SERDANG, UPM- On December 2, 2024, the Gema Seni Dikir Barat (GEMAS) competition held in conjunction with the 47th Convocation Festival of Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) saw a performance full of tradition and spirit of friendship on the Main Stage, Convocation Stage & Agricultural Expo. The event which took place from 8.00 pm to 11.00 pm showed fierce competition between competing teams from all colleges.

However, the glorious night belonged to the Kolej Sultan Alaeddin Suleiman Shah (KOSASS) team, better known as Arjuna KOSASS, when they were crowned the champions of the competition. In addition to holding the title of overall champion, this team also won two side categories, namely Best Tok Jogho and Best Awak-Awak.

A KOSASS Arjuna Member, Shah Faqrul Elmi Bin Zulhasmi who played the role of Tok Jogho when interviewed, shared his experience during preparation before the competition. Brother Shah said "Our team faced significant time constraints, with only one more week to prepare, compared to other teams who had three weeks." However, the lack of time was overcome with a high spirit of cooperation. Team members are willing to show up early for the training session which starts at 8.00pm and ends late at 12.00 midnight. "Even though our time is very limited, all the team members have given incredible commitment." said Shah again.

Their performance that night brought the theme of agriculture and the loyal spirit of friends, symbolic of the noble values ​​that want to be conveyed through the traditional art of the West. Their victory was greeted with thunderous cheers by the students present.

When asked to comment on his personal victory as the Best Tok Jogho, he could not hide his emotion. He did not expect that he would win the category because after the performance was finished, he felt sad because he thought that the tok jogho from the other team was better. But when his name was announced by the host of the ceremony, he felt very moved and grateful. Brother Shah also said "The other teams also gave fierce competition, especially in terms of the performances of the crews which were performed with great enthusiasm and the clothes worn were stunning."

This GEMAS competition not only celebrates traditional Malay art but also serves as a platform to cultivate the spirit of friendship and hard work among UPM students. The victory of Arjuna KOSASS will certainly be an inspiration to other teams to continue to raise the dignity of the nation's art and culture.

Date of Input: 10/01/2025 | Updated: 23/02/2026 | zulkif