Malaysia Day: A historic night for father and son: riding and took Prime Minister and wife with their rickshaws
MELAKA: Despite having the experience of carrying various dignitaries including the country’s highest leaders before, veteran rickshaw rider Rosli Mad Zin, 63, considers his ride at the Malaysia Day 2022 celebration tonight more special and exciting.
This is because his bicycle ride took Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob from the Hatten Hotel to the Declaration of Independence Memorial Square a distance of more than 600 meters using the traditional tricycle that is Melaka’s identity together with his son, Maslizuwan, 29.
He said this is the first time they have teamed up to bring the country’s leaders to the same ceremony and it is full of history and more special, Rosli was given the responsibility of leading 15 traditional tricycles carrying other dignitaries.
“Even though the ride is only about 600 meters, it is very meaningful and I am very excited to be given the opportunity to be involved in the country’s historic day. Tonight’s experience is very different even though I have previously taken national leaders many times over 30 years riding tricycles .
“Due to this feeling of excitement, I also wore a 60s-era dress, which is a box shirt and a white pagoda, slacks and shoes like the concept of tonight’s celebration. It felt as if I was in that era,” he told Bernama.
Maslizuwan, on the other hand, did not expect that after 10 years of working hard to make a living by taking rickshaws around Banda Hilir, he would finally have the opportunity to take the wife of Melaka Chief Minister Datin Seri Munira M. Yusop using a traditional rickshaw that was over 30 years old belonging to her father.
“I feel proud and lucky to have been given the opportunity with my father to bring the country’s highest leader on the historic day which was held for the first time in Melaka.
“I was a bit nervous, but with the advice and guidance of my father, who has experience leading famous people before, it gave me some encouragement and confidence,” he said, wearing a white pagoda T-shirt, slacks and shoes.
Melaka State President Tun Mohd Ali Rustam, the main character of the celebration, rode an electric rickshaw (e-Beca) which is an innovative product of Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka (UTeM) researchers.
The e-Beca, which uses solar energy, is decorated with a Melaka Palace-themed roof, flashing colorful lights and maintaining the classic color to highlight the identity of the traditional Melaka rickshaw.
The electric tricycle carrying Mohd Ali is ridden by a member of the UTeM e-Tricycle Group, who is also UTeM Assistant Engineer Mohd Fadhil Ibrahim.
source – Bernama
