IABF 2025: The merchants of cool

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IABF 2025: The merchants of cool

Poetry and musical collectives, Ipoh place makers and NGOs make the Ipoh Alternative Book Fest.

May 17, 2025

2–3 minutes

The Ipoh Alternative Book Fest was supported by the place makers: Ipoh cultural vanguards that make things happen in the city.

Benny Teh, a tech consultant and F&B entrepreneur provided cakoi (fried dough fritters) for lunch – and plenty of business ideas. The week before the event, he won the runner-up prize for a public speaking competition in Penang.

Tech consultant and F&B entrepreneur Benny Teh sponsored the event’s lunchtime cakoi. Thank you, Benny!

Arrived in style in the Chainsaw Man t-shirt.

Kak Iti, who did front of house duty at the event, runs a soup kitchen in Ipoh. These people are very much a part of the Ipoh cultural scene. And they supported the following collectives.

Kak Iti ran the front of house at the event. She runs a soup kitchen that feeds many homeless and elderly people in Ipoh.

Projek Rebel is a poetry collective that’s currently making waves in the literary scene. It mainly features contemporary poets, but also welcomes other forms of arts. We got acquainted with Projek Rebel through the Lumut Creative Festival 2025 that took place at our seaside hometown in February. A ‘technical glitch’ forced the poetry recitals and rock gigs to the car park but resulted in a memorable live performance.

Syafinaz (pictured left) organised the public relations and promotion of the event.

Syafinaz moderating a talk with author and poet Budi Citawan.

Projek Rabak is a multi-disciplinary artist collective based in Ipoh, Kuala Lumpur and London. Prior to the event we were greeted by its co-founder, Mohd. Jayzuan, a multi-talented songwriter, sound artist and author with an exciting vision to expand the collective’s work globally. The group is an art movement, collaborating with talents from the sound engineers at Laman Karya Lumut to artistic partners in Europe. It also has its own publication, Rabak Lit, that produces thought-provoking titles.

Musician Mohd Jayzuan was the co-founder of Projek Rabak and the curator of IABF 2025.

A panel of writers reading Shahnon Ahmad’s short stories to celebrate the 60th anniversary of his works in Malaysian Literature.

PORT Ipoh (PORT meaning People Of Remarkable Talents) is the cultural agency fully funded by the state of Perak. They supported the Lumut Creative Festival and this event. They make sure things get done so culture happens no matter what in this northern state.