#empatbelas
#empatbelas is a yearly Merdeka-Malaysia Day collaboration project by APOM to celebrate the 14 states of Malaysia. Each local creative represents their home state, showcasing their state pride.
2026: APOM X Pos Malaysia: The Best Of
This year’s #empatbelas celebrates the best of Malaysia — state by state — and marks a return to our alumni designers, bringing back past voices to continue the story.
We invite 14 alumni designers to revisit their states and showcase what they believe represents its very best — the places, people, culture, traditions, and symbols worth sharing with the world.
This Merdeka, let’s celebrate the very best of our states.
Let’s celebrate the best of Malaysia.
2025: Kita Banyak Pattern
This year’s #empatbelas brings together 14 designers to showcase their state pride in one bold, creative kain.
Every state has its own unique patterns — from the way we express ourselves to the way we speak.
This Merdeka, let’s bring out your state’s personality and pride through #empatbelas.
2024: Imagine Your State in a Famous Movie
Think about how your state could be featured in a famous international movie. Which movie best represents or contrasts with the uniqueness of your state?
Example: What if Pulau Redang was the setting for "The Little Mermaid"? Imagine the
pristine beaches and underwater beauty of Pulau Redang as the backdrop.
Example: What if Menara Alor Setar was attacked by robots in a sci-fi thriller? Picture the iconic tower amidst a battle scene.
2023: APOM X TM: Celebrating state pride through the art of pantun.
In collaboration with TM, fourteen sasterawans, one from each state, were invited to express what made their home state special through a four-line pantun, blending the traditional Malay poetic form with a contemporary Malaysian twist — Manglish. The pantuns were then adapted into merchandise designs, bringing a familiar part of Malaysian culture into a new, creative and accessible format.
2022: APOM X Pos Malaysia: Reimagine your State on a Stamp
Pos Malaysia, fourteen local designers—one representing each state and federal territory—were invited to reimagine their home state on a stamp. This milestone initiative challenged the artists to capture the distinct culture, heritage, and unique identity of their hometowns through a contemporary creative lens. Making history as the launchpad for Pos Malaysia's very first NFT stamp, the final artwork was seamlessly adapted into limited-edition physical stamp folders that included an NFT.
2021: The Start
Let us not forget our country.
Together with 14 other designers, each one originated from the 14 different states of Malaysia, we embarked on a collaborative project with a series of merchandise,
reminding Malaysians the land under our feet, tanah airku we are so looking forward to explore when things get better! We present to you, #empatbelas!
