Lack of self does not stop ‘Afiq’ from becoming a street painter
KUALA KANGSAR: This young man’s character is active and not clumsy in front of the crowd. Occasionally he would hand out advertisement flyers offering cartoon-oriented portrait painting services.
The stopover location is in the Kuala Kangsar Valley. It is understood that he resided in Sungai Siput and moved to Kuala Kangsar by bus to continue as a street painter.
When he first introduced himself, he said people often called him Afiq. However, according to this young Chinese, his real name is Lee Chee Hung.
After being observed and through further conversations recently, this young man is understood to be a person with special needs or a person with a learning disability (OKU). This is reinforced by the way he talks.
Afiq, 24 years old, said he studied the art of portrait painting at SMK Muhibbah @ Sekolah Seni Malaysia Perak. From there, he said, he started producing portraits with cartoon elements.
Although it was difficult to understand the details of his conversation, he often said that he provides portrait painting services for anyone interested, with a phone number provided on the brochure.
“My real name is Lee Chee Hung but many Malay friends and people here call me Afiq. They say it’s easier to say.
“I have to paint portraits, people can come here (Kuala Kangsar Valley), or the Taman Lintang night market, Sungai Siput with a certain fee according to the type,” he said.
According to one of his fellow painters there, Rahim or known as Angah, Afiq has his own talent and despite his lack, he perseveres in making a living with his efforts.
Angah added, Afiq’s talent can be honed to a higher level, because he has the will and shows a deep interest in the art of painting.
“I have known Afiq since five months ago, at that time I had just become a street painter in the Kuala Kangsar Valley.
“It is admitted that he has problems in terms of conversation or conversation because he is a person with special needs. But he can be independent and is not nervous in front of people.
“During the previous conversation, he said he goes back and forth from Sungai Siput to Kuala Kangsar by bus, on certain days,” he said when contacted.
Meanwhile, commenting further on the field of street painting in Perak, Angah said, it is still not widely practiced, compared to other states.
Before this, he said, he had continued his painting activities in Ipoh, but returned to his hometown in Kampung Jerlun Tambahan, here, and continued his career as a street painter.
“At first painting this again as a street artist was a bit of a pain, after a long time when I learned more through YouTube, I was able to produce the best portraits,” he said.
Meanwhile, the former principal of SMK Muhibbah, Fadhilah Hawari, who knows the former student better, also admitted that Afiq liked to draw since he was in school.
He said, Afiq had attended a special education class at the school, but the young man’s interest in painting was obvious.
“Sometimes he comes to my house or when he passes by he will stop by. But now I have moved to another school and he has finished school.
“He entered (school) from the age of 15 to 19, for special education students. He really likes to wear Malay clothes, especially on Hari Raya.
“He does have a learning problem, but he really liked drawing in school before, until now. I hope he succeeds in achieving his dream in that field,” he said again.
source – Aida Aziz
