UITM SARAWAK DUO WIN GRAND PRIZE AT ASM ARTSCIENCE PRIZE 2025

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 25 (Bernama) -- Senior lecturers from Universiti Teknologi MARA Sarawak emerged as the grand prize winners of the ASM ArtScience™ Prize 2025, organised by the Academy of Sciences Malaysia (ASM).

Mohd Razif Mohd Rathi and Dr Muhammad Fauzan Abu Bakar from the Faculty of Art and Design also secured the People’s Choice Award for their artwork ‘The Unforgettable Tales’, earning them RM20,000 and RM5,000 respectively, along with trophies and certificates.

The Rising Star Award was presented to Dr Lee Kin Keong, Dr Liong Mei Yin and Dr Cheng Kin Meng of Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman for their artwork ‘Woven Emotions’, which won them RM10,000, a trophy and a certificate.

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Meanwhile, a consolation prize was presented for ‘Spectra of Thirst to Sustain the Unseen: AI and the Whisper of Reflectance and Resilience’, by Assoc Prof Dr Safrizal Shahir, Assoc Prof Dr Ahmad Fairuz Omar and Norshahidan Mohamad from Universiti Sains Malaysia.

The same award was also given for ‘Brainwave Mediated Dance: Voicing the Neurodivergent Through Art and Science’ by Dr Chong Yee Won from NeuroActive Hub and ‘Luópán’ by Sino-Malaysian artist Chong Yan Chuah, with each participant receiving RM2,500 and a certificate.

This year’s competition, themed ‘Transforming the Future of Arts: AI Meets Sustainability,’ drew 107 submissions from which five finalists were shortlisted.

Commenting on the victory, Muhammad Fauzan said they created a piece that conveyed a message about plastic pollution from a different perspective, depicting marine life affected in a dystopian environment using a combination of art, design and artificial intelligence (AI).

He explained that AI was used as a tool for innovation, but they did not rely entirely on the technology.

“We have to find the silver lining between where we rely on AI and where we need the human touch, so that we do not depend 100 per cent on AI,” he told Bernama here yesterday.

Meanwhile, Lee said their artwork aimed to capture the emotions of Malaysians throughout the year, creating a reflection on national well-being.

“This visual we are doing here is basically a representation of how Malaysia actually feels in the year 2024 and it’s not as bad as what we think. What we’re trying to do is something more sustainable and more modular, where these visuals can be plugged and played into other things, showing both its struggles and its moments of hope,” he said.

Earlier at the event,  Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI) secretary-general Datuk Seri Hasnol Zam Zam Ahmad said the ASM ArtScience™ initiative served as a vital platform for cultivating Malaysians who could think and act in a transdisciplinary manner, translating ideas into creative expressions and solutions by applying both artistic and scientific approaches.

He said the initiative also offered young Malaysians a platform to explore the intersection of creativity and scientific thinking through hands-on workshops, mentorship and collaborative projects, helping them develop the skills to innovate thoughtfully and tackle real-world challenges.

“Beyond developing individual talent, MOSTI envisions ASM ArtScience™ as a platform that strengthens cross-sector collaboration. By connecting young innovators with mentors, peers and industry partners, the initiative builds networks that accelerate ideas from concept to implementation, generating both societal and economic value,” he said in his opening remarks.

ASM president Academician Datuk Dr Tengku Mohd Azzman Shariffadeen said AI-based technologies were fueling the next knowledge revolution, pushing creative industries to transform and innovate at unprecedented speed.

However, he warned that these technologies also came with inherent risks, as AI systems could behave unpredictably, imitate harmful patterns or be misused in ways that challenged ethical boundaries.

“If we are not careful, the very tools that empower creativity could also erode trust, dignity and the authenticity of artistic expression,” he said.

The finalists’ projects were showcased from Nov 17 to 24 at Pusat Sains Negara.

ASM established the ASM ArtScience™ Initiative in 2019. The mission and objective of this initiative is to nurture creativity at its convergence and to harness the art in the acculturation of science in Malaysia.

-- BERNAMA