Spreading the laughs
RUMAH Kartun Dan Komik Malaysia (Malaysia Cartoon And Comic House) in Kuala Lumpur had to take its Malaysian Cartoonist Day 2020 celebrations (April 1, of course!) online with a series of newly penned Covid-19 related funnies from homegrown artists such as Rossem, Mie, Riee, Pacat, Tok Man Tok Kenali, Sireh, Sukun, Mat Toncang, Has, Ozom and many others.
With the movement control order in effect, the party turned up at Rumah Kartun Dan Komik Malaysia’s Facebook page. New works will be uploaded on a regular basis with a variety of artists joining in the feelgood campaign.
“April 1 is a special day for all cartoonists in this country. It is also a day that Rumah Kartun Dan Komik Malaysia honours the cartoonist community with the Malaysian Cartoonist Day awards night, which includes the Anugerah Tokoh Kartunis award to pay tribute to an artist who has contributed immensely to the local cartoon and comics scene. The postponed Malaysian Cartoonist Day 2020 awards was supposed to take place in Johor Baru,” read a recent statement from Rumah Kartun Dan Komik Malaysia.
This year’s Anugerah Tokoh Kartunis award recipient went to Kelantan-born Kl-based cartoonist Mie (Ahmad Hilmy Abdullah), who started drawing professionally in 1984, with early stints in the Batu Api magazine.
Mie, 59, who is a trained architect, is very much influenced by Datuk Lat’s slice-of-life cartoons. With recent books such as Apa Cerita? and the Imbauan 1-3 collections, Mie continues to vividly capture life in storybook small town Malaysia, childhood throwbacks, featuring a cast of day dreamers, and their bittersweet moments as they struggle for the future.
“I am truly honoured to receive this award (Anugerah Tokoh Kartunis). Words cannot express my gratitude to Rumah Kartun Dan Komik Malaysia, the local cartoonist scene and Datuk Lat, who is a big inspiration to me. I really appreciate that people - the comics fans - have taken such an interest in my cartoons through the years,” says Mie in a phone interview recently.
He also reveals that he has been actively drawing cartoons during this movement control order (MCO) period.
“I have always viewed drawing cartoons as a form of therapy. To me, they bring out a certain sense of inner-calm. During this difficult time, I have stayed home and drawn daily cartoons to deal with this Covid-19 situation. In this small community of Malaysian cartoonists, I’m glad to be playing a part in making people smile with my works. We are all in this together,” he adds.
Rumah Kartun Dan Komik Malaysia’s previous Anugerah Tokoh Kartunis include Rossem (2017), Jaafar Taib (2018) and Aza (2019).
Formed in 2017, Rumah Kartun Dan Komik Malaysia is home to the nation’s cartoon and comic book story. It features exhibition areas featuring original comic book art, editorial cartoon strips, storyboard sketches, studio notes and vintage youth culture magazines, all dedicated to chronicling Malaysian comic book history and culture.
The cartoon and comics centre, situated at the Information Centre Building, Jalan Cenderasari, Taman Botani Perdana in Kuala Lumpur, is closed until the MCO period ends.