BATU GAJAH — For 73-year-old Chang Khin Fatt, discarded items such as plastic bottles and tree branches represent more than just waste — they are the raw materials for his creative lanterns and artworks. At his home in Papan, Chang described how he collects recyclable materials from various shops and repurposes them into decorative pieces without relying on external guides or patterns.

“My inspiration comes solely from my own imagination,” he said. His recent projects include butterfly and penguin-shaped lanterns, primarily crafted from detergent bottles, whose shape he found well-suited to his designs. He explained that the bottles resembled the contours of a penguin’s body, while sections could be cut to form butterfly wings. Chang said he aims to minimize waste whenever possible in his creations.

These lanterns were among those showcased in a Mid-Autumn Festival procession organized by a local temple in Batu Gajah last Saturday. He shared that he crafted nine butterfly and seven penguin lanterns for the event.

Chang’s interest in making lanterns from recycled materials dates back about three decades. The initial spark came when his son was assigned a school project to create a lantern using recyclable objects. Although Chang was initially reluctant, he eventually assisted his son as the deadline approached. Their collaboration earned first prize, an achievement that motivated Chang to explore the medium further. Since then, his work has garnered numerous awards and recognition.

The father of three noted that he has scaled back his participation in lantern competitions since the Covid-19 pandemic and the subsequent movement control order. “Now, I do it purely as a hobby,” he said. He described taking a more relaxed approach, creating lanterns and decorations at his own pace whenever inspiration strikes.

Chang’s work reflects a blend of environmental mindfulness and artistic expression, highlighting how repurposed materials can be transformed into culturally significant art forms.