Sime Darby Property, in collaboration with The Edge, is organising a photo competition with the theme “Malaysiaku, In Pictures” and the tagline “Capturing the spirit, sights & scenes of our nation”
This year, Malaysia is celebrating its 62nd year of independence. Baby boomers and millennials, like myself, often associate this occasion with history textbooks, elaborate fireworks, the Jalur Gemilang fluttering in the wind and a celebration of Malaysia’s diverse cultures.
Although we were not there to see the events unfold on Aug 31, 1957, we remember this historic occasion through the iconic images taken at the time — for instance, the black-and-white picture of our first prime minister Tunku Abdul Rahman, declaring Malaysia’s independence with his right hand raised, is one that will forever be part of our collective psyche. Events are immortalised in pictures — be they old or new — which remain with us, especially now, with the internet.
It is part of our culture to memorialise special events, from birthdays and anniversaries to farewells and regular get-togethers, with a photo or two. With that in mind, Sime Darby Property, in collaboration with The Edge, is organising a photo competition with the theme “Malaysiaku, In Pictures” and the tagline “Capturing the spirit, sights & scenes of our nation”.
In 2017, Sime Darby Property ran its first photo competition to present the special qualities of the City of Elmina project. “We wanted to showcase how beautiful the City of Elmina was to the public. A lot of people did not realise that there was such a beautiful township so close to the Kuala Lumpur city centre,” says Appollo Leong (pictured), general manager of Business Unit 1 for Sime Darby Property Bhd.
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The City of Elmina is a grouping of townships that focuses on wellness and a balanced lifestyle. “The response to the development has been overwhelming in the last couple of years. At our last launch, we sold all 373 units within two weekends. That was really a plus point for us and it shows the confidence of our residents and our buyers in Elmina,” he continues.
The entries in the 2017 photo competition really showcased the beauty of the township as well as the incredible talent of the participants. “The 2017 competition was an overwhelming success. We received more than 700 photos, mainly from residents who lived in Elmina. They knew every nook and corner of the City of Elmina, so they submitted some really excellent photos,” says Leong.
For this year’s competition, the City of Elmina has partnered The Edge to engage a wider audience to get snapping. “What is going to be exciting for the participants is that they are going to get a chance to win interesting prizes. The winning photos will be featured in a lot of our advertising materials and whenever we use their photos, credit will be given to them,” he adds.
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There will be two contest categories — “Merdeka”, photos taken with a Merdeka element, and “Elmina”, photos taken in the City of Elmina.
So, how do you submit your innovative image? Upload your photos to malaysiakuinpictures.theedgemarkets.com or scan the QR code on p17 in the July 1 issue of Options. The deadline for submission is July 28. The judging panel, made up of the management of The Edge and Sime Darby Property, will shortlist 62 photos on August 1. Then, the public will have a chance to vote for their favourite entry at a roadshow in Sunway Pyramid in Petaling Jaya, Selangor, between August 12 and 18. Participants stand a chance to win exciting prizes worth more than RM40,000.
To help inspire participants, we ask Leong what makes a photograph special. His answer: “I think, in order to make a photo memorable, it has to capture a moment. Capture the life of the subject and also the warmth in that life as well”.
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For more information about the contest, see here.
