KUALA LUMPUR, 03 JUNE 2022 —  Malaysia’s future in the arts is shining bright, says home improvement retailer MR D.I.Y Group [M] Berhad, judging from the breadth of talent showcased at its recently-concluded inaugural MR.DIY Art Competition.

The 2022 edition of the competition, themed ‘Kita Jaga Kita. What’s Next Malaysia?’, called on Malaysian artists to capture, celebrate, and embrace the true spirit of togetherness encapsulated by the #KitaJagaKita rallying cry that emerged during the COVID19 pandemic, and to interpret how that spirit would take Malaysia forward as a nation. 

The competition was launched on 3 March 2022 and ran till 5 May 2022, attracting thousands of entries from all over Malaysia including Sabah and Sarawak. 

At a prize-giving ceremony held in 1 Utama Shopping Centre today, the company awarded over RM30,000 worth of prizes to 21 deserving young talents who were judged to be the best of the best amongst those who participated. 

The submissions were judged by an esteemed panel of judges which included celebrated award-winning artists Fauzan Omar, Safrizal Sharir, and Leong Mei Yin, as well as Bingley Sim, a renowned art collector, and critic, who has been on the panel of a number of art competitions.

At the judging event held at the retailer’s headquarters in Seri Kembangan, Selangor, Mohd Syazwan Bin Abd Rahim, 28, from Shah Alam emerged as the Grand Prize winner with his artwork ‘Upside Down’, taking home RM10,000 in cash. The Judges’ Pick Award, which recognises ‘Bersama-sama, Together We Are Stronger’, went to Koo Yean Ni, 28, Subang Jaya, while Nur Ain Amirah Binti Mohd Nazir, 23, Kelantan, ‘Kahwin Era Pandemik’ received the CEO’s Choice Award.  The former received RM6,000 in cash, whilst the latter took home RM4,000 in cash. The retailer also awarded five recipients in each of the following categories -  MR.DIY Young Talent, the People’s Choice Award, the Special Mention Award, and MR.DIY Junior Talent (Primary / Secondary).

Commenting on the outcome of the annual competition, MR D.I.Y. Group Chief Executive Officer Adrian Ong said, “The COVID-19 pandemic has been challenging for all Malaysians, but it also brought out the best in many. Over the past two years, we have witnessed countless occasions when Malaysians have stepped forward to help each other, distribute food and necessities, care for one another, offer jobs and financial assistance, and share burdens – giving rise to the rallying cry #KitaJagaKita. With Malaysia now entering the endemic phase, it is the perfect time to capture this Malaysian spirit of togetherness for posterity, and look forward to what lies ahead. 

“The MR.DIY Art Competition aims to cultivate an appreciation for Malaysian art, which in turn will inspire a rich and diverse creative ecosystem.  Malaysia has a great pool of creative talents, but there aren’t many platforms for them to showcase their abilities to a wider audience. As a homegrown Malaysian brand, MR.DIY wants to provide a sustainable platform for this talent to be nurtured and grown;  it is one of the many ways we seek to add value to Malaysia and the lives of Malaysians. We hope many other organisations will step up to do the same,” added Ong. 

Ong thanked the organising community and judges for their efforts, who he said had worked tirelessly to ensure a successful programme. 

“This is MR.DIY’s first time organising this competition, and the response has been overwhelming. We are truly heartened by it. Heartiest congratulations to all the winners, and our grateful thanks to all who participated.  We look forward to welcoming more such submissions at future events,” said Ong. 

The MR.DIY Art Competition is one of several initiatives MR.DIY has launched as part of its corporate social responsibility efforts. The retailer also holds an annual DIY Made Simple competition for secondary school students, which is designed to promote a do-it-yourself culture amongst Malaysian students. The DIY Made Simple competition is currently in its sixth year. In December 2021, MR.DIY was admitted to the globally renowned FTSE4Good Index, a reflection of the home improvement retailer’s efforts to continuously make a positive impact on the communities in which they operate in.  

For more information on MR.DIY, visit its website,  www.mrdiy.com, and social media, Facebook, and Instagram.