By Aida Aziz
IPOH: The upcoming Deepavali celebration on October 31 is further enlivened by a rangoli kolam decoration competition at the Greentown Health Clinic.
Rangoli kolam refers to the floor art created using colored rice.
According to the head of Greentown Health Clinic, Dr. Amilia Hazreena Hamidon, the unique aspect of this competition involves the clinic’s staff from various ethnic backgrounds.
As a judge for the competition, she mentioned that 11 teams from the clinic participated in decorating the colorful rangoli kolam.
The event aims to create a festive atmosphere, relieve stress, and foster unity among different ethnic groups.
“Among the 200 staff members, the 11 teams represent various departments, including Pharmacy, Administration, Maternal and Child Health, Laboratory, and Non-Communicable Diseases Clinic, among others.
“They seem very happy; we want to strengthen unity and cooperation among staff of diverse backgrounds.
“In addition to boosting the morale of staff and patients, the rangoli kolam represents a beautiful art form involving vibrant colors.
“The process of decorating requires close collaboration among participants, and importantly, it takes place after working hours without disrupting services to the public,” she said, also serving as a Family Medicine Consultant.
Dr. Amilia Hazreena added that this is the first time the competition has been held, as previous events only involved decorations for Eid al-Fitr.
Meanwhile, the participating staff welcomed the initiative and hope it will continue in future years.
Medical Laboratory Technologist M.D Theeba expressed that the activity helps reduce work-related stress.
“Many friends from various ethnic backgrounds are involved in this competition, which strengthens our relationships and promotes unity, truly reflecting the joy of Deepavali,” she said.
Pharmacy Officer Sherdila Baizura was excited to participate for the first time.
“I learned a lot from my Indian colleagues about how to create colors and more. We worked hard to finish while also enjoying ourselves,” she said.
Health Care Assistant Alinaramdiah Mohamed Shoaip hopes more competitions will be organized for other festivals in the coming years.
“After working hard, we gathered here to complete this floor art. It’s wonderful to see everyone excited about the beautiful results, brightening up the clinic,” she said.
