The Kelantan-born artist once regarded murals as the “lowest form of art” – hardly something he imagined would one day become his primary source of income.
The Universiti Sains Malaysia graduate focused on producing canvas paintings after finishing his studies in 2019. But after a year working as a visual artist, he had not sold a single piece.
To make ends meet, Riduan – who signs his works as “SM Raja” – eventually became a food delivery rider.
It was during this period that friends suggested he try mural painting. At the time, he dismissed the idea. “For me, murals were the lowest form of art, so I didn’t want to get involved in it,” the 31-year-old admitted.
Then, in early 2020, he accepted a job at a resort in Genting Highlands. Expecting to work as a visual artist, he – ironically enough – found himself assigned as a muralist.
The stint, however, was short-lived because of the pandemic – but it planted a seed.
His perception of murals changed after he worked with a fellow artist on a mural project featuring 16 portraits – including that of Pahang Sultan Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah – painted on the body of a Boeing 737 aircraft.
“I was pleasantly surprised to be paid RM100 a day just to paint a mural,” Riduan said. “Previously, earning RM100 meant delivering food from morning until night.”
He later joined a professional mural company, which allowed him to refine his techniques and truly discover the financial potential of the craft.
One project in Bangi proved especially eye-opening: for a three-day project, he was paid RM1,300. “That was when I realised mural art could become a serious career.”
His journey, however, was not without setbacks. At the end of 2021, Riduan was involved in a road accident that left him with a broken leg. He returned to his hometown in Pasir Puteh to recover.
By March 2022, he was back in the Klang Valley – not fully healed, but determined to continue painting.
Today, Riduan works full-time as a muralist and has produced more than 1,000 artworks across KL, Selangor, Kedah, Perak, Pahang, Kelantan and Penang.
“What I once looked down on has now become my main source of income,” he acknowledged.
One of his toughest assignments involved painting a mural on a large spherical structure at Universiti Malaysia Kelantan’s Faculty of Earth Science in Jeli.
“The surface wasn’t flat, so every line and shape had to be adjusted to match the curve,” he explained.
To make matters more challenging, the mural was painted during the monsoon season. Heavy rains eventually washed away the work before the paint had fully dried.
“I had already returned to KL when the university called to tell me the mural had disappeared because of flooding.” Riduan had to return to Jeli to redo parts of the artwork.
Among his more recent works is a mural at Ampang Park LRT station, completed in December, celebrating Malaysia’s multicultural society through images of local foods such as roti canai and kuih.
“I had to paint 40 people, and the work could only be done between midnight and 4am,” he recalled. That mural took about a month to complete.
At the end of the day, Riduan finds satisfaction in seeing his work appreciated by the public. “Positive feedback is very motivating,” he said.
Looking ahead, he hopes to paint at least one mural in every Malaysian state within the next five to eight years, and eventually expand his work to Indonesia and the Philippines.
“Mural art is not just decoration; it tells stories,” he concluded. “Through colours and sketches, we express feelings and share messages with the community.”