with mutual trade standing at $5.36 billion (Dh19.67 billion) last year.
