Shop assistants at Mari! Ke Kedai in Cyberjaya showcase select sampul raya designs. Photo: The Star/Azhar Mahfof
As Hari Raya Adilfitri nears, Malaysians prepare to balik kampung, stocking up on festive treats, gifts, and duit raya (festive season monetary gift). While the tradition of giving duit raya remains strong, its presentation has evolved.
Sampul raya (money packets) have transformed from traditional-looking envelopes (florals, songket motifs, or golden ketupat patterns) into collectible artworks, with artists, illustrators and cartoonists turning them into colourful and mischievous showcases of talent.
Social media has also amplified their appeal, making them more than just an envelope for cash – they’re now a fusion of nostalgia and modern design, adding an extra touch of joy to the tradition.
Many now seek unique designs, not just for gifting but for collecting – much like limited- edition merchandise. Once a design sells out, it’s gone, making sampul raya even more coveted. The average price for a limited-run sampul raya series is around RM15 for a set of 10 packets.
Redefining Raya design
If you’re new to local artists and designers, Mari! Ke Kedai, a creative arts store on the third floor of Tamarind Square, Cyberjaya, has put together a strong selection of this year’s trendiest sampul raya.
This independent store, known for its curated selection of local merchandise – from notebooks and posters to wearable art – features an entire wall dedicated to sampul raya by diverse illustrators.
Cultkids, who self-produced two sampul raya designs this year, sees this niche scene expanding, especially with big brands taking notice. Photo: Cultkids
“Thirty artists participated this year, including new local talents and some from Singapore, Indonesia and Thailand. It’s almost a tradition now for illustrators to release their own sampul raya during the festive season,” outlines a statement from the store.
Some also use this time to launch exclusive Raya campaigns for their brands, turning it into an exciting annual event for artists and collectors alike.
The participating sampul raya creators at Mari! Ke Kedai – many friends within the art scene – bring a diverse range of styles and inspirations. Some draw from childhood Raya memories, while others explore bold, unconventional designs.
Artists, from their early 20s to mid-40s, each offer a unique take on Hari Raya through sampul raya designs.
With over 100 designs by local and South-East Asia artists, the Mari! Ke Kedai shop offers unique sampul raya for collecting and gifting. Photo: The Star/Azhar Mahfof
Afina Mohamed Sah adds an interactive twist to her sampul raya, featuring word searches and mini-games on the back – a playful tribute to popular grocery ingredients, perfect for keeping children entertained during Raya visits.
Cultkids (aka Syazri Zamrod) brings nostalgia to life with vintage-style characters inspired by classic cartoons. The self-taught graphic designer is known for his retro Malaysian film, rock music and pop art designs.
“Designing for sampul raya is always fun – it’s a chance to get creative and reimagine the festive season,” says Cultkids.
“If you love art and design, you might end up keeping the sampul raya – it’s prime collector’s bait these days.
Finn Anuar draws inspiration for her commissioned sampul raya from childhood Raya memories in Johor Baru. Photo: Perempuanmelawanart
“It’s like a limited-edition print now, especially with big brands involved. But there’s also an independent spirit – if you’re working solo and people seek out your sampul raya, that’s a great feeling,” he adds.
More than just sampul
Across the Klang Valley art scene, independent artists are also using the festive season to showcase abstract and unconventional Hari Raya designs.
Block print motifs, one of the more old-school art methods, have made their way onto sampul raya. These handmade ink-pressed designs come from artist Ana Alasri, who loves creating everything from scratch – including the paper itself.
“I was inspired by (Australia-based Malaysian artist) Simryn Gill’s ‘fruit heads’ series, where she photographed her subjects with local fruits as their heads in various locations around her hometown, Port Dickson,” says Ana.
Ana’s ‘Seri Muka Selfie’ sampul raya is handprinted using block carvings, unlike mass-produced graphic designs. Photo: Ana Alasri
“When the National Art Gallery hosted an online art challenge based on this series during Raya in 2020, I participated by photographing myself with a jar of semperit cookies as my head. Later, I adapted this concept into my sampul raya design using linocut printmaking,” she adds.
Ana aimed to create a quirky yet serious fine art piece on Raya food as a symbol of Malaysian cultural and racial identity.
“But since most people find it comical, I just enjoy the laughs!” she says.
Comic book art has also made its presence felt in the sampul raya scene.
One of Fixi’s five sampul raya designs by Syafiq Aizat pays tribute to horror books. Photo: Fixi
A group of cartoonists – humourously named after various foods, including Padi Razak, Gayour, Bawang, Bendi, Aloy, Roslim, Manggis, Lepat, Manzar, Kunyit, Duku, and Boy PJ – are selling a range of sampul raya featuring short slice-of-life Malaysian scenes, illustrated in the style of 1980s Malay comic book characters.
“There’s always been something special about sampul raya,” says Padi Razak. “It’s not just a packet for duit raya now - it carries a bit of personality. I loved making them for fun, but I never thought about selling them until now," he adds.
Author-illustrator Syafiq Aizat also had a great time designing indie publisher Fixi’s sampul raya series, blending humour, horror, and even a wardrobe mishap into the festive tradition.
Fixi, which has occasionally included sampul raya with book purchases, is back this year with five new designs by Syafiq.
A close-up view of a sampul raya design by KL street artist Amirul Shah (Asmoe Roc) inspired by brutalist aesthetics. Photo: Asmoe Roc
For a monochromatic edge, street artist Amirul Shah, aka Asmoe Roc, infuses his sampul raya with a brutalist aesthetic inspired by Balkan architecture.
“In the first three years, I made them by request for close friends and family. As demand grew through social media, I started selling them. This year, I designed a sampul raya featuring a futuristic sculpture as its centrepiece,” says Asmoe Roc.
“The sculpture’s strong, angular shapes symbolise the resilience of faith and the stability of the Islamic community, while its smooth curves and geometric patterns reflect the harmony, beauty, and spiritual transcendence of Hari Raya,” he adds.
Mainstream crossover
Beyond individual artists, brands and companies have also embraced the trend, collaborating with local artists and incorporating exclusive sampul raya into their festive promotions.
A sampul raya series by Abdul Razak (aka Padi Razak) and fellow cartoonists, inspired by 1980s Malay comics. Photo: Padi Razak
A shoe apparel brand has collaborated with Arif Rafhan (aka Superdoofus), pairing the sampul raya – made with his signature batik motifs and pop culture elements – with every purchase.
“This year is my second year designing sampul raya. For sampul raya, it’s all about visual balance; attractive enough for kids to appreciate when receiving it, and meaningful enough for the adults to pick it and give it to the children,” says Arif.
A local coffee franchise has partnered with Projek Sembang-Sembang, a community-driven art initiative, to release limited- edition sampul raya given with each coffee purchase.
This Raya, cartoonist Arif Rahan (aka Superdoofus) designed a batik-inspired sampul raya on commission. Photo: Superdoofus
Finn Anuar, an illustrator (known for her work with female empowerment initiative Perempuanmelawanart), captures the street vibe by incorporating sneakers into her commissioned sampul raya, while preserving the spirit of Hari Raya.
Her sampul raya showcases a lively communal cooking scene, where family members, in an all-star mood, don high-cut sneakers.
“Creating these festive artworks fills me with joy and nostalgia. It’s a way to share my own Hari Raya experiences through art, making me feel like a kid again – excited to celebrate,” concludes Finn.
