Lyna Mohamad
Four Bruneians represented the country at the International Aquatic Plants Layout
Contest (IAPLC).
Muhammad Zul Hassana’in bin Abdul Halim, with his entry titled ‘Abode of Peace’ was ranked 333 out of 2,358, gaining his rating as top 14.1 per cent worldwide.
He said six months into the aquascaping hobby, he and his friends decided to challenge themselves by participating in the global competition.
“We did not have technical expertise to get into the top ranking, but were determined to learn and gain experience. To my surprise, my work ranked in the top 15 per cent worldwide and I am very proud to represent Brunei. I am already planning my next scape for next year’s competition, Insya Allah,” he said.
Ehsan Ibrahim’s ‘Peaceful Isolation’ ranked 818 and was in top 35 per cent worldwide. He was happy to represent the country and is looking forward to next year with a bigger aquarium set up.
Abdul Wafi bin A Jamil with his work ‘Nature’s Embrace’ ranked 908 with a rating of top 38.5 per cent worldwide. “With only a few months of experience, I still have a lot to learn. This hobby allowed me to recreate nature in my own home. I will try to aim higher next year and make Brunei proud,” he said.
Sebastian with his work ‘Green Zen’ ranked 1,364 and was rated among top 57 per cent. He hoped to see more contestants from Brunei for the next competition. “I am pleased to participate in the competition with other Bruneians who have achieved outstanding ranking this year. As an aquascaper, I believe every work and creation is unique and has its own beauty. We really like to see new scapes and styles being created from time to time.”
Attracting increasing attention from not only planted aquarium hobbyists but the public around the world, the competition was joined by 2,358 participants from 84 countries this year.
The IAPLC has been held annually for 19 years since its launch with the aim to promote the aquascaping hobby on a global scale, to encourage exchanges between fellow aquarists all over the world.