Nik has been a big part of my beginnings in skating, him amongst other guys from the International School in Geneva, Switzerland...were the only young riders in Geneva. I didn't hang out much with the older skaters because I was kinda of a dickhead, but we all grow up and look back laughing at how stupid we were....anyway. Nik is a truly good friend, and I really miss the time we spent in Geneva, skating, talking shit, being young and having fun...he even made it to the same public school as I a few years later, and a couple before he moved back to Malaysia. I've seen him again of course, shortly, during comps, and I'm just glad he kept on rolling and I consider him as one of the sickest skaters in south east asia region! - Nicolas Schopfer
Words by Sukeats
Photos by Fazlan Adhili
After spending much of his childhood in Switzerland and Kuching, East Malaysia, Nik Suhaili recently made the move Kuala Lumpur, the nation’s city capital, and has been destroying skate spots and placing on top in almost every competition in the country. His tall, lanky and fluid style earned him a sponsorship from USD via Wheel Love Skateshop, of which I co-own.
The Petronas Twin Towers
Malaysia’s most identifiable landmark isn’t only the tallest twin towers in the world but also houses a shopping mall, aquarium complex, park, public swimming pool, symphony hall and some of the best street spots in the city.
Nik flosses through a negative makio on the ledges at the foot of the towers and proceeds to stale 180 the nearby bus stop’s roof to roof.
Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman
Alongside futuristic skyscrapers lies the soul of Kuala Lumpur. Pre-World War II buildings, leftovers from the British colonial days now house everything from Indian silk stores, Chinese herbal pharmacies to Malay restaurants. It is where you’ll find the everyday KL-ite.
With legs that start at his neck, lacing this chest high topsoul first try isn’t that big a deal. The soft and shaky plastic thrashcan was also front torque’d without a sweat.
Dataran Merdeka
The iconic Dataran Merdeka or Independence Square and the Sultan Abdul Samad building nearby played a big part in the nation’s birth. It was where the British flag was lowered and Malaysian flag was raised for the first time in 1957.
The flat bars across the road from the Moorish inspired Sultan Abdul Samad building deserves patriotic frontside full torque followed by a stale wallride at the base of one of the tallest flagpoles in the world.
Perdana Lake Gardens
Seen from the sky, KL is one green blob dotted with building tops. The one thing we’re good at is planting trees. With year-round sunshine and rain, they pretty much will grow anywhere.
The Perdana Lake Gardens is just one of the many green lungs in the city.
The National Planetarium’s sundial is just asking for this fishbrain stall.
Wheel Love Skateshop
For bladers by bladers, we’ve even claimed the nearby alley way by building copings and angle irons on every surface.
Negative mistrial to ao fishbrain to ao topside negative mistrial on the shop’s Grind Grand Ground ledge.
Mont Kiara Skatepark
The fact that Malaysia has more skateparks than most Asian countries may come as a surprise to some. We’ve got parks in almost every town and city in the country. Best of all, they’re all free to ride.
The Mont Kiara Skatepark is semi-sheltered and provides shelter from the almost daily rainfalls the city is famous for. Nik takes a break from the city heat with a lofty mute air and 540 spine to ramp transfer.
hey guys - cheese is right, Air Asia makes travelling to, from and within Malaysia cheap and easy.
drop me a note at sukeats@gmail.com if you're serious about a skate visit to Malaysia.
I recognise those spots, think that building at the end he trys to soul stall is a mosque! spent time passing few KL on my travels before, it's a cool city, glad to see some skaters ripping it up there!
To answer your question Matthias, air asia is based in Kl, which is the low cost asian air line and offers cheap flgihts all over south east aisa, it even flys to london. Malaysia is cheap, you can get the train or bus to singapore, singapore is expensive and boring though.
Personally, I prefer the less developed countries over there, thailand, cambodia, vietnam, laos. Haven't done India, but want to go!!
Malaysia is on the top place that I want to travel. City looks so interesting. Plus that chick is 100 % babe. Anyonw know how muhc it is to travel from there to say Singapore then Indonesia then India then China then Japan?