Shafirul azmi bin suhaimi

Shafirul Azmi bin Suhaimi Jawi شافيرول عزمي سوهايمي (born May 4, 1980) is a Malaysian citizen born in Sabah. He is one of the famous contemporary dance choreographers in the country. The basis of his dance moves was greatly influenced by the martial arts called Silat, a gesture of Sabah and Sarawak traditions that made his choreography very unique and interesting. In addition, he has often adopted site-specific, post-modern ideologies in his work.

Biography

He is a native of Kampung Contoh Kuala Petagas, Putatan, Sabah. The village is located near the town's airport and is near downstream of the Petagas River, which joint to the sea. It is also located between the Gorongon Beach and Vor Hill. He is the second of four siblings due to the marriage of Suhaimi Magi and Kamsia Mohd Noor. His father, Suhaimi Magi is from the Kampung Angan-Angan, Chinta Mata at Tenom district, while his mother, Kamsia Binti Mohd Noor comes from Kampung Buang Sayang, Papar. Both his parents are Sabah Bumiputeras because they were born in Sabah before the  North Borneo Self-government Day.

Education

In 1987, he attended Menteng 1 Jakarta Primary School in Indonesia. It is a legendary school that once housed the statue of former US President Barack Obama. In 1988 he went to Sabah, Malaysia to enter grades 2 through 6 at Tanjung Aru Primary School. In 1993-1997 he attended the Sabah High School. Upon graduating from the Malaysian Certificate of Education. in 1997, he traveled to Peninsular Malaysia to gain a deeper knowledge in the arts and culture. Finally with determination to succeed, in 2010 he earned a Bachelor of Dance with Honours (Choreography) at the National Academy of Arts, Culture and Heritage (ASWARA)

Occupation

career based on years

Published works

He has been involved in many contemporary performances including Gerak Angin (Sutra Dance Theatre), Jamming The Box (Nyoba Kan and The Actors Studio), Curfew (Five Arts Center), Spring In Kuala Lumpur (Japan Foundation), AWAS (ASWARA) and The Light Show (Annexe Central Market). His musical work includes Ronggeng Rokiah, ANTARA, P. Ramlee, Kasih Menanti and Tun Abdul Razak at Istana Budaya, and TUNKU at KLPac. His own choreographic works are IBN, Let's Swim, Kabur, Tabung Uji, Niaki, Pipit, Hari+Hari, Escape, Typhoon, Transporter, Shakti, Tapak 4 and Cik Mah. He is always looking for unusual ideas for traditional-based art works, and favours productions with a collaborative element. He also did a research on the dance of the Malay Cocos in Tawau. He also did some commercial work for television programme.

Awards

Anugerah Seni Negara 2006 young talent category (dance choreography)

Jasabah organization

Throughout his experience in acquiring knowledge in Peninsular Malaysia, he felt that as a Sabah Bumiputera who was concerned about the situation of Sabahans in Peninsular Malaysia, there are citizens that are very poor and in-need of help. With the initiative of several Sabahans, he has agreed to set up a non-profit Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) to defend the welfare of Sabahans in Peninsular Malaysia. This organization is called Jasabah. He is the founder and chairman of this organization along with other Sabahans who serve as volunteers.

Political Party

He became political candidate and recently appointed as Division Head of StarSabah Petagas following the opposition leader of Sabah State Legislative Assembly Datuk Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan the president of Homeland Solidarity Party StarSabah because DDJK responded to his report and memorandum on Sabahan people's rights in Peninsular Malaysia especially for Sabah Territory. As a young leader and bumiputra Sabah, he want the people of Sabah to know their rights to claim the same as Malay bumiputra in Article 153 of the Constitution of Malaysia expecially those involving claims from federal government. The important issue such as Sabahan entrepreneurs places and traders in Kuala Lumpur because it is one of federal government project Economic Transformation Programme in National Key Economic Area (NKEA). It is called the Greater Kuala Lumpur. In addition, the claims are not limited to scholarships, jobs, positions of senior government officials and more, especially when the federal has high impact project in this country. Last but not least, he and his people stood with the party by rejecting the idea from Warisan government on 'Pas Sementara Sabah'.