- Lat’s iconic works, such as Kampung Boy and Mat Som, celebrate the daily lives of Malaysians while promoting racial harmony and the importance of cross-cultural friendships.
- Known for blending humour with social commentary, Lat emphasises sincerity in addressing societal issues and believes unity should outweigh divisive politics.
- Despite his decades-long career, Lat remains active with new projects, including a second Mat Som graphic novel and collaborations with corporate entities, while recently receiving the prestigious Anugerah Seniman Negara award.
KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 2 — When it comes to iconic drawings and illustrations, the name Lat is arguably top of the list for many Malaysians.
Not only can his caricatures be found on the streets of KL, but there is even a replica of his old childhood home in Perak built by the government to commemorate Lat’s distinguished works.
Born Datuk Mohammad Nor Khalid, his works such as Kampung Boy and Mat Som, more often than not encapsulates the depiction of daily lives in Malaysia, which has certainly found its place in the hearts of many Malaysians. But why?
Malay Mail discovers how, behind the 73-year-old’s unique style, lies Lat’s personal experience that many most average Malaysians can relate to.
Relatability = harmony
Talking to Malay Mail in a recent interview, Lat urged Malaysians, especially young ones, to not shy away from mixing with each other — instead embracing each other’s interests and differences.
As corny as it may sound, friendship does cut across racial and ethnic lines. Lat’s experience with this was meticulously depicted in his Town Boy graphic novel – where two friends who share the same passion eventually learn about each other’s families and traditions.
Lat reminded the public of how there are those who wish to keep the public divided for their interests. This is where the power of friendship comes into play.
“Political leaders, big or small, these leaders can gather people and have their own influence, [but] you are the people, and you know what is good and what is bad,” he said.
“If an individual wants to divide you, you shouldn’t listen to that (because) you know who your friends are and people cannot divide us politically.
“It would be very embarrassing to undo what has been done since the time of our great-grandparents, we were so nice to each other, why are we not continuing it?” Lat asked.
The Lat’s rule of thumb on social commentary
Lat has been drawing since his schooling days, and in his over 40 years of delighting people with his humorous works — he likens his process to fishing.
“When you go fishing, you would cast your net, your line and try to catch the fish, and it’s the same [with illustrations and drawings].
“You try to catch the attention of the people, and you want them to get attracted and when they pay attention, they smile, they smile because they feel something pleasant and something funny.
“And [you] gave them something that is worth the three seconds they gave you,” Lat said.
He is also no stranger when it comes to making social commentaries through his works, admitting that delivering a message works better with humour.
There is however an important rule he follows when doing a social commentary. For Lat, it is essential for someone to be true and sincere to themselves first.
“You can bring something up — something that you really believe in, something that you can feel and you yourself are involved in it.
“But you must be truthful with yourself, you can’t go and ask people about how to be good but you yourself are not really sure about it.
“You have to be truthful to yourself and sincere,” he said.
What’s next for Lat?
Believe it or not, Lat is still at it. He shared that he is currently working on a project with local banking group AmBank for its 50th anniversary celebration. He had also done another illustration project with oil and gas giant Petronas.
Additionally, Lat said he is also looking to complete his second Mat Som graphic novel, which has taken a long time for him to finish.
The first Mat Som graphic novel came out back in the late 80s — telling the story of a young man in KL. Lat said the second one will be a period piece set in early 1970s Malaysia.
In November, Lat was honored with the Anugerah Seniman Negara at the Anugerah Seni Negara 2024 by Her Majesty Raja Zarith Sofiah, Queen of Malaysia.
Commenting on the award, Lat said it was a big surprise to him, and he is truly honoured to be among other craftsmen and creatives in the country who have been similarly feted.
Those awarded Anugerah Karyawan Seni in the same ceremony included music maestro Datuk Mokhzani Ismail, traditional Chinese dance master Wong Kit Yaw, local weaver Bangie Anak Embol, and visual artist Wong Hoy Cheong,
Local songstress Datuk Seri Siti Nurhaliza was also awarded with the special recognition of Anugerah Biduan Negara.
“Since I was a kid, I’ve always admired these people; from woodcarvers to people doing wayang kulit,” he said, referring to the Malay traditional puppet theatre performances.
“I’m a fan of wayang kulit and whenever I get the chance, I would go and watch. I remember watching an amazing wayang kulit show in Pahang when I was around seven years old.
“Hopefully, we will keep paying attention to these players in the local art industry and I wish only the best for all of these people in 2025,” he said.
