Amber Chia

the beauty of grace 

By Bissme S

AMBER CHIA has graced over 200 magazine covers, walked on runways in six continents, starred in seven films, authored two books and has been the ambassador for over 30 brands.

She also runs a modelling agency that bears her name, the Amber Chia Academy, and even manages to balance her busy career and motherhood, raising her nine-year-old son Ashton together with her husband and business partner Adrian Wong.

Chia’s claim to fame came in 2005, when she became the first Asian model to be featured in the international campaign for Guess Watches.

Her star soared in 2009 when British singer and renowned fashion designer Victoria Beckham personally selected her to present the Victoria Beckham Autumn/Winter 2009 Ready to Wear Collection at that year’s New York Fashion Week.

The road to stardom was not a rosy one. Chia’s childhood in Tawau, Sabah was filled with poverty and hardship. At age eight, she was given away to foster parents, only returning to her birth parents four years later.

At 15, she dropped out of school to help her parents run their fish stall in the market. She even took up two other jobs. At 17, she left for Kuala Lumpur to become a model, and the rest, as they say, is history.

In this exclusive interview with theSun at her office in Petaling Jaya, Chia recalled the challenges she has faced, and the future that lies ahead.

*You started Amber Chia Academy in 2010. How has your academy grown over the last decade?

“When we first started the academy, we only offered modelling and makeup courses. Over the years I have added more courses to the academy, for example photography and grooming, and we even have child and teenage modelling courses [now].

“The child modelling courses are for [ages] eight to 12 years old, and the teenage modeling courses are for [ages] 13 to 16.

“I want to guide the new generation of models with the experiences I have gained. These courses [will help them] build a certain level of confidence.

“In the past, parents would not allow their children to be models. They always associate modelling with drugs, alcohol, late night clubbing and prostitution.

“Now they are saying to their children: ‘You can be like Amber Chia.’ I am glad to see the change in perceptions.”

*What kind of mother are you?

“My career kept me busy, and I felt very guilty for not spending time with my son. So, I spoilt him.

“I bought him things to make him happy. But slowly, I realised I was buying him things to make myself feel good because I was not spending time with him. That should not be the case. I should be spending quality time with him. I should be educating him to be grateful for the life he has.

“I remember when he was very young, I took him to visit an orphanage. He saw children who had less than what he had, and he appreciated his life more. I should be doing more of these activities with him.”

*Next year you will be turning 40. Are you afraid of getting older?

“I have so many friends who passed away at a young age. I am grateful to be alive every day, and [that] I am still healthy and can chase my dreams and spend time with my loved ones.

“I believe in growing old gracefully. I have seen some grandmothers in their 70s and 80s who still look beautiful. Some people look stunning with white hair, and I do not mind having [that].

“If I was in my 90s and someone wants me to [walk the runway], I will take my walking stick and walk. I will feel proud to be the oldest model on the catwalk.

“You can look good at any age. Looking good takes effort and energy. I believe there are no ugly women, only lazy ones.”

*Have you any regrets about your childhood?

“Not at all. My difficult childhood gave me a stronger soul to face failures and rejection.

“For example, I was rejected more than 50 times before I became a successful model. Each time I was rejected, I learned to stand up and brush aside the [disapppointment] and started hunting for other modelling assignments.

“Once, I got a gig at a fashion show. But none of the clothes fit me. I was told to go [straight home], in front of so many other models. I felt humiliated. I cried my eyes out the whole night.

“The next morning, I learned to put the [emotions] behind me and went on a diet.

“Today, I find some youngsters are easily dejected when they get [turned down] after just three auditions. They want to quit modelling immediately.

“You have [to persevere] if you want to have a career in the industry. You need to accept [that failure] is going to be a part of your journey. You should not be afraid of failure. In fact, failure is supposed to make a better version of you.”

*Some claim eating disorders are a common thing in the modelling world. What is your view of this issue?

“An eating disorder is never healthy. It destroys your body. When you are not healthy, you will never look beautiful.

“Good health is an important key to looking beautiful. You need good health to shine from the inside. I believe you should adopt a healthy lifestyle.

“You have to be choosy over what you want to eat. For example, in the past I [hated] eating salads. Slowly, I added salads to my diet, and now I love eating salads.”

Neelofa

THE saying goes that “winners never quit”, and 30-year-old Malaysian actress and TV presenter Noor Neelofa Mohd Noor, better known as Neelofa, certainly fits this bill.

She has bravely faced obstacles, hurdles and betrayals to build a multi-million ringgit beauty and fashion business empire through her company NH Prima Sdn Bhd.

She has also won many awards for her entrepreneurship skills, including the Forbes Asia under 30 class 2017, SME 2017 Celebrity Entrepreneur of The Year, and The Iconic Role Model Award.

She is best known as the founder of the company Naelofar Hijab, which is one of the most successful hijab brands in Malaysia today.

In this exclusive interview with theSun, Neelofa talks about her childhood years, her business inspirations and what she looks for in her ideal soul mate.

*Describe your childhood years.

“My childhood years were adventurous and fun. I climbed trees. I jumped in the river. My friends and I stole eggs from my neighbour’s chicken coop and played ‘masak-masak.’ Today kids are spending too much time in their house playing with their iPads, and I do not envy them.

*Who influenced you to be an entrepreneur?

“My family. Everyone in my family – my grandfather, my grandmother, my father and my mother – has their own business. My mother used to buy clothing materials from Dubai and Mecca, and sold them here.

“The first business I started was Lofa Heels. I was only 18. I personally delivered the shoes to my clients.”

*What are some of the challenges you faced in setting up your business?

“When we first started our hijab collection in 2013, we got our supply from a company in Lebanon. Unfortunately, the company could not supply enough material to us.

“Our stockists and agents were hammering us. So, we decided to take control, and designed our own hijab. That way, we could decide how much we want to produce.

“When we grew, we hired more staff. Unfortunately, some of them betrayed our trust.

“They stole our data and our designs, and sold them to our competitor. A few even sold our products through the back door just to make an easy profit.”

*It must have been painful to have your trust betrayed. Did you feel like giving up?

“We did not want them to win. We fought back. We hired consultants to solve the problem and tie up the loose ends.

“But last year, I wanted to quit. I run my business with three of my siblings. We have different opinions about how to expand our business. I wanted to leave the business in their hands and quit. But slowly, we compromised, and now we have a better relationship.”

*What are the biggest sacrifices you have made to be where you are today?

“My career keeps me very busy. I missed a lot of my family gatherings. My grandfather passed away last year. I promised to visit him more often and I failed to keep my promise.

“My younger brother has grown up so fast and I was not an important figure during his childhood years. But you can’t have everything. Sacrifices are needed in life.

“But when I became a mother, I do not want to want to miss their childhood years, and I will definitely slow down my career.”

*We heard you are penetrating the overseas market. Is that true?

“I have signed a deal with an agency in France where I will be promoted as the face for hijab fashion in the European market. For now, I will attend fashion shows in France, Milan (Italy), and the United States where I will get some exposure. Once I am established, they will slowly get to know my brand. I am also negotiating to host an entertainment show in Indonesia.”

*As an actress, some expected you to start a production house and produce films.

“I never dreamt of going behind the camera and creating stories. Acting happened by accident.

“When I won the Dewi Remaja crown in 2010, a film director (Aziz M. Osman) offered me a film role. I accepted the offer because I was curious about the acting world.

“But I never liked waiting on the set for my scenes. It can get so hot! I do not think I will ever return to acting. If they ever shoot a film in a cooler climate, then I might reconsider the offer.”

Some fans never stop asking about marriage. Do you get tired of answering this question?

“I understand their curiosity. Getting married is like starting a new chapter in your life, and they are interested in my new chapter.

“I want someone who is matured, responsible and easily adaptable. Some of my friends kept telling me that guys are afraid to approach me because of my status and what I have achieved.

“But I will never play myself down, just to please a man. He has to accept me for what I am. I cannot change. I cannot fake it. I believe God created us in pairs and one day, I will find my pair.”

Mugen Rao

Big dreams of kollywoo

By Bissme S

THIS has been a great year for Mugen Rao. The local entertainer was a contestant on season 3 of the Tamil-language version of Bigg Boss, a popular reality television game show produced in India, becoming its first Malaysian participant.

He then created history by beating 16 other contestants to become the first Malaysian winner on the show.

In Bigg Boss, contestants live together in a house and are cut off from the outside world. This creates tension and drama, and the audience is treated to huge outbursts of emotions from the contestants. Contestants are slowly voted out, week by week, and the last one left will win a cash prize.

What motivated Mugen to join Bigg Boss? He said: “I saw the first season in 2017 and I loved it. I told my family I wanted to be a contestant.”

The show, he said, taught him patience, how to handle different personalities and how to live without a handphone.

Besides winning the title, his fondest memory was mingling with the show’s host, the legendary actor Kamal Hassan.

“His dedication to his art really impressed me,” said Mugen. “He is so humble. I remember I was stunned when I first met him. I was at a loss for words.”

There have been accusations that, in order to win votes and the hearts of the audience, Mugen was manipulative and told sob stories of an unhappy childhood and of suffering mental anguish over his parents’ arguments.

He said: “Victory is never easy. You have to face the consequences of your win. If someone else had won, there would be people who would have found flaws in him.

“I think there were more positive things said about me [than negative]. We should focus on the positive comments and dismiss the negative.”

Mugen certainly has no time to worry about his critics, as it looks like 2020 will be a busy year for the 24-year-old. After his win, Mugen was flooded with acting offers from the Indian film industry. He also received offers to write songs for Kollywood films.

He has already accepted offers to act in two romantic comedies, and shooting for the first film starts in early January.

Asked why he decided to act in romantic comedies, he said: “So far, I am seen as the good boy next door and these roles will be perfect for me.”

But in future, he wants to take on different roles to become a more versatile actor. He also hopes to play negative roles which he described as “always interesting and unpredictable”.

For now, he wants to build a name for himself in the Kollywood film industry. However, he dismissed rumours that he would be moving to India for good in order to focus on the Tamil film industry there.

“I will never forget Malaysia,” he said. “This is where I started my career.”

Instead, Mugen plans to work with local talents here and to produce films in Malaysia.

“But first, I need to establish myself in India,” he says.

“If you are famous in India, there will be more people inclined to support you to do projects here.”

He is also open to the possibility of acting in Malay films as he believes it will broaden his horizon and attract a new segment of fans. He has already appeared in two episodes of popular Malay TV cop show, Gerak Khas.

Mugen is also grateful that his newfound fame is allowing him to do good in society.

“I love giving motivational talks,” he said. “I tell people to not give up on life and to believe in their dreams. When you are famous, people will listen.”

Of course there are also challenges to his growing fame.

“Not everyone likes you when you are famous,” he said. “People will start talking bad about you. At the same time, you will lose some privacy as [people] will be watching you.”

Mugen said he was “very negative” as a teenager. He chose to become a more positive person when he turned 18, and he found his life changing for the better.

“I believe in the law of attraction. You become what you believe in,” he said.

Being an entertainer was not Mugen’s first choice of career. When he was younger he wanted to become a police officer.

Unfortunately, when he was 18, a robber stole his handphone and wallet, and also wounded his hand with a samurai sword.

Mugen said: “I thought I would never be able to use my hand muscles again, so I decided to forget my dream to be a police officer and I became an entertainer instead.”

Fortunately Mugen had some experience with the entertainment industry, as his father was a part-time singer.

“I used to follow my father to his singing functions and he encouraged me to sing to the crowd,” he said.

“From my father, I learnt to sing and from my mother, I learnt about love. She has always loved me unconditionally.”

Speaking of love, Mugen admitted to having someone special in his life, but said he was not ready to divulge details yet.

He said: “She is my best friend. Love is something you should focus on in life. It keeps your heart happy.”

Affandi Jamaludin

Film editor Affandi Jamaludin  was kind enough to show me his house. It was prominently featured in theSun 

Headline : A Balinese Haven 

By Bissme S 

FILM editor Affandi Jamaludin’s two-storey home in Sungai Penchala combines elements including running water, natural wood accents and rustic paintings to evoke an earthy atmosphere.

“For many years, my family and I [have enjoyed] holidays in Bali,” he says.

They loved its beaches and wooden resort homes. So, when he decided to built a house on a piece of vacant land in Sungai Penchala, he looked to Bali for inspiration.

The house took nearly 18 months to build, and the family have been living there for the past 10 years.

Almost all the interior accents and furniture were bought in Yogyakarta. It appears Affandi has successfully built a ‘little Bali’ inside his house.

“Now, we make fewer trips to Bali,” he says with a laugh.

Upon entering the home, the first thing that draws attention is the fish pond in the middle of the living room.

Affandi says : “In Bali, you find the fish pond will be out in the garden. I decided to think out of the box, and brought the fish pond inside the home.”

He also built a gazebo at the end of his living room, with a view of the fish pond, making the room feel like it is an island surrounded by water.

“I love the sound of water,” says the renowned film editor, who has worked on most of the late Yasmin Ahmad’s films such as Sepet, Gubra and Talentime.

Affandi’s unique choice of artworks add to the atmosphere. One painting features the front of a bicycle sticking out of the canvas, while the rear end rear of the bicycle is on another.

Usually this kind of 3D art is mostly found in art museums, not in a home.

He says: “I remember the young artist who sold me the painting asking me why I am buying besi buruk (junk).”

Well, the ‘besi buruk’ certainly blends beautifully with the rest of his artworks, which he buys from art students.

He says: “Firstly, I want to help the students. Secondly, I can get the art cheap. I [can say I] got the art before they became famous.”

On the second floor, we got a look at his TV room, where posters of the films he has edited hang on his wall. The awards he has won are also displayed proudly on the table situated by the staircase.

One thing he did before building his house was discuss all his intended renovations with his neighbours.

“The last thing I want to do is to block their view,” he said.

“I do not want to create a hostile atmosphere. I want to get along with my neighbours. You must learn to adapt to your surroundings.”

Some of the pictures of his home 

ROH

Roh is a slow burn horror thriller that I watched recently. I Interviewed the director as well as the leading lady ... 

Headline; Horror From The Past 
By Bissme S

After watching the slow-burn horror film Roh, I was overwhelmed by a sense of helplessness. According to the filmmakers, that means they have done their job.

“There are things you cannot control in life,” says Emir Ezwan, 40, who directed and wrote the screenplay for Roh.

“Sometimes you have to ‘berserah’ (surrender to fate). The whole universe does not revolve around you.”

Made on a budget of RM360,000, the film premiered at the Singapore International Film Festival late last year, and opens in Malaysian cinemas on March 19.

The cast includes Farah Ahmad, Mhia Farhana, Harith Haziq, Namron, Junainah M. Lojong and Putri Syahidah Nurqaseh.

The story takes place in an unspecified time, focusing on a mother and her two young children who stay in a house located in the jungle, living somewhat isolated from society.

They find a young girl roaming around their backyard, and take her into their home.

The following morning, in the most eerie manner, the young girl makes a prediction that everyone in the family will die.

After making the prediction, she slashes her own throat.

Things then get worse for the family of three. Will the prediction come true? Who will die, and who will survive?

Director Emir says: “I want my audience to feel like they are watching folklore or an urban legend.”

He felt that keeping the time period the film is set in vague would help him achieve this goal.

He says: “I want my story to feel like a myth.”

Describing his feelings after completing his first feature film, Emir, who holds a Bachelor in Computer and Electronics Engineering, says: “It is like an orchestra. You have to manage everyone. You have to depend on your team to deliver what you have in your mind.

“Directing is different from writing. When you are writing, you are alone and you do not collaborate with anyone.”

One wonders if he is happy with how Roh turned out?

Laughing, he says: “It is like having a kid. It is what it is. You have to be proud of your kid, no matter what.”

In 2016, he directed a 13-minute short film titled RM10, based on a short story by Regina Ibrahim. Done in one take, the short film focused on how a bank note is passed from one hand to another over one night in a busy bustling city.

The short film won numerous awards at several film festivals including Festival Film Malaysia, Cinema Grand Prix, Speechless Film Festival and Dakino International Film Festival.

Coming back to Roh, I find everyone delivered credible performances, especially Namron who plays a mysterious stranger who seems to be searching for something sinister in the forest. Revealing too much about his character will only spoil the fun for the audience.

The other plus point of the film is the director successfully created an atmosphere of creepiness in the film, from beginning to end.

Yet, I feel the slow pacing of the film might not sit well with the majority of Malaysian audiences, who tend to prefer that everything be presented in a fast and furious manner.

Emir has a justification for the film’s pace. He says: “Sometimes, as a filmmaker, you have to give something to your audience that they are not familiar with.”

This view is supported by leading actress Farah, who plays the mother. She believes audiences will not have any difficulty accepting the pacing of the film.

“Over time, Malaysian audiences have become more clever [and can] accept a film like Roh,” says Farah, 43, who started her career in the theatre scene before moving to the big screen.

“We are presenting a very different kind of horror,” adds Farah, who began acting way back in 1998 and has been in the entertainment industry for more than two decades.

She admits that the hardest thing she had to face during filming were the mosquitoes at the location shoot in Banting.

With a laugh, she says: “Everyone in the cast will say the same thing, and the worst is that you can never negotiate with mosquitoes to leave you alone.”

Interestingly the actress portraying her daughter in the film is also her real-life daughter, 13-year-old Mhia. This is the third time the mother-and-daughter duo have acted together.

Ironically, the first time the two acted together was in a telefilm where Farah starred as a grandmother to Mhia!

Their second joint effort was in a short film where Farah played an adopted mother to Mhia.

“I love working with my daughter,” she says.

In Roh, their characters’ relationship is very tense, and filled with hostility.

“There was a scene in the film where we have an argument and my daughter had to call me ‘bodoh’ (stupid),” she says.

“My daughter could not bring herself to call me bodoh. She even cried on the set.”

It took her some time to convince her daughter to carry out the scene, and in the end, everything worked out perfectly.

Sherry Alhadad

Sherry Alhadad is a talented personality. She talks about her childhood years and the fat shaming she had faced in the entertainment career 

 

Headline: Born to Entertain
By Bissme S 

ACTRESS and TV presenter Shariffah Mariam Syed Abdullah Al Hadad, better known as Sherry Alhadad, has a wicked sense of humour that brightens up any room.

It’s no wonder that this funny girl is currently one of the most sought after TV presenters and emcees.

She has always dreamed of entertaining people and bringing bright smiles to their faces.

She has a diploma in acting, as well as a degree in directing from Akademi Seni Warisan Kebangsaan (Aswara).

She first made her name on the stage, before moving to the screen, with roles in both telefilms and feature films such as Rembat, My Stupid Boss and Gol & Gincu Vol. 2.

She is also busy preparing for her stage show in mid-June titled Perempuan Power where she will be performing comedy sketches.

* Describe your childhood years.

“I am the youngest among four children. I was not shy. I had an active imagination. I loved to watch television. I would re-enact what I saw on television. I would even perform in front of strangers.”

*What is your worst childhood memory?

“When I was nine, my father, who had retired from the army, died from a stroke. I was very close to him. His death affected me very much.”

*You have acted on stage and on screen. What is your favourite medium?

“I am more alive on the stage. I love the idea that on the stage, you have to tell the story from beginning to end chronologically, therefore you have to be in character from beginning to end.

“This is not the case with the screen. You shoot your scenes randomly. You may shoot the last scene on the first day of your shoot. The film editor will paste all the scenes together in his lab.

So I feel you [cannot stay] in character onscreen.

“I also love the fact that you get instant reactions onstage. You can feed on the energy from your audience and it motivates you to give a more robust performance.

“Frankly speaking, I have problems watching myself onscreen. I get annoyed ... My gestures are so exaggerated. When you do theatre, everything has to be big, from your emotions to your expression.

Sometimes, foolishly, I bring this element to the screen and what works for the stage will not work for the screen.”

*You have been subjected to fat shaming several times in your career. How do you feel about that?

“When I was studying in Aswara, I went to audition for plays that the students were directing. I was never chosen. I understood their motivation for not taking me. So I created my own opportunities.

“I directed a play called Kalaulah Kalau, where it was a solo show where I talked about my desire to be a thin woman, in a funny manner. Everyone loved the play and began to see me in a different light.

“I remember the first time I hosted an entertainment television show, everyone was just talking about my size on social media. They told the producer to get rid of me because of my size. Nobody talked about the good job I was doing.

“Of course I felt sad that people judged me [over my appearance]. It hurt to read all those harsh comments.

“But I refused to let them break me. I refused to play the victim of circumstances.

“I am not the kind of person who will cry in one corner, and complain why life has been unfair to me.

“You just need to learn to rise above all that.

“You need to love yourself first before others can love you.”

* You turned 36 this year. The entertainment industry is known to have an ageist attitude. Are you afraid you will get fewer opportunities as you grow older?

“I used to be afraid of that. I thought that when I turn 40, my career will be over. Now I do not think so.

“I believe I can always go behind the camera, as a producer, director and screenwriter.

“I have directed stage plays before. I have written for stage productions. I can direct more stage plays. I can write more plays.

“Who knows? I might want to direct my first screen production.

“I have started a production house with Farah Rani (a stage actress) and Shamaine Othman (film director-cum-stand up comedian) called Perempuan Productions.

“We produced our first telefilm Gang last year.”

* Would you like to change anything about your career?

“Onstage, I do play a great variety of roles. But onscreen, I always get stereotyped. I only get comedy roles. I would like that to change.

“For example, I would like to play a role like the one Kathy Bates did in [1990 psychological horror film] Misery.”

* In Misery, there is a scene where Kathy Bates smashed the legs of her captive with a sledgehammer. Whose legs would you like to smash if given the chance to do so?

“Your legs. You are a writer, too, just like the character in the film [laughs].”

Naim Daniel

I have interviewed the singer Naim Daniel and he is full inspiration. Here is the story 

Headline :The People's Sweetheart  

By Bissme S

THE higher we are placed, the more humbly we should walk. This saying aptly describes 22-year-old singer-songwriter Naim Daniel, who recently saw success knock at his door.

He was declared the champion of the 34th edition of popular song competition Anugerah Juara Lagu, which took place at Axiata Arena, Bukit Jalil in February this year. He performed his award-winning song Sumpah to a standing ovation.

His win came as a surprise to all, as Naim was the definite dark horse of the competition.

But not everyone was impressed by his success. A veteran TV host and actor aggressively questioned the validity of his victory on social media.

Naim could have easily returned a venomous reply, and an ugly tweet war would have erupted between the two celebrities.

But the young man took the high road. He thanked the veteran celebrity for his advice, and promised to be a better performer.

Everyone was impressed by the young man’s maturity, and his ability to remain calm in the face of harsh criticism.

He tells theSun: “You have the power to be good ... You have the power to be bad ... You have the power to be kind. It is all at the tip of your finger. We are feeding on negativity too much these days. We need more good vibes in the world at the moment.”

He pointed out that three years ago when he was a struggling singer, he posted some of his songs on social media, which also earned him plenty of criticism.

“The listeners on social media can be extremely blunt,” he says.

“A few even suggested that I should stop singing altogether. My family had a hard time reading those harsh comments. My mother even cried.”

Honestly, he admits that some comments were hurtful. But once again, he took the high road and refused to engage with his vicious social media critics.

“It costs zero ringgit to be kind,” he says. “I really love the phrase ‘Kill them with kindness’. Besides, I have chosen to be a singer, and as a singer, you are dealing with so many comments, every day. You cannot please everyone. Listening to criticism is a part of your job. You adapt to the situation. You have to suck it up, no matter how hard it gets. That is the life I have signed up for.”

His showmanship at the competition was admired and highly praised. He wore makeup to look like a 2D animated character to perform Sumpah.

Some have said he reminded them of the late legendary singer Sudirman, who always put extra effort in his showmanship.

Sudirman famously wore a costume made from the Malaysian flag, and even performed dressed as Charlie Chaplin.

Naim is extremely grateful for the comparison.

He says: “I grew up listening to him. I am a big fan. Sudirman is the people’s sweetheart. When you are the people’s sweetheart, they want to protect you. It will be great if people remember me the way they remember [him]. I want to be [their] sweetheart, too.”

One wonders if his next Anugerah Juara Lagu performance will be just as grand.

“I have always believed that art is to express, not to impress,” he says.

“When you are impressing your audience, it is no longer art. My main aim is to make the audience [feel] connected to my song.”

His steady sense of maturity can be explained by the fact that he started out his career as a child artiste at the age of eight.

Naim, who has acted in more than 100 telefilms, feature films and commercials, says: “I got the chance to hang out with the senior actors on the set while waiting for my scene. I saw how they handled their careers. I learned from them.”

The story of how Naim started his entertainment career is pure serendipity. His parents worked as caterers on film sets, and he would often follow them to work.

At the time, film director Fairuz Loy was searching for a child actor for the telefilm Igauan Semalam, and he decided to hire Naim.

“I am an accidental actor,” he says.

But it is a totally different story when it comes to singing.

He explains: “From young, I dreamed of becoming a singer. I was always singing in front of the mirror with the comb as my mic. I was pretending I was entertaining a huge crowd.”

Naim has even earned a diploma in music. He plans on cutting his first album soon, with nine songs, and expresses a keen interest at starting a restaurant business that serves traditional Malay food.

“I’ve never liked fast food,” he says.

“I love home cooked food, like sambal ikan bilis and udang sambal.”

One can expect these dishes to be fixtures on the menu at any restaurant he opens in the future.

When he is not working, he always spends his time with his family.

“I love staying at home and arguing with my mother,” jokes Naim, who has three other siblings.

“When I am not around, my mother feels bored. She said that she has no one to argue with.”

It can be seen that both mother and son have a charming, warm relationship.

“My mother still ‘suap’ (handfeeds) me,” he says with a huge laugh.