Boy's Merdeka effort pays dividends

Amir Aiman Shamsuri, 16, looks forward to the country's National Day every year.

Come August, he will decorate his grandfather's house in Kampung Parit Raja Darat, his passion for doing so driven by the love for his motherland and the sacrifices of the freedom fighters.

This year, his work to decorate the house of his grandfather, Sarip Jonit, 74, paid some dividends.

The decoration by the Form Four student of Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Tun Ismail, Batu Pahat, earned his grandfather the top prize of RM1,000 in the individual (residential) category in the Johor-level Merdeka competition.

Amir Aiman said he and his grandfather worked together to erect a replica of the Petronas Twin Towers with 2,000 empty plastic bottles and draped it with the Malaysian flag.

The competition, organised by the Johor Information Department, had eight categories.