Keretapi Sarong, a flashmob-style event held annually in September, invites participants to wear sarongs and ride public trains in a show of national pride. Since its inception in 2012, the celebration has grown in popularity and even spread abroad, with gatherings held last year in cities including Paris, Berlin and Amsterdam.
However, the organisers’ recent pledge to prevent “cross-dressing” at this year’s event has sparked criticism from activists and long-time supporters, who say it reflects a broader push to sideline marginalised communities as Malaysia’s political climate turns more conservative.
In response to online complaints about gender-nonconforming participants at previous events, organiser Locco posted on X, formerly Twitter: “Let us all stamp out cross-dressing! This is a cultural event, [everyone] should be more aware.”
The group’s position aligned with comments from social media users who said the event should not resemble a pride parade. One user, Mein Mokhtar, wrote: “If you can’t respect the event organiser and can’t abide and comply with the rules, then you are not welcome.”
04:41
‘Asean’s moment is now’: Malaysia’s Anwar on the bloc’s response to AI, tariff challenges
‘Asean’s moment is now’: Malaysia’s Anwar on the bloc’s response to AI, tariff challenges
The comments sparked backlash from members of the public who noted that the queer community had supported Keretapi Sarong long before it gained mainstream popularity.
