Hafiyan's the face behind a 'Spooktacular' Halloween

Photo by: Ng Xiao Yan

BY: NURUL 'AIN

From ghastly decorations, to uniquely-themed finger-food, many youths love attending Halloween parties organised at various locations in Singapore.


Hafiyan played a long-tongued ghost character (above) for Spooktacular.
However, did you know that the recent highly-acclaimed Halloween event, Spooktacular, attended by almost 5,000 partygoers had been organised by a group of Temasek Polytechnic (TP) students?



The Youth Voice caught up with one group member, third-year student from the Diploma in Leisure and Resort Management (LRM), Muhd Hafiyan Kamarudin, 19 years old, to find out more about his involvement and the group's achievements.

According to Hafiyan, the second child in family of four siblings, it was not easy being a spook. He had to stand at corners and scare the jolly partygoers.

The group of third-year LRM students responsible for Spooktacular - clockwise from top: Jasmine Seah, Evelyn Lim, Vanessa Lee, Dennis Lim, Muhd Hafiyan and Jayven Tan. Photo courtesy of Muhd Hafiyan.

"It is really difficult, because I have to portray myself, not as Hafiyan, but as someone else," said Hafiyan.

Hafiyan told Youth Tracker his group had been chosen by Sentosa Leisure Group (SLG) after presenting to them an Halloween party proposal for the Junior-level subject, Festivals and Events Management.

Hafiyan (left) being prepared by a freelance make-up artist hired by SLG. His character as the ghost of a Chinese coolie was part of the marketing strategy for Spooktacular.

They then took another 10 weeks to organise the whole event, after at least 5 other presentations and revisions by the SLG.

"We expected only 400 visitors per day. But almost 5,000 visitors came and filled up the museum area throughout the four days Spooktacular was held," he said.

Happening last October, Spooktacular was a four-day oriental spook-themed Halloween party located at the Images of Singapore Museum, Sentosa.

It is also believed to be amongst the first few events co-organised by TP and SLG and the first Halloween event at Sentosa after six years.

"I feel very satisfied and cannot believe we had been chosen. I'm very proud. It is truly an honour for me and it's a once in a lifetime opportunity.

"I have never regretted participating and if it is organised again next year, I will definitely participate," said Hafiyan, who aspires to pursue a career with the Attractions department of Sentosa.