Since Monday, June 24, Malaysian social media has been buzzing, and not in a good way. The buzz kicked off after the Malaysian Olympic Council (MOM) revealed the new uniforms for the 2024 Olympics in Paris.
The event, held on June 23 at The Exchange TRX, quickly turned into a fashion faux pas for many netizens.
Datuk Hamidin Mohd Amin, the Chief of the Malaysian Contingent for 2024, stood firm amidst the backlash, stating that MOM won’t change a stitch of the uniforms. But the critics aren’t just local; even international eyes are rolling.
Aussie woman compares M’sia’s Olympic attire to Pendidkan Jasmani outfit
This controversy has crossed international borders, capturing the attention of an Australian reviewer known as “Bee Jamieson.”
Known for her sassy reviews, she took to TikTok after her followers requested a critique. Her verdict? Well, she wasn’t exactly jumping for joy.
In her TikTok video, @beejamieson quipped, “Got a few comments to do Malaysia, so let’s do Malaysia.”
She started with the suspenseful reveal, showing a mannequin wrapped in black cloth. “This was to build ‘suspense’,” she said, sounding less than impressed.
Once the big reveal happened, she didn’t hold back.
“Ta da~ here’s the uniforms. Malaysia has a population of over 34 million but we couldn’t get anyone to model? They had to use mannequins? Not good mannequins by the way,” she joked.
She also noted, “This one looks like it’s about to topple and the uniform itself, looks like it’s a PE uniform for a public school.”
‘This does not make you swell with pride’
She did, however, show some love for an alternative black outfit with orange patterns. As for the golden-colored flag design, she clarified that it’s MOM’s logo, not the national flag, Jalur Gemilang.
Though she found the uniforms to be just “okay,” she agreed they weren’t exactly runway-ready for the Olympics.
“This does not make you swell with pride, and I myself have expressed a lot of criticism towards my own country’s (Australia) design choices,” she admitted.
“And I know that I said that the USA’s uniform looks like Talladega Nights that takes place on the moon, but it does make you feel patriotic.”
A picture of Datuk Hamidin Mohd Amin with national badminton player Lee Zii Jia, both wearing the uniforms, added fuel to the fire.
The duo was humorously compared to a principal and student, thanks to the uniforms’ less-than-stellar design.
Netizens couldn’t agree more
The comment section was a goldmine of reactions, from embarrassment to resigned humour.
One user lamented, “Even we Malaysians don’t like it.”
Another pointed out a disheartening statement from an organiser: “Do you know what’s worse? The organiser even said ‘why in need of those designs if our athletes won’t bring any medals anyway…’ like the audacity to say that.”
Another added, “I don’t know sis, we just watch helplessly with our government.”
So, as the debate rages on, one thing’s clear: these uniforms have stirred up a conversation about tradition, fashion, and national pride.
With the Paris 2024 Olympics on the horizon, only time will tell if these outfits become a proud emblem or a fashion blunder for the ages.
Watch the clip here:
