Batik Fun Walk is back!

KUALA LUMPUR: The Batik Fun Walk is back for a sixth year this Nov 16. Yayasan Budi Penyayang Malaysia (Penyayang) chief executive officer Datuk Leela Mohd Ali said the 4.5km route will take participants down Lebuh Bandar Utama, Jalan Masjid, Persiaran Bandar Utama and Dataran Bandar Utama.
“Participants will have to come early at 6.30am for registration. The starting and finishing point is at the main entrance of 1 Utama shopping centre’s new wing,” she said at a press conference in Penyayang’s headquarters here yesterday.
Angkasawan Datuk Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor will flag off the 2,000 expected participants.
The fun walk is an annual event on the calendar of Malaysia Batik – Crafted for the World, a movement started by the Datin Seri Endon Mahmood, the late wife of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
Penyayang chairman Nori Abdullah said her late mother Endon once said that Malaysians should take pride in wearing Malaysian batik.
“By changing the venue closer to a housing area in the suburbs, hopefully more people will come out and participate.
“Participants can help a cause while having fun as proceeds from the walk will be channelled to Penyayang Pesakit Kanser, a group that serves cancer patients,” she said.
Nori also appealed for more corporate sponsors to help with cash donations or sponsor teams for the walk.
Entry fee is RM10 per person, inclusive of a batik sarong. For groups of 10, the 10th participant will be exempted from paying while children under 12 can join for free.
The Star is the media partner for Batik Fun Walk.
For more information visit www.penyayang.org.my or call 03-8946 0222.

Batik Fun Walk

Batik Fun Walk to raise funds for cancer groups

The upcoming Fifth Batik Fun Walk 2007 in Kuala Lumpur will be turned into a charity event to help raise RM50,000 for two cancer organisations.

Yayasan Budi Penyayang chief executive officer Datuk Leela Mohd Ali is hoping the event on Nov 25 will attract about 5,000 participants.

Held in conjunction with the Malaysian International Batik Festival from Nov 23 to Dec 2, the 3.5km-long walk will begin at Berjaya Times Square and move down to Jalan Imbi, Jalan Raja Chulan, Jalan Sultan Ismail, Jalan Bukit Bintang and Jalan Pudu before heading back to the shopping mall.

The RM10 registration fee will go towards Cancerlink Foundation and cancer support group Penyayang Pesakit Kanser.

Speaking at the Penyayang’s Hari Raya gathering at the Pusat Budi Penyayang yesterday, Leela said the organisation decided to add the element of charity to the fun walk.

Also present were Penyayang trustee Datuk Seri Kamal M. Hashim and his wife Datin Seri Su Hashim.

The Fourth Batik Fun Walk last year attracted about 1,000 participants with the theme Batik in Creative Fashion.

Leela said 13 foreign speakers had so far confirmed attendance at the Second Kuala Lumpur International Batik Convention and Exhibition 2007 at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre from Nov 30 to Dec 2.

For more information, contact Yayasan Budi Penyayang Malaysia at 03-8946 0222, fax 03-8946 0233 or e-mail yabpm@tm.net.my.