A participant dressed up as Spiderman running alongside other participants at the International Songket Run.
OVER 6,000 participants gathered at Management and Science University’s (MSU) campus in Shah Alam, Selangor for the fifth edition of the International Songket Run (ISR 5.0).
The run was flagged off by Tengku Permaisuri of Selangor Tengku Permaisuri Norashikin at the private university’s campus located in Section 13.
The run doubled as both a cultural showcase and a community celebration.
ISR 5.0 featured a 5km and a 10km running route that started and ended at the MSU campus.
Its Men’s and Women’s Open and Veteran categories were open to MSU students, staff, alumni and the public.
First-place winner in the Men’s Open category, Muhammad Norammar Mohammad Ikbal, said this year’s route offered a refreshing challenge due to the terrain.
“Usually when we go uphill, it flattens out at the top, but this one had a decline right after.
“It helped me recover quicker than usual,” said the 18-year-old from a public university in Shah Alam.
The Women’s Open category was won by Iris Alanna Jensen, 16, from Sekolah Anak Malaysia, who clinched the title for the second year in a row.
“I joined three years ago and placed second. I won first place last year and I’m thankful to win again this year,” she said, adding that the uphill sections were not difficult but tiring.
Tengku Permaisuri Norashikin (seated) trying her hand at making telepuk. Looking on from left are Prof Mohd Shukri, MSU vice-chancellor Prof Puan Sri Dr Junainah Abd Hamid and PADAT chief executive officer Rozanna Rahmat. — Photos: LEONG WAI YEE/The Star
The run was organised in collaboration with the National Heritage Department, Selangor Youth and Sports Department and Selangor Malay Customs and Heritage Corporation (PADAT).
It featured the “Eminence of Songket” theme and highlighted the bunga telepuk motif – a royal textile art unique to Selangor that is currently undergoing state-level documentation for official heritage recognition.
Traditionally crafted with gold thread, the motif carries high aesthetic value and has long been associated with Selangor’s royal customs.
MSU president and founder Prof Tan Sri Dr Mohd Shukri Ab Yajid said the event reflected the university’s longstanding commitment to preserving heritage while promoting healthy living.
“The event doesn’t just focus on a run. It is also our way of connecting communities to the beauty of Malay textile traditions, especially songket and telepuk,” he said.
“We want younger generations to appreciate this craft as part of their identity, not just as a ceremonial fabric.”
The run also featured a heritage-themed exhibition called “Tenunan Berdaulat: Warisan Songket dan Telepuk” that showcased textile craftsmanship, motifs and new interpretations of telepuk.
ISR, which was first held in 2018, previously earned Malaysia Book of Records recognitions for the Largest Participation in a Songket Running Event (in 2019 with 4,868 runners) and the Largest Number of People Wearing Songket Elements (in 2018 with 4,878 participants).
