RDZ meets Hanafiah

RDZ first met Hanafiah, one of the old-timers in the Kuching Skateboarding scene, at Rupert Rage and was introduced to him by Haikal. A meet was arranged by Haikal with him at the new Hotel behind Parkson. Some calls him a legend. Let's get closer to know more about Hanafiah and his views.

Name: Hanafiah

Started skateboarding: 1995

MAKE Clothing (MC): How did your interest in skateboarding started?
Hanafiah: A friend of my brother introduced me to the sport. I then started playing around the housing areas and from there it just got into me.

MC: I was informed that you stopped in the year 2005 and started again this year, 2009. Why the halt?
Hanafiah: I had other commitments like work and was also injured.

MC: Your views on the skateboarding scene here in Kuching?
Hanafiah: It is definitely growing as I stopped in 2005, there were not many youths in the sport, but when I came back this year, there are so many new faces.

Haikal's B/S Flip

MC: What are your sweet memories since the days of 1995?
Hanafiah: I totally missed skating with Joseph, Chocolate, Rafiq, Boy Hardy and all the King Centre Skate Team. That's one of the sweetest memories.

MC: What is needed to elevate the Skateboarding scene even more, here in Kuching?
Hanafiah: Skaters should not wait for sponsors. They should show what they have by all means possible in this age of the internet. So much possibilities. Another thing is that, if you skate, you must own the neccesities like the board itself. Youths should even build their own obstacles! Another thing would be the mentality. Always upgrade yourself. Watch the videos, read the magazines, go to the streets, to the parks, train, train, train and upgrade. Think skateboard, love skating, but never make it an obsession.

MC: Any favorite skating spots?
Hanafiah: King Centre and Tabuan Jaya Garden (R.I.P.) hahaha..

MC: Your advice to those who want to be involved in this sport?
Hanafiah: You have to have passion. Treating skateboarding like a loved one. You see, when you have a girl, you have to prove that you love her, right? Even if you can't meet her everyday, you will at least go pass by her house, text her, call her, and even write her love letters. So, you got to treat skateboarding the same way. You have to read those love letters, you have to meet her, you have to speak to her. In other words, you have to live the skateboarding life. I'm quite disappointed as some skate for glamor and girls but not for the love of the sport. My advice, it all starts from the heart. Prophet Muhammad once said, "if the heart is rotten, so will be the actions of the beholder".

MC: That's about it. Thank you for your time.
Hanafiah: Thank you.

It was a pleasure seeing two passionate people of their own artform having a talk that evening. Another great evening.

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