National Day 2024: ‘Biar bekikis bulu betis’ resonates in Putrajaya

PUTRAJAYA (Aug 31): “Aku enda peduli, Aku enda ngira rugi, Seagi aku enda puas ati, Biar aku ambis bekikis bulu betis” (I don’t care, I don’t mind the losses, as long as I’m not satisfied, let me keep on scraping the hair off my shins).

Those are some of the lyrics from the popular Iban song “Biar Bekikis Bulu Betis” by a well-known Iban singer Penghulu Andrewson Ngalai Asom, which was also played as a background song during the National Day 2024 celebration at Dataran Putrajaya today.

The song often played at festivals in Sarawak, was part of the Malaysia Madani medley, which also included a song from the Land Below the Wind titled “Original Sabahan.”

Although Andrewson could not be at Dataran Putrajaya today, he expressed his pride and joy that his work was chosen to be played at the National Day celebration.

“This song is for all of us…I am proud that other communities can also enjoy the song.”

“The selection of the song also helps to bring us in Sarawak closer to all Malaysians. It is a recognition of my efforts in creating the song Biar Bekikis Bulu Betis and a small contribution to strengthening our bonds,” he told Bernama when contacted today.

The song, released in 2003, tells the story of a man’s determination to woo a woman. It has become increasingly popular among people outside Sarawak after it was frequently played during the Kembara Kenali Borneo tour by the 16th Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah, in September last year.

The song has also become a symbol of unity and the strengthening of relationships between the people of Sarawak and other states, including during the Malaysia Games (Sukma) 2024 held in Sarawak recently.

A video of athletes at Sukma doing the poco-poco dance accompanied by the song went viral on social media. – Bernama