Faceless youths in need of attention win competition

2009/10/16

KUALA LUMPUR: "Wanted!! New Skate Park!!!" says the skateboard framed by what appears to be a vacant lot. All that can be seen of the person holding it are his legs and feet firmly planted on the ground.

The photograph bagged 25-year-old Mohammad Amziry Roslan the first prize in the open category of the CIMB Foundation "My Cause" photography competition. He won RM30,000 for himself and RM100,000 for the cause close to his heart.

"My brother used to stay out late and... one day I followed him and found out that he was skateboarding with his friends at the Malacca Parade courtyard. I was scared to death... Police have been breaking up skateboard gatherings because of complaints about the noise."

He entered the competition hoping to get the funds to help build a skate park for the growing number of Malacca youths who are into extreme sports. The photograph is set in the disintegrating skate park built some 15km outside Malacca under the Rakan Muda programme three years ago. The nearest facility for enthusiasts is in Seremban some 30km away.

"On the foreground is the need for a proper skate park and in the background is the message that many youths, who I purposely illustrated as faceless, are not getting the attention they need."

The CIMB Group staff category award was won by Dillon Tanggapan Daniel. The 31-year-old won RM100,000 for the development of paralympic sports with his depiction of a disabled swimmer training for the Kuala Lumpur Asean Paralympic Games. He also takes home RM30,000 for himself.

Mohammad Amziry Roslan, 25, with the photograph that won him the CIMB ‘My Cause’ photography competition yesterday.

Ronny Izwani Husni from Terengganu won the student category and RM100,000 to upgrade facilities at poorly funded homes for the aged.

The special merit award and a RM30,000 cash prize went to Lee Xiao Mei. The school award went to Sekolah Menengah Methodist Penang for the most entries from a school.

Foundation trustees Tan Sri Md Nor Yusof (CIMB Group chairman), Tan Sri Norma Yaakob and Foundation chief executive officer Datuk Shukri Hussin (CIMB Group Holdings Bhd executive director) attended the prize presentation yesterday.

They chose the winners out of over 4,000 entries.