26/10/2025

ON SUNDAY October 26, 2025 theSunday Special XI

FUHDWLYLW\ XQGHU $¿¶V QXUWXULQJ JXLGDQFH 6KH GHVFULEHV WKH FODVV DV ³D VDIH VSDFH RI DUWLVWLF VHOI H[SUHVVLRQ ´ HPSKDVLV LQJ D VXSSRUWLYH HQYLURQPHQW ZKHUH SDUWLFLSDQWV FDQ H[SORUH LGHDV IUHHO\ ZLWKRXW MXGJHPHQW 7KLV DSSURDFK UHÀHFWV KHU EHOLHI LQ WKH SRZHU RI DUW DV ERWK D SHUVRQDO MRXUQH\ DQG VKDUHG H[SHULHQFH reinforcing her commitment to foster ing an inclusive artistic community in 0DOD\VLD A FFRUGLQJ WR D VWXG\ E\ 8QLYHU siti Putra Malaysia, engaging in creative SUDFWLFHV VXFK DV MRXUQDOOLQJ SDLQWLQJ RU VWRU\WHOOLQJ VLJQLILFDQWO\ LPSURYHV mental health outcomes among Malaysian \RXWKV

HFWV DQG SRS XS HYHQWV $¿ IUHTXHQWO\ FRQQHFWV ZLWK PDQ\ SHRSOH LQFOXGLQJ \RXQJHU DUWLVWV DQG VWXGHQWV +HU SUHV ence in the scene has undoubtedly encour DJHG PDQ\ WR WDNH WKHLU FUHDWLYH LPSXOVHV VHULRXVO\ ,W¶V D UHPLQGHU WKDW FUHDWLYLW\ GRHVQ¶W QHHG JUDQGHXU ± LW QHHGV VLQFHULW\ A ¿¶V SODQV LQFOXGH ZRUNLQJ RQ ORQJHU visual narratives, her latest one being D ERRN WLWOHG 0DOD\VLDQ )RRG 7DOHV 7KURXJK KHU YLEUDQW DQG ZKLPVLFDO VW\OH of illustrations, the book tells a collection RI VWRULHV LQ VORZ SDFHG PHGLWDWLYH DQG GHHSO\ URRWHG ZD\V “ , ZDQW WR NHHS FUHDWLQJ DW P\ RZQ UK\WKP DQG KRSHIXOO\ R̆ HU RWKHUV D VSDFH WR EUHDWKH WKURXJK P\ DUW ´ VKH VDLG A V 0DOD\VLD FRQWLQXHV WR UHGH¿QH LWV identity through art, culture and technol RJ\ FUHDWLYHV OLNH $¿ 6XODLPDQ UHPLQG XV WKDW WKHUH¶V YDOXH LQ WKH TXLHW DQG WKH WHQGHU ,Q D VRFLHW\ WKDW RIWHQ SULRULWLVHV VSHHG DQG VFDOH KHU ZRUN R̆ HUV D JHQWOH rebellion – one that celebrates nuance, FRQQHFWLRQ DQG FDUH

A ϰēÿęÿŊãßϰãßÿŊÿĢěϰ¾ľŊϰĻľÿěŊϰØũϰ żλ

Creating in Malaysia’s art ecosystem While creatives in Malaysia often face sys temic limitations – be it lack of funding, infrastructure or mainstream recognition, $¿ UHPDLQV KRSHIXO “It’s actually really fun being creative in Malaysia because of the growing art com PXQLW\ (YHU\RQH VXSSRUWV DQG PRWLYDWHV each other as creatives, so you don’t UHDOO\ IHHO WKH SUHVVXUH RI FRPSHWLWLRQ ´ VKH VKDUHG “I believe Malaysia has an amazing SRRO RI FUHDWLYHV LQ WKH LQGXVWU\ 7KH creative talents are not only diverse, but ,¶P HVSHFLDOO\ LQ DZH ZKHQ FUHDWLYHV FDQ assimilate both local tradition and culture LQWR WKHLU DUW ZLWK WKHLU RZQ WZLVW ´ Her sentiments echo the broader reality of Malaysia’s art scene, where younger JHQHUDWLRQV RI DUWLVWV DUH ¿QGLQJ ZD\V WR PHUJH FRQWHPSRUDU\ VW\OHV ZLWK WUDGL WLRQDO URRWV 7KLV UHVXUJHQFH LV HYLGHQW LQ WKH UHLQWHUSUHWDWLRQV RI EDWLN DV ZHOO DV LQ GLJLWDO GRRGOHV LQVSLUHG E\ IRONORUH or comics that reference Malaysian idioms DQG IRRG FXOWXUH H RZHYHU $¿ DOVR EHOLHYHV PRUH VKRXOG EH GRQH DW D VWUXFWXUDO OHYHO “ 7KH 0DOD\VLDQ FUHDWLYH LQGXVWU\ VKRXOG EH IXUWKHU QXUWXUHG ZLWK KHOS IURP the government and society because it’s LPSRUWDQW WR UHDOLVH WKDW DUW DSSUHFLDWLRQ JRHV KDQG LQ KDQG ZLWK DUW HGXFDWLRQ ,W VSUHDGV DZDUHQHVV FRQVLGHULQJ DUW FDQ EULQJ KDSSLQHVV LQ HYHU\GD\ OLIH ´ I QGHHG GDWD IURP WKH 'HSDUWPHQW RI Statistics Malaysia show that the arts, entertainment and recreation sector FRQWULEXWHV DURXQG WR WKH QDWLRQDO *'3 :KLOH WKLV QXPEHU PLJKW VHHP VPDOO LWV YDOXH WR FXOWXUDO GHYHORSPHQW DQG VRFLDO FRKHVLRQ LV LPPHDVXUDEOH

Championing mental health through art With many young Malaysians navigating XQFHUWDLQ IXWXUHV LQ D IDVW SDFHG GLJLWDO world, the country is seeing a gradual increase in mental health issues among WKHP $FFRUGLQJ WR WKH 0DOD\VLDQ

S ŊŏßãěŊłϰ¾ľãϰÿęęãľłãßϰÿěϰÙľã¾ŊÿŢÿŊũϰßŏľÿě÷ϰ¾ľŊϰÙē¾łłãłλ

How to support local creatives

• Attend pop-up events or local art mar kets like Riuh, Art for Grabs or Kedai KL. • Follow illustrators on platforms like Behance and Instagram. • Buy zines, prints, stickers or any mer chandise directly from artists. • Support community-led art spaces like The Zhongshan Building or REXKL. • Encourage local councils and schools to fund art workshops and exhibitions.