In its early days, the Road Transport Department (JPJ) band, Mega Symphony, had to rent musical instruments or borrow them from other agencies whenever it needed to practise, a reminder of the challenges it faced when it was established about nine years ago.
Despite these limitations, the members refused to be discouraged. Today, Mega Symphony has emerged as a respected marching band with a distinctive identity, favouring popular songs that resonate with the public.
Sharing the band’s journey with Bernama, JPJ Malaysia Senior Director of Enforcement Datuk Muhammad Kifli Ma Hassan said Mega Symphony was established at the Malaysia Road Transport Academy in 2017.
“We started with very limited resources, and the lack of musical instruments was one of the department’s biggest challenges in realising our dream of having our own marching band. We had to rent instruments or borrow them from other agencies that already had their own bands,” he said in a recent exclusive interview with Bernama.
BORN OUT OF A KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATOR
Muhammad Kifli said the idea of establishing JPJ’s own marching band was mooted by former Transport Ministry secretary-general Datuk Seri Saripuddin Kasim.
“In (November) 2016, he attended the closing ceremony of a JPJ basic training course (at Akademi Pengangkutan Jalan Malaysia, Ayer Molek, Melaka) and noticed that the trainees’ march-past was accompanied by a band from an outside agency that we had hired.
“He then said he wanted to see JPJ’s own marching band accompany the next training graduation ceremony (in May 2017), making it my key performance indicator (KPI),” Muhammad Kifli recalled.
Aware of the daunting task ahead, he never expected that he would have to resort to a form of “reconnaissance” to identify potential band members.
“My first step was to gather the new recruits and ask who was interested in joining the marching band. Only three people raised their hands,” he said.
From a technical perspective, a marching band generally requires at least 30 members to achieve a balanced sound, with the different instrumental sections working together to produce harmonious music loud enough to carry in open spaces.
Despite the lukewarm response, Muhammad Kifli believed that some JPJ personnel had hidden talents, whether deliberately kept under wraps or simply undiscovered. This prompted him to take the next steps, which he described as “questioning” and “persuasion by necessity”.
‘PERSUASION BY NECESSITY’ UNCOVERS HIDDEN TALENT
“Since we needed 30 people, I had to meet the trainees individually and ask what musical skills they had. Some could play the guitar, piano or drums. At least they had some musical foundation,” he said.
However, the numbers were still insufficient. Muhammad Kifli then took his search further, digging into the backgrounds of individual personnel.
“I asked whether anyone had played the kompang (traditional Malay frame drum), or blown the flute or serunai (traditional wind instrument) during their school days,” he said.
The effort paid off, with 35 candidates identified for the final selection.
“Of those, only three had actual basic knowledge of playing marching band instruments,” he said, adding that the candidates were identified from JPJ branches nationwide, including Sabah and Sarawak.
THREE-MONTH TRANSFORMATION AND SUPPORT SYSTEM
Despite the mounting challenges, Muhammad Kifli remained determined to build a functioning marching band in time for the next training graduation ceremony.
The exceptional commitment of specially appointed instructors, coupled with the members’ strong determination, produced remarkable results. Within just three months of being assembled, a group whose experience had largely been limited to playing the kompang at family wedding celebrations was transformed into a capable official marching band.
In May 2017, Mega Symphony successfully accompanied the procession at JPJ’s training graduation ceremony, fulfilling the demanding KPI.
On membership management, Muhammad Kifli said the challenge was compounded by the fact that the band members were not full-time musicians, but JPJ officers and personnel who had their own official duties to prioritise.
To prevent manpower shortages when members could not be released from their regular duties, a reserve membership system was introduced. The band currently maintains a pool of 10 reserve members.
“One of our biggest challenges also involves female members. When they become pregnant, they can no longer participate in the marching band from three months before giving birth, followed by three months of maternity leave. This is where our reserve members play an important role in replacing those who are unavailable,” he explained.
The band currently has 36 permanent members, 11 of whom are women.
DISTANCE IS NO BARRIER
Mega Symphony remains active despite complex logistical challenges, as its members are JPJ officers and personnel stationed across Malaysia, including Sabah and Sarawak.
Given the geographical constraints, the members cannot practise together every day. Instead, they are assembled for specific periods, usually one or two weeks before an event or competition.
“Our constraints are time, location and practice venues. However, because our members have such strong interest and confidence, a short training period of seven to 14 days is sufficient for them to absorb and understand what they need to do,” he said.
RAISING JPJ’S PROFILE AND NATIONAL PRESTIGE
For Muhammad Kifli, Mega Symphony was established for more than entertainment. It is an important platform for showcasing the unity, solidarity and identity of a uniformed service.
Its formation has placed JPJ alongside other enforcement agencies, including the Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF), Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) and Malaysian Prisons Department, which had established their own marching bands much earlier.
One of Mega Symphony’s proudest achievements has been being accorded the honour of participating in National Day parades on several occasions and performing before the country’s dignitaries.
Beyond the marching band, JPJ has also established a bagpipe band, which has been entrusted with escorting distinguished guests at several official national events.
“This is a tremendous honour and a significant achievement for us as a civil enforcement agency. It demonstrates that we, too, can stand alongside other enforcement agencies in the defence and security sectors,” he said proudly.
TWO OUTSTANDING BANDS IN THE MAKING
As Mega Symphony’s founder, Muhammad Kifli hopes the band’s legacy of excellence will continue to flourish in the years ahead.
He also aspires to see JPJ establish two strong marching bands in the future, with another branch based at the department’s headquarters under its Enforcement Division.
In closing, Muhammad Kifli expressed his heartfelt appreciation to the department’s musical ambassadors, whose remarkable achievements have demonstrated their capabilities.
“To the members of JPJ Malaysia’s Mega Symphony, you are truly remarkable individuals. Others may not be able to do what you have accomplished.
“Imagine, in just three months, you learnt to read and study musical notes, and, alhamdulillah, by the end of that period, you were able to deliver an outstanding performance.
“Well done and congratulations to all members of JPJ Malaysia’s Mega Symphony,” he said.