Merdeka: Brooms, dustbins, dancers in 'lock-up' colour to 'surprise' PM

A “surprise” is in store for Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim at the Merdeka celebrations in Putrajaya on Saturday.

Apart from “brooms and dustbins”, there will also be dancers clad in orange outfits to symbolise the attire of those arrested.

According to Rosnan Nordin, who is the artistic and concept director for the event, the performance is dedicated to the prime minister’s campaign against corruption.

“This performance is a surprise for the prime minister… I wish to present Anwar’s struggle in curbing corruption. Through dance, we wish to inculcate hatred for corruption in the young,” he told Bernama.

Rosnan said the brooms and dustbins convey that corruption is a crime society views as disgusting and could destroy the country.

“The broom is akin to the medium of cleaning corruption which brings the message that corruption must be completely eradicated and the dustbin is where dirty things are discarded,” he explained.

The deputy director for the Cultural and Arts Department told Bernama that the dance, which will be the third segment, is based on the stompers concept which uses items such as dustbins and pails to create music.

The performance, involving 515 participants from the department, will be accompanied by a medley of patriotic songs in an upbeat tune followed by the “Cuci Rasuah” (Clean up corruption) song which Rosnan helped compose.

Artistic director’s retirement ‘gift’

Rosnan said he felt compelled to conceptualise the performance to support Anwar’s noble efforts to combat corruption, especially in the public sector.

“I always read Anwar’s statements. He always talks about eradicating corruption from the small to the biggest cases. I was attracted to this statement.

“So I thought about how I could contribute.

“This idea (about the dance) came as I was driving,” he said, adding that the performance would be his final “gift” before retiring next year.

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