31/05/2026

NATIONAL 6 theSun on Sunday MAY 31, 2026 Youth turns concern into community action

Rural studio offers creative escape

including tools such as water jets and additional equipment that allowed them to expand their work. With better resources, their scope widened. They began clearing clogged drains, trimming trees, repainting public facilities and responding to complaints raised by residents. The group also started receiving reports from residents in areas that were allegedly neglected or still awaiting action from local authorities. Still, Mohd Rizal is clear about what Hiyaz Community is and what it is not. “We are not here to replace anyone or to point fingers. We just want the city to be cleaner, safer and more pleasant for everyone,” he said. Behind the work is a routine that rarely stops. Mohd Rizal, who works full-time as a graphic designer, often spends his nights and weekends carrying out clean up activities. To date, the group has completed nearly 100 small-scale projects across Kota Bharu. For him, the motivation is deeply personal. His late mother, he said, believed in helping others without hesitation, a lesson that continues to guide him today. “She always told me not to just look at problems and do nothing. That stayed with me,” he said. What drives him now is not recognition or online attention, but something simpler – the sight of a cleaner street, a cleared drain and a community able to go about its daily life a little more comfortably than before.

KOTA BHARU: Complaints about clogged drains, overgrown grass and neglected public spaces are often voiced loudly on social media. But for 25-year-old Mohd Rizal Amin Soria, scrolling past those complaints was never enough. Instead, he picked up a grass cutter. What began as a small self-funded effort with a few close friends has grown into a quiet but determined grassroots movement to keep his hometown clean and well maintained – one street, one drain and one park at a time. Operating under the Hiyaz Community initiative, Mohd Rizal and his friends started on a small scale. They used whatever equipment they could afford, mainly a single grass-cutting machine, to clear overgrown weeds along walkways, bus stops and public parks. “We just wanted to make the surroundings look better. At first, it was just us, without any funding, doing whatever we could,” he told Bernama recently. There were no cameras at the beginning, no sponsorships and no expectation of recognition. Just a handful of young people spending their nights and weekends doing physical work that most people would avoid. But as their efforts were shared on social media, something changed. Videos of the group cutting grass and cleaning public areas began circulating widely, drawing attention and eventually support. Donations followed,

The animation graduate said his experience in the graphics and multimedia industry since 2009 helped shape the studio’s emphasis on creative freedom. According to Abdul Azim, regular visitors to the studio include doctors, nurses, university lecturers and civil servants who use painting as a form of emotional therapy after long working hours. He said some visitors had even broken down in tears while painting after suppressing their feelings for a long time. “Some paint while sharing their experiences. Here, they are free to create without pressure or judgement. Many have actually been interested in art since childhood but never had the opportunity to pursue it,” he said. Abdul Azim added that the studio also welcomes children, including those with autism and other special needs, helping them express emotions and build self-confidence through art activities. “We want this space to be welcoming to all levels of society, including children with special needs, because art can be a very effective medium of communication and therapy for them.” He added that the studio has also attracted the attention of the Perlis State Economic Planning Division, which has provided opportunities to expand its services, including participation in exhibitions in Kuala Lumpur. Abdul Azim hopes to develop the studio into a one-stop centre for art and digital creativity that can benefit the local community. He said art is not merely about painting, but also serves as a platform for people to express what they have long kept in their hearts.

Space attracts professionals and special needs children seeking self-expression, stress relief

PADANG BESAR: What began as a simple space for family activities has evolved into an art jamming studio in Kampung Lembah Biak, Perlis, that is increasingly becoming a place of emotional healing for the community. Located away from the hustle and bustle of the city, the studio has become a popular destination not only for professionals seeking relief from work-related stress, but also for children with special needs to express themselves through colours and art. Its founder Abdul Azim Abdul Halim, 39, said the idea for the creative space emerged during the

movement control order (MCO) in 2020 after he noticed many people struggling emotionally and looking for activities that could calm the mind. The Bukit Mertajam-born entrepreneur moved to Perlis in 2019 to manage an animation project before deciding to establish his own creative venture in the state. “During the MCO, I saw many people struggling with stress and wanted to create a space where they could express themselves through art. What started as a family-oriented activity has since evolved into a place where people seek relaxation and emotional relief,” he told Bernama.

Abdul Azim said regular visitors to the studio include doctors, nurses, university lecturers and civil servants who use painting as a form of emotional therapy. – BERNAMAPIC

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