Sunwayians Come Out Tops in Romancing My Malaysia Competition

“As we celebrate Malaysia Day, we should commit our spirit to the challenges of nation-building” said Sammy Chong Poh Chin, Programme Executive from the Department of Art and Design, Sunway University. Chong’s “Tiger Cup” which features the Malaysian Tiger and Hibiscus won the first prize in the Starbucks Cup Design Competition. The competition entitled “Romancing My Malaysia” was in collaboration with Kakiseni, organised in conjunction with Malaysia Day.

Sunway University student Shannon Chan Ziali, took home the second prize with “Comic Cup”. The semester four student of Diploma in Graphic and Multimedia Design said, ”I did the design in comic form because I didn't want it to just be a static drawing. I also wanted to tell a story (literally) through my design and thought the most appropriate text to use were the lyrics of our national anthem, the Negaraku.”

Two other Sunwayians who took home the consolation prize were Yeoh Kean Thai and Eleanor Lim Hooi Ling. Yeoh, a part-time lecturer with the Faculty of Arts explains the rationale behind his “Hibiscus & Moon Cup” design, “My design embraces the growth of Malaysia, in the spirit of our national flag, the Jalur Gemilang. There is much to be thankful for the diverse and united flavours’ that all bond in harmony under one roof. The composition fosters a sense of belonging, paving the way forward for our Nation.”

“My Starbucks cup design incorporates many of Malaysia's wonders. The urban side is portrayed by the PETRONAS Twin Towers and the KL Tower. The hibiscus together with the rhinoceros hornbill are illustrated to represent our local flora and fauna while the wau depicts the ethnic part of the country. As Malaysia is also widely known for its diversity in culinary delights, I chose to illustrate the teh tarik as a cup pouring a mix of happiness and peace,” said Lim, also a Diploma in Graphic and Multimedia Design student of her “Teh Tarik Cup”.

The competition which drew more than 200 entries was open to artists, college students, professionals and those of the art community. Shortlisted entries were on display at Pavilion Kuala Lumpur for the KakiSeni International Arts Festival, which ran from Sept 12 to 16.