‘It gets kids off their phones': Malaysian skateboarders ride the generational wave together

Malay Mail

4 days ago

KUALA LUMPUR, July 19 — At 8am on a Sunday morning, the Converse Skatepark in Kajang, Malaysia's oldest, built in 1994, is glistening with a post-rain sheen.
Former national skater Mariss Khan was already there, mop in hand, preparing the park not just for his three sons, but for anyone who wanted to ride.
'Yo bro, lemme get back to you ya? I got to change, I had to come and mop the floors cause it was raining last night,' he quipped, running back to his home nearby.
By 9.30am, the park was slowly coming alive.
Among the early visitors were two families — first timers — each drawn here by something increasingly common: a renewed interest in skateboarding, powered by social media, nostalgia, and shifting cultural perceptions.
Putra Nor Afiq, 34, brought his son on rollerblades and his daughter on a skateboard.
'I'd let them try new things, but since we were nearby and this place is decent, as long as you monitor who they're talking to and mix with, you're ok,' he said.
Mer Nullah wants to see more competitions and indoor skate parks in the future. He says skateboarding is becoming as popular as football and growing. — Picture by Sayuti Zanudin
Nearby, another family introduced their energetic six-year-old son Ayden to the ramps. He had started with a scooter, but they thought skating might push him further.
'You know, skating teaches you how to be motivated. You drop, you get up again. You can learn how to push yourself and overcome your fears,' said the father, Bazli.
Mer Habeebullah locking into a grind when 'Malay Mail' dropped by the park. — Picture by Sayuti Zanudin
Mariss' three sons Muhammad Mer Nullah Khan, 15, Muhammad Mer Habeebullah Khan, 12, and Muhammad Mer Zikrullah Khan, 9 soon took over the park, executing complex tricks with surprising ease.
Mer Nullah, the eldest, is already competing internationally.
Fluent in Mandarin, he studies at SMJK Yu Hua and sees skateboarding becoming part of Malaysia's youth fabric.
'It's something that everyone is used to. Like football.
'A lot of people are skating now but there aren't as many big names as last time and my idol is still my dad, he encouraged me to skate,' he said.
'There are few indoor skate parks so maintenance for outdoor ones is high, and if it rains you can't do much.'
From misfit to mainstream
Mariss said that despite the growing numbers the local scene still lacks depth, structure and long-term vision.
'You can see skaters everywhere, parks are full but where are the good skateboarders, where's the talent? There's visible interest but not much meaningful development.
'Competitions abroad are also very uncertain. They'll plan it with the date and all that then cancel at the last minute. The kids can't get exposure. Most kids now just skate and post tricks on TikTok, not training for contests nor pushing their limits,' he said.
Mariss stressed that skateboarding isn't one dimensional and that's both its strength and challenge.
Mariss Khan says the sport needs development and stars. — Picture by Sayuti Zanudin
'There are contest skaters, video skaters and hobby skaters. Then there are the street guys and people who hate the Olympics. Skateboarding is all of that. It's not a sport, it's a character,' he added.
Gone are the days when skaters were viewed as rebels or dropouts. The parents of today, many of whom grew up watching X-Games legends like Tony Hawk, Bob Burnquist and the Yasutoko brothers on TV now bring their own children to skateparks across the Klang Valley.
At AU5 Skatepark in Keramat, Malay Mail spotted a handful of skate enthusiasts making the most of the night.
One stood out — effortlessly pulling off complex tricks under the glow of floodlights.
That skater was Azzam Syafiq, 33, a late bloomer who picked up the sport at 17, long after most of his friends had given it up.
'I was decent at basketball too but preferred skateboarding as it's just you. You can do it by yourself. I like doing my own thing.'
The stigma around skating, Azzam said, is fading fast.
'Quite different now. You'll see at events small kids, teenagers, 20-, 30-, 40-year-olds all competing or watching. It used to be just kids.
But he admits it's harder to break into the public eye.
'Now, if you don't actively look for it on TikTok, Instagram and all that, the algorithm doesn't pump it out to you. And the lack of big stars doesn't help. They're not as noticeable as the legends. People are still on Tony Hawk. He had the video game too and that cemented him as non-skaters also know him.
'We don't have that kind of star power now but the sport is definitely getting more popular,' he added.
Azzam recently made a documentary of his competitive trip to Germany shedding light on the 'street' category of skating that prioritises freedom of expression and artistic value.
The video also documents his journey to Europe and what it takes to compete, prize money, camaraderie and the culture.
Mer Habeebullah performing some complex tricks when 'Malay Mail' visited the park. — Picture by Sayuti Zanudin
Councils catching up
The rise in visibility is being met with real infrastructure. More councils are commissioning skateparks, not just in urban centres but in residential areas. In Putrajaya, a second skatepark is being built in Precinct 4 by month's end.
Malay Mail caught up with Padin Musa, 49, aka Ahmad Fadzil Musa, former two-time X-Games Asia champion, who's helped design over 20 parks across the country.
'Now a lot of councils want to build skateparks, even small ones in residential areas,' Padin said.
'One reason is to get the kids off the streets, that's why they're building the new park to give them a proper space to skate.'
He credits skateboarding's inclusion in the Olympics since 2020 for widening its reach, but says the soul of skating remains rooted in culture, not competition.
'Skateboarding is fun whether or not you go to the Olympics. It builds your character. You don't need a football field, you can start skating in front of your house, even in your school uniform.
'Even though it has been brought into the Olympics, I still feel most do it for fun. Either way, skating teaches you perseverance to fall and keep trying,' he said.
Skating's charm lies in its affordability and sense of community. You don't need fancy gear or a proper arena — just a board, some concrete, and the grit to fall and get back up.
At nine, Mer Zikrullah can already pull off tricks with a high degree of difficulty. — Picture by Sayuti Zanudin
While competitions exist, skating seems more of a community event. As one parent Ahmad Taufique at the AU5 skatepark said: 'It's like a whole body workout too. Your mind has to be focused or you can't balance. Then once you can balance you push your body and mind to do tricks.
'When you nail it, it's great, if you fail and automatically get up and try again, you've now learnt what a struggle means and what it feels like to accomplish something difficult.
'Most importantly, it gets the kids off their damn phones,' he said.
Since skateboarding was part of the Olympics only two nations have won gold medals — Japan with five and Australia with three.
There are only four medals up for grabs which are organised into two distinct styles: Street and Park, with separate competitions for men and women in each.
It will next be featured at the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
Klang Valley skate spots you can check out:
AU5 Keramat Skatepark, Ampang
Converse Skatepark Kajang, Selangor
Skatepark Titiwangsa, KL
Putrajaya Challenge Park, Precinct 5
Urban Skate Plaza, Jalan Ampang
Skatepark Bukit Kiara, KL
Heritage Valley, Chow Kit
Arena Skatepark PJ, Petaling Jaya
Skate Park @ Taman Sri Gombak, Batu Caves
One Utama Skatepark
Paramount Skatepark, Taman Sea
Andalas DIY Skatepark, Klang
Lake Point Skatepark, Seksyen 35 Shah Alam
Mini Skatepark, MyTown
Padin Musa (left) with Deputy Youth and Sports Minister Adam Adli Abd Halim. — Picture via Facebook/Padin Musa