Now into its third year, the Amazing Malaysians is a corporate responsibility programme which identifies individuals who are working towards preserving Malaysia’s natural, social, art, cultural or built heritage. Those so named will receive resources from DIGI to enable them to pass their knowledge and skills on to the younger generation.

The five who received the award this year are:

‘The Treasure Keeper of Kuala Lumpur’ - architect Chen Voon Fee

Chen has long been associated with the conservation of buildings. He was among those who, in 1982, set up Badan Warisan Malaysia, with which he served as council member and deputy president until 1995. The projects he has been involved in iare the Central Square at Central Market, which received a Persatuan Akitek Malaysia (PAM) award in 1991 in the Commercial Buildings category.

Under the DIGI programme, Chen will facilitate a project involving children in Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur. His reason for choosing this particular area goes back to when he worked on Kuala Lumpur – A Sketchbook (a book of illustrations of buildings in the city by artist Chin Kon Yit, for which Chen provided the text), 10 years ago.

‘The Rhythm Master of Negri Sembilan’ - farmer Pak Saad Harun

After spending 13 years in the army, Pak Saad became a farmer in his hometown of Kg Gagu in Jelebu, Negri Sembilan. He has also developed a passion for the randai, a theatre tradition introduced by the Minangkabau that incorporates elements of dance, drama and silat. His mastery of the randai eventually led to the formation of a cultural troupe that focuses specifically on performing the art.

As an Amazing Malaysian, Pak Saad will teach students different aspects of the dance and equip them to stage a full performance. His hope is to inspire the younger generation to keep the tradition alive.

‘The Jungle-Wallah of Langkawi’ - island ecosystem conservationist Irshad Mobarak

Irshad worked for five years with a major bank before deciding that the corporate sector was not for him. Sixteen years ago, he made a trip to Langkawi and was captivated by the island’s beauty. He was eventually drawn to nature conservation. His interest in nature and the preservation of natural habitats and ecosystems led him to study island ecosystems.

Today, he is the resident naturalist of the Datai Resort, where he runs nature programmes for guests, focusing mainly on bird-watching and rainforest educational tours.

For this project, Irshad hopes to create a troop of young forest rangers with a life-long sense of responsibility towards the environment.

‘The Culture Seeker of Sabah’ - assistant curator Judeth John Baptist

Baptist’s entire working career has been spent at the Sabah Museum. But it is her work in the performing arts that has led to her receiving this award. Her work at the museum, however, has exposed her to many things that she believes need to be highlighted. She has a particular passion for the culture of Sabah, especially the traditional arts and crafts of its minority indigenous communities.

For this project, Baptist will focus on the Bajau community in Semporna, Sabah. She chose to work with a smaller community to raise awareness of the community’s cultural traditions.

‘The Kristang Poet of Malacca’ - (retired) specialist music teacher Joan Marbeck

Marbeck has dedicated her life to preserving the cultural heritage of the Portuguese. An important aspect of this culture is Kristang "a creolised version of the Portuguese language" which is said to have played a crucial role in unifying the Portuguese community and integrating them into Malaysian society.

In this project, Marbeck hopes to revive the Kristang by introducing children to its music, dance and drama.