Law Student : Samjis Mohammad Jan

While Samjis Mat Jan continues to paint portraits of Malay ladies, typically dressed primly, he differs from his APS predecessors like Dato' Hoessein Enas and Mazli Mat Som in the manner he selects and handles his subjects. While Dato' Hoessein and Mazli preferred landscapes, Samjis turned his attention to urban life, focusing on restless Malay adolescents 'lepak-ing' (loitering) in jeans. He began this in the 1980s with classic pieces like Rendezvous (1984) and Missing Link. He has painted portraits of Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamed, Tun Musa Hitam, the 8th Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Iskandar Ismail, Raja Permaisuri Agong Sultanah Zanariah, the Royal families of Selangor, Kedah, and Perlis, as well as the 1st Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Abdul Rahman. Along with sociohistorical writings, he also created the Merdeka Declaration of Independence. Samjis completed his studies at the Mara Institute of Technology, failing the School of Building's architecture programme while earning a diploma in fine art in 1981. His primary and secondary schooling both took place in Malacca and Terengganu, respectively.