24/08/2025

ON SUNDAY August 24, 2025 X theSunday Special

From Taekwondo to silat and beyond A ]L]XU¶V MRXUQH\ EHJDQ DW WKH DJH RI ¿YH when he enrolled in taekwondo classes. “ ,W ZDV P\ ¿UVW ORYH ´ KH UHFDOOHG “ 7KH NLFNV WKH ÀH[LELOLW\± LW JDYH PH a sense of control over my body.” But he didn’t stop there. Over the years, he pursued a multitude of disciplines and even dabbled in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and weapons training. Today, he holds high ranks in several styles: a 4th-level black belt and senior instructor in Silat Seni Gayong , a 2nd Dan black belt under the Malaysia Martial $UW )HGHUDWLRQ IRU WDHNZRQGR D FHUWL¿HG FRDFK LQ ,6.$ .LFNER[LQJ DQG D JUHHQ EHOW LQ MXGR XQGHU 6HQVHL /HR “Each art has its philosophy and strengths. And I’ve learned to appreciate all of them,” he said. Far from being a jack-of-all-trades, Azizur views his versatility as a strength. “ 6RPH SHRSOH VD\ \RX FDQ¶W PDVWHU anything if you do everything,” he said, shrugging.

“But I’m not chasing titles. I’m chasing knowledge. Martial arts is like an ocean, you’ll never reach the end, but that doesn’t mean you stop swimming.” Silat is more than just self-defence For Azizur, silat LV QRW PHUHO\ D ¿JKWLQJ style. It’s an expression of cultural identity. “ Silat is our heritage. It teaches more than self-defence. It teaches respect, discipline and a love for our roots,” he explained. He’s especially passionate about how martial arts, particularly Silat , can guide youth away from unhealthy distractions. “ 6RFLDO PHGLD SHHU SUHVVXUH ± NLGV today are exposed to so much. Silat brings them back to something real. It teaches them to respect their parents, their teach ers and each other.” Azizur describes his classes as more than physical training. They’re opportuni ties to build character, shape communities and nurture belonging. “ :H¶UH QRW MXVW FUHDWLQJ ¿JKWHUV ZH¶UH building better people,” he said.

More than kicks and punches *QY #\K\WT 4CƓ\ HQWPF JKU ECNNKPI KP OCTVKCN CTVU

BY ASHRAF WAHAB

T HE rise in popularity of mixed martial arts (MMA) promotions such as the Ultimate Fight ing Championship (UFC) and ONE Championship has put the spotlight on the importance of master ing multiple aspects of combat, such as striking, wrestling and ground grappling. Therefore, the path to becoming a com plete warrior is by gaining knowledge in VHYHUDO ¿JKWLQJ VW\OHV M HHW $]L]XU 5D¿] 1RU $]PDQ D 6KDK Alam native and multi-disciplinary mar tial artist whose passion has taken him across the diverse terrains of silat , judo, kickboxing, Filipino martial arts and more. Azizur, now in his late 30s, doesn’t just practise martial arts – he lives it. “I’ve been drawn to martial arts since I was a child,” he said, smiling at the memory of watching Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan and local pendekar legends on TV. “Those movies sparked something in PH , ZDQWHG WR PRYH OLNH WKHP ¿JKW OLNH them, live like them.” That childhood curiosity would even tually evolve into a lifelong journey of discipline, humility and unity values he now passes on to the next generation.

The kicks, the flexibility – it gave me a sense of control over my body.”

Trained in taekwondo since the age of 5, Azizur is now a 2nd Dan Blackbelt.

Azizur with his silat students.