24-year-old Lim Tong Xin was named the winner at the 2026 UOB Painting of the Year (Malaysia) for “She Waited” — a moving portrait inspired by her grandmother’s final year of life. In addition to receiving the RM100,000 cash prize, Lim will represent Malaysia at the regional finals in Singapore on Oct 28. Meanwhile, 47-year-old Harpreet Kaur took home the Most Promising Artist of the Year award for her artwork, “Matriarch”. The awards were presented on Sept 25 at Sentul Pavilion KL, where UOB Malaysia CEO Datuk Ng Wei Wei celebrated the transformative impact of local art.