FOURTEEN-year-old Adi Shah Putra Noor Izwan will be starting a new chapter in his young life.
His free time now will be occupied by vocal training under professional instructors at Istana Negara.
Adi Shah Putra is one of 200 students selected for the Ilham Seni Diraja pilot programme – a royal initiative by Her Majesty Raja Zarith Sofiah, Queen of Malaysia.
Designed specifically for B40 students in Kuala Lumpur, the project aims to bridge the gap in arts education by providing professional mentoring that is typically inaccessible to lower-income families.
The Form Two student of SMK Desa Petaling said the programme served as a platform to develop his interest in singing, under the guidance of professional instructors.
“I am an average student academically, but I have now found something that suits my interests. My free time is finally being utilised for something better,” he told Bernama after the launch of the programme at the Dewan Santapan Utama, Istana Negara.
Adi Shah Putra said it also enabled him to learn vocal techniques not offered in school, and boost his self-confidence.
Chosen students will be exposed to creative workshops, mentoring sessions with professional instructors and comprehensive exposure to cultural and creative art.
Form Two student Genelia Wilson from SMK Dato’ Ibrahim Yaakub in Kepong described the opportunity to be coached by Malaysian superstar Datuk Syafinaz Selamat as “unexpected,” as it revealed a talent Genelia never knew she had.
Throughout the programme, participants will undergo training and learning across six main arts clusters, namely voice and instrument, dance, production and stage management, artistic, acting, and research and counselling guidance.
The project will culminate in a grand theatre production this December, where all 200 participants will showcase their skills in performance and stagecraft.
Ilham Seni Diraja programme coordinator Datuk Azuan Effendy Zairakithnaini, who is also the Istana Negara Grand Chamberlain, said the initiative reflected Her Majesty’s concern in nurturing the potential and character development of B40 students.
“The programme also provides opportunities in other artistic fields, such as set design, graphics and visual arts, while instilling discipline, commitment and values of togetherness among students,” he said.
Azuan Effendy said exposure to the arts could help steer students away from negative influences while playing a key role in shaping their identity and self-confidence.
The goal is to provide an equitable platform, said sponsor Berjaya Corp Bhd founder and advisor Tan Sri Vincent Tan.
Tan said this initiative would ensure talent, not wealth, shaped a child’s artistic future.
“This programme is highly commendable, as students from the B40 group rarely have the opportunity to learn singing, music or dance,” he said.
