THE 11th World Miniature Hobby Show (WMHS) and Malaysia Competition (Malcom) will be the largest edition in the event’s history, featuring about 100 exhibitors on June 13 and 14.
Some 30,000 visitors are expected at the Setia SPICE Convention Centre in Bayan Lepas, Penang for one of the region’s premier miniature and hobby events.
Penang tourism and creative economy committee chairman Wong Hon Wai said the exhibition would bring together leading miniature artists, model makers and hobby innovators from around the world.
He said to date, the event had drawn more than 400 participants, 85 professional judges and over 100 exhibitors from 26 countries and territories.
Among the participating countries are Australia, China, Germany, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Thailand, Russia, the Philippines, Venezuela, the United States, Spain, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Vietnam, Myanmar, the Netherlands, Lebanon, France, Bangladesh and Brunei.
“Strong international participation reflects Malcom’s growing reputation and professional standing within the global miniature modelling community.
“Visitors can look forward to a larger, more comfortable venue equipped with enhanced facilities, creating an even more dynamic and immersive experience for participants and guests,” Hon Wai was quoted saying by state publisher Buletin Mutiara in a press conference at the convention centre.
Hon Wai said Malcom’s scale, influence and popularity had expanded steadily over the years, with the event attracting nearly 20,000 visitors from Malaysia and abroad.
“In its early years, Malcom was held in hotel ballrooms.
“Through the collaboration between my office and Penang Convention and Exhibition Bureau (PCEB), we successfully relocated the event to Setia SPICE Convention Centre.
“We expect visitor numbers to exceed 30,000 this year, setting a new attendance record,” he said.
He said the event’s enduring appeal lay in the diversity of its exhibits, competition categories and strong support enjoyed from the global modelling fraternity.
Hon Wai said the Penang government remained committed to advancing the creative economy and had consistently supported Malcom over the years.
“Our vision is to cultivate Penang’s own signature creative and cultural events while positioning the state as a regional hub for niche and hobby based tourism.
“Notably, Malcom is among the few internationally recognised model exhibitions worldwide that receive direct government support, underscoring Penang’s commitment to nurturing creative industries and specialised tourism sectors.”
Adding to the excitement, this year’s event will introduce three new competition categories namely Maschinen Krieger (Ma.K.) Mecha Models, Anime Figure and Garage Kit, further broadening the event’s appeal and offering participants even more opportunities to showcase their creativity and craftsmanship.
Also present at the press conference were Pengkalan Kota assemblyman and PCEB director Wong Yuee Harng, PCEB chief executive officer Ashwin Gunasekaran, Malcom organising chairman Choo Huang Ming and Setia SPICE Convention Centre senior manager Shelly Loo.
