MEDAN–IPOH STUDENT EXCHANGE PROGRAMME STRENGTHENS FRIENDSHIP AND FAMILY TIES

IPOH, 25 SEPTEMBER 2026 – The Handing Over Ceremony of Medan Students to Host Families was held this afternoon at Dewan Azlan Shah, Ipoh, as one of the main components of the Medan–Ipoh Student Exchange Programme, aimed at strengthening friendship, cultural understanding and ties between the communities of both cities.  

The ceremony was officiated by Ipoh Mayor Zamakhshari Hanipah, and involved 10 students from Medan, Indonesia, who were placed with host families throughout the programme in Ipoh.

In his speech, the Mayor of Ipoh welcomed the students and accompanying officers from Medan, expressing hope that their experience staying with host families in Ipoh would provide them with closer exposure to the lives, culture, customs and family values of the local community.  

According to him, the concept of a host family is not merely about providing accommodation for the students, but also opens up space for direct interaction through daily activities, such as having meals together, communicating, getting to know the local culture and sharing family life experiences. 

He also expressed his deepest appreciation to the host families who warmly welcomed the students from Medan with open hearts, sharing their time, experiences and affection with them throughout their stay in Ipoh.  

The students were also encouraged to share the culture, food, language, customs and uniqueness of Medan with their respective host families, thereby making the programme a more meaningful platform for two-way cultural exchange.   

The Mayor said that strong ties between cities and countries are built not only through official affairs, but also develop through relationships between people.  

“From an introduction, friendship is born, from friendship comes understanding, and it is from this understanding that relationships are built, which can endure for the long term.”  

This student exchange programme also reflects the close ties between Malaysia and Indonesia, which share similarities in terms of history, culture, language and family values. The younger generation is seen as playing an important role in continuing these ties in a closer, fresher and more meaningful way.  

MBI hopes that the students from Medan will take home wonderful experiences and memories of Ipoh, including the hospitality of its people, the uniqueness of its food, culture and heritage, and subsequently become ambassadors of friendship between Medan and Ipoh.  

It is hoped that programmes such as this will continue to be strengthened in the future as one of the important platforms for fostering closer ties among the younger generation, communities and both cities.