Ruih Pi HAWANA Consert A Hit Among Locals

BUTTERWORTH, June 19 (Bernama) -- The presence of a lineup of popular local artists successfully drew crowds to the RIUH Pi HAWANA 2026 concert venue, which kicked off tonight, thereby enlivening the atmosphere in conjunction with the National Journalists' Day (HAWANA) 2026 celebrations.

A survey by Bernama found that the event received a warm response from various walks of life who attended with family and friends to enjoy the live music performances.

Even though the weather was slightly unfavorable with light drizzle, it did not deter visitors from remaining at the event location at the PICCA Convention Centre@ Arena Butterworth parking lot here.

The concert began at 9:30 pm with a performance by indie band Pasca Sini, followed by Sakura Band and Exists, a group popular for a string of hit songs since the early '90s.

A visitor, Zabrina Ishak, 49, from Bandar Puteri Jaya, Sungai Petani in Kedah, said she found out about the RIUH Pi HAWANA concert after seeing promotions for it on singer Mamat's TikTok social media page and took the opportunity to attend with her husband and two sons.

"In terms of the venue and layout here, the (concert) feels casual and appealing because besides watching the concert, there are several food and beverage stalls, so we can enjoy the food while watching the concert," she told Bernama.

First-year Physics Science student at Universiti Sains Malaysia, Nurul Aida Shahnolhadi, 20, said she attended with her older sister and her friend after being invited by a friend who works near the event location.

"The atmosphere here is very laid-back and the facilities provided are also good; there are places to rest and hang out comfortably. I came mainly to watch the performances by Exists and Sakura Band," she said.

Meanwhile, Foundation in Law student at Multimedia University, Vynice Boo, 18, who attended with four of her friends, said the lively atmosphere provided a fun experience for them to gather and enjoy the performances together.

The carnival, organised by MyCreative Ventures in conjunction with the HAWANA 2026 Highlight Event, runs for three days until Sunday.

Minister of Communications Datuk Fahmi Fadzil was also present at the opening concert tonight.

The weekend programme runs from 4:00 pm to 12:00 am with various exciting activities, including music performances, arts and cultural activities, sales of food and local creative products, as well as interactive programmes for the whole family.

-- BERNAMA