Cherishing moments with mum, dad
In conjunction with Parents' Day on July 27, theSun invited Malaysians to reflect and celebrate the people who have shaped their lives. From May 19 to June 1, the Parents' Day Special: theSun Then & Now Photo Contest ran across social media platforms, calling on participants to recreate old photographs with their parents, paired with a heartfelt caption and the results were nothing short
of moving.
With 179 submissions, the contest stood out as a celebration of family bonds, far beyond the usual social media trend. It evolved into a tribute to the passage of time and the enduring bonds between parents and children. Some recreated faded photos, while others dug up casual moments at home, reimagined decades later. The stories behind each photo added layers of warmth, some funny, some tearful but they all brought back genuine moments of parental love.
To qualify, participants had to follow theSun's official Facebook or Instagram (@thesundaily), post a side-by-side photo or carousel of their recreated moment with one or both parents, tag @thesundaily and two friends and use the hashtag #theSunParentsDay2025. The mechanics were clear-cut. What truly made each entry beautiful was the emotional weight behind the visuals.
Fond memories, grand prizes
Standing out among the submissions were entries that went above and beyond to mimic the past from expressions and outfits, down to the tiniest of props. Grand prize winner Muhammad Adhar Onn, 35, from Subang Jaya, took home a pair of return AirAsia flights from Kuala Lumpur to Darwin, Australia, for his light-hearted yet deeply meaningful entry. In the original photo, a seven-year-old Adhar drinks from a bottle while perched in his 51-year-old father's arms. In the recreated image, Adhar, now a grown man at 35, sits on his father's hip, now 79 years old in the same pose, bottle and all. The striped shirts, serious expressions and even the stance are perfectly matched, adding a humorous touch to a beautiful message.
Another grand prize winner James Lin Tzy Lun, 29, from Batu Caves, won a pair of return AirAsia flights from Kuala Lumpur to Pattaya, Thailand, for his emotional recreation of a childhood photo. In the throwback, one-year-old Lin is cradled in his 26-year-old father's arms. Decades later, in a touching reversal of roles, 29-year-old Lin now carries his 54-year-old father on his back, smiling wide. The gesture is mirrored by a heartfelt caption: 'You were the one who carried me then. Now, it is my turn to carry you toward a better future.' Lin recalled moments such as his father taking a salary advance to buy him a laptop for university, proof that love does not always need words. Sometimes, it is shown through quiet, powerful acts.
More prizes
The prize list did not end there. Participants stood a chance to win from a generous pool of
rewards worth over RM50,000, including the Applecrumby Essentials Set, PS1 and PS2 tickets to Daesung's 'D's Wave' 2025 Asia Tour in Malaysia, a Vivo V50 Lite smartphone and Vivo TWS 3e earbuds, 2D1N stays at Lost World of Tambun Floating Villa and Sunway Lagoon Villas (for two adults), SWS Family Chicken Essence and home appliances consisting of the Tefal Duo Power JF4031 and Tefal Delirice Max Rice Cooker RK7778.
Damodara Devandaran from Bukit Mertajam, Penang.
Winners also received dining vouchers for Sichuan Kitchen, The Mesh and O'Briens Café, along with exclusive collectibles, such as the Starbucks and miffy collection. Additional treats included admission tickets to Sunway Lagoon Night Park Captain Quack Land, Lost World Hot Springs Night Park and Sk8te City Kuala Lumpur.
Last year's campaign, held in conjunction with Mother's Day, saw the launch of the Super Mom Contest, celebrating mothers through love and storytelling. Participants were invited to share a meaningful photo with their mum alongside a heartfelt message on Facebook and in return, theSun rewarded winners with prizes worth RM30,000.
What began as a digital contest became a collective celebration of family ties. This contest served as a rare and meaningful pause, a return to old memories and a reminder to cherish the people in them.
To view the full list of winners, visit theSun's official Facebook, Instagram or TikTok pages and a big thank you to all participating sponsors for making this contest possible.
Whether or not they walked away with prizes, each participant walked away with something arguably more valuable – the chance to relive a cherished memory and create a
new one in its place.
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