IPOH, 24 Aug – “In my eyes, Malaysia is as colourful as our national flag! The colours represent the colourful people in my country,” said 12-year-old Yap Yue, who emerged as the Champion of Category C at the Ipoh Parade Merdeka Colouring Contest 2026, held last Sunday.
Organised annually in conjunction with the National Day celebrations, the Merdeka Colouring Contest was jointly organised by Ipoh Parade and World of Colours Art Centre. This year’s event attracted some 300 children from across Ipoh, who gathered to express their creativity, love and patriotic spirit for the country through colours.
The mall’s Main Court was filled with children of all races, with some arriving in colourful outfits as they soaked in the festive Merdeka atmosphere.
“This event brought together children and their families to put their hearts into expressing their love for the country through colours – whether with crayons, watercolours or coloured pencils,” said Lim Huey Tyng from Ipoh Parade’s Advertising and Promotions Department.
The event continues to receive strong support from parents and the wider community, with many returning participants joining the contest year after year, alongside new participants who were equally excited to be part of the celebration.
With a total prize pool worth more than RM10,000, champions, first runners-up and second runners-up in each category received prizes worth RM500, RM300 and RM200 respectively. Consolation prizes and certificates of participation were also presented in recognition of the children’s efforts and creativity.
The contest also received strong support from Ipoh Parade’s tenants through their generous sponsorship. The participating sponsors included KBox Karaoke, Starbucks, Popular, SHINS, Ebony Guitar Music House, Montigo, DRUM, My Home One, Johnson Fitness and Wellness, ITSU, Playzu, A&W, Bata, Mixue, Ayam Penyet Best, al-ikhsan SPORTS, Klinik Terry Lee, Hush Puppies and The Body Shop.
As Malaysia prepares to celebrate its 69th National Day, the event was a colourful manifestation of the country’s diversity, unity and patriotic spirit – as seen through the eyes and imagination of its young generation.
The winners of the Ipoh Parade Merdeka Colouring Contest 2026 are as follows:
| Prizes (RM) | Category A
(4 – 6 years old) |
Category B
(7 – 9 years old) |
Category C
(10 – 12 years old) |
| Champion
(500) |
Luqman Hakim Bin Mohd Zqini, 6 | Skylette Foo Yi Qing, 9 | Yap Yue, 12 |
| 1st Runner-up (300) |
Khloe Teh Qiao Yi, 6 | Chuah Rowyn, 8 | Tan Pak Hao, 12 |
| 2nd Runner-up
(200) |
Cahaya Zara Falisha Binti Mohamad Zulhilmi, 6 | Muhammad Dani Rizqin Bin Norshahriza, 9 | Ng Lisyuen, 10 |
In addition, 20 consolation prize winners in each category received prizes worth RM100 each.
The event concluded with the celebration of its young winners and recognition of every participant, whose colourful creations reflected not only their artistic creativity, but also their appreciation for the unity, diversity and spirit of Malaysia.
