Mohammad Hasif, First Malaysian In Apple’s Developer Recognition Programme
By R. Vikneswaran
KUALA LUMPUR, May 14 (Bernama) -- Software engineer Mohammad Hasif Afiq has made history as the first Malaysian to be featured in Apple’s newly introduced Developer Recognition programme.
The 30-year-old, who currently serves as a senior iOS engineer at Grab, is among approximately 50 developers and community leaders recognised globally in the initiative’s inaugural batch.
Hasif described the recognition from the global tech giant as a surreal and emotional moment, after being notified via an official email from Apple’s Developer Relations team yesterday.
“My first reaction was complete disbelief. I genuinely thought I had read it wrongly, so I reread the email a few times before immediately going to the Apple Developer website to confirm it for myself.
“Once it finally sank in, I felt shocked, excited and deeply grateful at the same time. Knowing that I was the only Malaysian featured made the moment even more surreal and emotional for me,”he told Bernama when contacted.
He said the first people he shared the news with were his wife and parents.
Hasif said the recognition represents more than just a personal achievement, describing it instead as a proud moment for Malaysia’s local developer ecosystem.
“Being featured by Apple means a lot to me personally because it represents recognition from a company and ecosystem that has inspired me throughout my journey as a developer. Apple has always set a very high standard for innovation, creativity and user experience, so to be acknowledged by them is truly an honour.
“I hope this can inspire more Malaysian developers to confidently showcase their work and contribute to the global developer community. Talent exists everywhere, including Malaysia, and I believe this recognition shows that our work can also gain international attention and appreciation,” he said.
Hasif said his interest in app development began at the age of 17, driven by a fascination with Apple’s technology, which led him to build small projects through self-learning and experimentation before pursuing a Bachelor of Computer Science at Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Shah Alam.
Hasif said that over the years, he has developed several applications, including Amalan Mukmin, Vacay, Hidayah App, Lylyn App and Bantu App, with some gaining strong traction locally, especially the Bantu App during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In his professional career, Hasif helped build the Boost Business application from the ground up and was among the pioneer engineers at GXBank, Malaysia’s first digital bank, before joining Grab to develop products used by millions across the region.
Reflecting on his journey, Hasif said one of the biggest challenges he faced as a developer was adapting to the rapidly evolving technology industry, with much of his learning coming through self-learning, trial and error, and independently solving technical issues.
Hasif believes his efforts in fostering the local developer community caught Apple’s attention, particularly through the co-founding of SwiftLah! in April 2025 as a community initiative for iOS developers and Apple enthusiasts in Malaysia.
The group has since grown from seven members to over 200 through regular meetups, technical sharing sessions and networking events.
“I think Apple values not only developers who build products, but also developers who contribute back to the ecosystem and help grow the community around them.
“Malaysia has a lot of talented developers who are capable of building world-class products. The challenge is usually not talent, but exposure, opportunities and access to the right platforms and communities,” he said.
-- BERNAMA
