For Muhammad Darwisy Mustafani, 24, the work is more than art: it is a tribute to the nation that blends cultural heritage with the Merdeka and Malaysia Day spirit.
“I chose kain pelikat because it is close to our community, especially the Malays. It symbolises our culture, and through it, I wanted to express my love for the country in my own way,” he told Bernama.
Darwisy spent nearly two weeks piecing together a 1.2m-by-0.8m flag from four kain pelikat in red, white, blue and yellow. Careful attention went into matching the colours with the original tones of the national flag.
“One of the most challenging parts was the star: I spent about two days just on that alone, making sure the corners and size were precise. There were times I almost gave up, but my determination to finish it kept me going,” said the fifth of eight siblings.
To make the flag even more special, Darwisy painted the figure of Malaysia’s first prime minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman, raising his hand in the iconic Merdeka proclamation on Aug 31, 1957.
“I wanted it to look alive, a symbol of freedom and the moment our country broke free from colonial rule,” he added.
An architecture graduate, Darwisy has been passionate about drawing since his school days. After a brief stint working as an artist at a private company in Kuala Lumpur, he returned to his hometown last year to pursue art full time.
He has since carved out a niche with his distinctive paintings on songket — a medium rarely explored in Malaysia.
To date, he has completed more than 50 songket paintings, with prices ranging from RM700 to RM15,000 depending on the complexity and fabric type, from handwoven silk to cotton. His clients include members of royalty, dignitaries and art collectors.
Indeed, his works include portraits of His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, the King of Malaysia, and Her Majesty Raja Permaisuri Agong Raja Zarith Sofiah, which were exhibited at Istana Negara last October.
Other prized works include a painting of Selangor’s official flower, the bunga tanjung, for the consort of the sultan of Selangor, Tengku Permaisuri Norashikin, embellished with Swarovski crystals.
Darwisy hopes his Jalur Gemilang project will inspire young Malaysians to cherish independence and express patriotism in their own creative ways.
“Every generation should find their own way to celebrate our freedom. For me, it is through art. I hope this flag will remind others that our culture and our independence are treasures worth protecting,” he said.
Follow Darwisy on TikTok.