PETALING JAYA: Malaysian rider Hafizh Syahrin has expanded his career horizons by venturing into esports, becoming a character in the increasingly popular world of the Grand Theft Auto (GTA) game.
Within the Adik Beradik Role Play (ABRP) ecosystem, Hafizh plays the character Yaka Leng, a burger seller who was formerly a mechanic.
Currently riding for the JDT Racing Team, Hafizh views his involvement in the esports roleplay scene as a positive platform to foster stronger social bonds and encourage more mature interactions within the digital community through the Adik Beradik Kuala Lumpur (ABKL) platform.
“This is my first time attending because last year it clashed with my racing commitments. The atmosphere here is great for the community because we get to meet face to face, not just in the game,” said Hafizh.
“The roleplay concept introduced by ABKL also teaches players to live in a more realistic and disciplined way. In the game, I play Yaka Leng as a burger seller, previously a mechanic. It reflects real life, where everyone has their own responsibilities and roles,” he added at the ABKL Experience 2025 media conference on Saturday (Dec 20).
Several local celebrities have also joined the roleplay world alongside Hafizh, including Homebois team owner Daddyhood as Joe Rimau, rapper Somean of K-Clique as Boy K, and fellow K-Clique member Gnello as G-Star.
ABKL IT chief Mohd Hilmi Azli explained that the personalities involved are not merely promotional figures but also active players, streamers and contributors to ideas for the development of ABRP and its community activities. He added that ABKL sees the collaboration as a long-term partnership, with various content initiatives and special events to be rolled out in stages.
“Since the appointment of these icons, ABKL has seen a significant increase in community engagement and mainstream acceptance. The player demographic has also expanded to include non-gamers, athletes, entertainment fans and social media audiences,” said Hilmi.
This year, ABKL Experience marked a milestone as Malaysia’s first GTA Five Expo and pre-tournament event, bringing together more than 1,000 players, streamers and industry observers from both Malaysia and abroad.
