By Sofia Nasir
KUALA LANGAT, Sept 8 — Cempuling folk music, a cultural heritage art form, will be elevated through a special allocation in the 2025 Selangor Budget.
Menteri Besar Dato' Seri Amirudin Shari said it is currently being expanded in schools across all districts, positioning it as one of Selangor's symbols and part of its identity.
“As of now, we have 15 cempuling groups in Selangor. We will introduce this art to schools and further develop it. It will become the future identity and image of Selangor.
[caption id="attachment_371512" align="alignright" width="404"]
Menteri Besar Dato' Seri Amirudin Shari delivers his speech during the Selangor@Batu Laut Festival at Dataran Pantai Batu Laut in Tanjung Sepat, Kuala Langat, on September 7, 2024. — Picture by NUR ADIBAH AHMAD IZAM/MEDIASELANGOR[/caption]
“Although cempuling music has its roots in the Javanese community, we want to embrace its spirit — the spirit of gathering together and singing songs that convey moral advice,” he said.
Amirudin was speaking at the Selangor@Batu Laut Festival's opening ceremony at Dataran Pantai Batu Laut yesterday. Also present was state executive councillor for culture and housing Datuk Borhan Aman Shah.
The inaugural festival, organised by the National Department for Culture and Arts, also featured the launch of the keroncong song 'Inilah Selangor' as a symbolic part of the opening ceremony.
Amirudin said he is hopeful the festival can be extended to other districts across Selangor to showcase the state's unique cultural diversity.
He added that the festival has the potential to add value and attract local and international tourists, especially in the lead-up to the Visit Selangor Year 2025.
“This is a Federal government programme, and if given the opportunity, we will focus on organising it in other locations, as each place has its own distinct culture that we can highlight.
“Tourism that involves cultural and artistic activities is still relatively new. We should enhance and refine this area, including promoting Selangor’s cultural identity,” Amirudin said.
