Thank God for the public holiday later today. Yes I’m typing this in the wee hours of Tuesday night. Done with the second batch of photo editing. This time I’ll be featuring snapshots I took before Anugerah Planet Muzik 2014, during the commercial breaks as well as the post-event reception afterwards. Hope this would satiate your thirst for more photos before I post even more with the “Walk of the Stars” event in my following entry, which I hope to put up as soon as possible and finish off with my APM2014 review, hopefully before the end of next week. Yes, am taking my time because I am only doing this on a passion and hobby basis. If I’m doing this as a paid career, I would definitely post everything before the week is out. So yes, please continue visiting this site soon. Enjoy the public holiday today and hope you like this entry as well… :)

(Graphics poster courtesy of Mediacorp Malay Broadcast Division)

I really cannot thank the festive Deepavali public holiday enough cos I did not expect to post this entry so soon after the last one. I did promise that this entry will be snapshots of the “Walk of the Stars” event, a pseudo Red-Carpet event before Anugerah Planet Muzik 2014 commenced. I’ve been harping for years at the lack of a proper Red Carpet event for Anugerah Planet Muzik. But such events bring with it additional operating costs and the organisers were already working on a tight budget. Since we have been having this segment for years dating back to 2006, I believe this has become a unique feature of APM over the years, whether the local / foreign media brigade, myself or even industry peeps have reservations or not. I really hope that somewhere down the years, a kind sponsor would make the Red Carpet segment a reality, which we last witnessed in 2005.

This year’s segment, though it was sprinkled with stardust, however felt a bit short, since not many artistes were introduced to the audience. I was hoping the bevy of local artistes who attended the prestigious awards show last Friday night would at least be given their dues and brief few seconds of fame onstage. I personally feel that the local attendees, who made up a majority of the sold-out audience, deserved to at least know who are their local artistes, especially the bands, since they seldom appear on television through reasons only known by the people that matter in the production teams of television shows / events. I doubt it will hurt at all to make them walk the stage, be interviewed briefly and feel at home with the audience cheering them on, cos I think it is easier for the audience to warm up to the likes of Tujuhband, Diorama, The Sallys or Aryan Band, who have all released radio-friendly hits over the years…

Anyway am gonna end off this entry with additional photos I snapped of the other night’s awards recipients. Apologies if some of the photos I snapped amounted to a wee bit more than others, especially Dato’ Siti Nurhaliza. The amount of photographs snapped is not due to favouritism on my part, but because of how they eventually turned out after I had edited them and selecting the ones that were not blurred due to their respective motions when the shots were taken. I would have loved to have added more but the eventual outcome wasn’t good for public viewing and I for one, do not like to compensate quality as that has always been a hallmark of my presentation to my blog readers and visitors. Please give me a longer timeframe to do up my review and editing of the remaining 3000-odd photographs I have in store. For now I hope you have enjoyed viewing my three entries so far on APM2014. Till then…

(Graphics poster courtesy of Papahan Films)

Ok I know I promised you in the last entry that my next one would be my review on Anugerah Planet Muzik 2014. However, after attending the film premiere of Banting (or Slam! in English) this past Friday 24th October 2014 at the The Grand Cathay Cineplex, I have decided to prolong your wait for quite a bit as this movie takes precedence. Editing photographs I took the other night, which were less than a hundred, is much easier than going through 3500-odd photographs to be included in my entry. Hence you can regard this as sort of a filler entry before I speak about APM2014 again. Anyway I would first and foremost like to thank Papahan Films, especially Ms. Nurazleena Ramli, the person in-charge of the film’s publicity, for the kind invitation. In my ten years of entertainment blogging, this was indeed my first film premiere invite and I was honoured to attend with the missus.

So what is Banting all about??? Well, I will be paraphrasing this paragraph and the next, since I’m taking them out from what has been typed in its official website (Credits to Papahan Films). The film tells a story of a twenty-four year old Yasmin Muhammad (played by the likeable Izyan Mellyna) who barely has the most exciting life, with a strict mother and religious upbringing. Yasmin is also sick when she’s being judged all the time for wearing a Hijab or sees discrimination upon women who don it. She wonders if a Hijab girl will ever be able to do what most normal girls can do. Things change when Yasmin chances upon a professional wrestling gym and does the unthinkable: she secretly signs up as a wrestler!!! Soon, Yasmin is trading her Hijab for a mask and her awkwardness with unbridled high-flying moves as she becomes her alter-ego, the fearsome Zarith Blade!!! (The name Zarith is I believe, a tribute to director M. Raihan Halim‘s wife, Zarith Sofia) 

The film cast and director seen here being photographed with guest-of-honour, Minister for Communications & Information, Mr. Yaacob Ibrahim…

But “laying the smackdown” on people is not what Yasmin is meant to do in life. At least not according to her conservative and very strict mother, Halimah (played by the respected Mastura Ahmad). Yasmin hides her new passion from Halimah and for good reason. Halimah’s idea of having her good Muslim daughter clashes with the life of a professional wrestler clothes-lining and slamming people before a cheering crowd. Things take a precarious turn when Yasmin’s secret double life is threatened to be exposed. And Yasmin finds herself in her most important match ever: wrestling (a.k.a. convincing) her mother to give her the chance to keep her dream alive!!! Will she succeed??? Well, I will not divulge or give you any spoilers as the only way to find out is to watch the movie.

Honest-to-goodness, I am not good at reviewing movies. I’m also the kind who will pay scant respect to movie reviews unless I’m really sceptical of its storyline and need to read first before investing my money to watch it. So my views here might differ from those who watch movies looking at technical aspects and nitty-gritty details. As a watching audience, I want to be entertained, to have a feel-good factor even after the rolling credits are done and to smile just reminiscing about the movie. Banting ticked all three boxes in my list. I am also sure the rest who attended the film premiere, which was by the way, resembled a mini Pesta Perdana event with so many personalities in the local Malay entertainment scene in attendance, walked away with smiles on their faces and encouraging words being heard exchanged between them outside the theatre.

It’s a wrestling movie, so a bit of fierceness being shown here by the film cast, producer and director along with Minister Yaacob Ibrahim…

Banting in all honesty after watching it, is so close to my heart. I grew up watching wrestling, had great wrestling matches at the high jump mattress at Serangoon JC with my friends when we were in secondary school. I also used to wrestle my cousins on our respective beds and till now I still do practise some of the safer moves with my daughters and nephews. Up till this day, I religiously read the weekly World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) RAW reports just to keep up with what is happening in the WWE. We all know the storylines and moves in wrestling are fake, even Banting revealed a bit of that, but it keeps us entertained, like a soap opera, willing the good guys on and wishing the bad guys would just shut up and lose. Banting tried to create that and the wrestling fanboy in me was suitably impressed to an extent.

I take my hat off to the wrestling girls played by Gloria Tan, Abigail Chay, Syaza Qistina Tan, Ashley Erianah and Joanne-Marie Sim, besides Izyan Mellyna of course. Wrestling is not easy for ladies and I sometimes detect how difficult it is, even for the professional ones in WWE to execute some of their moves. They did try to create a convincing outlook in their matches and some of the moves did look great and believable. The person or persons who trained them can take heart that these girls did their utmost best and done well. Not easy to look pretty and having to suffer bumps, cuts and bruises in the process. I’m sure during the course of filming, the girls have taken slight knocks and injuries from botching their moves, but this is all part and parcel of filming, especially action scenes.

Another “garang” pose, this time with the film poster backdrop in the background…

Other than the wrestling aspect of the movie, the film resonates with me because of the life being led by the lead character herself and her sister Nissa (played by Adlina Adil). Like the movie, I have two young daughters myself and it has probably given me an advanced glimpse of what the future might be in for me when they eventually grow up and be young women with their own dreams and aspirations. They will have their own interests and likes which will differ to or contrast with what we want or expect from them. We are also living in a generation where everything needs to be explained with logic and rationale, without being too strict and hard-handed, lest the kids will turn rebellious and lie at the first available opportunity. During our parents’ time, a raised eyebrow, a wave of the cane, a slight raise in tone of voice, a wag of the finger and a simple “No!!!” usually would do the trick. Now no more. And what’s more, I see some of the character traits of Yasmin (the younger daughter in the movie) similar to that of my younger one – Steely, determined, fiesty, independent and strong-willed.

A good movie needs to have a good balance in how the actors bounce off each other. I see a lot of that in this movie, from the leads right down to the supporting cast. I just find the Atok character played by legendary actor Osman Zailani, very endearing. It even made me miss my own late grandfather who defended me at the slightest opportunity when my father would flare up with me when I was younger. As for Fauzie Laily who plays Yasmin‘s BFF, Zaidy, words cannot describe how proud I am for my old friend at his achievement on becoming a film star. He brought his A-game in this movie and he has improved so much since his first stab at acting in “Teman Anugerahku” back in 2005. Watching him in the movie is just like knowing him in real life. The characters in reel and real life are just too similar, the jokes and teasings, as well as the sound advices, are what I have been accustomed to from knowing Fauzie since he was still the scrawny teen from Temasek Polytechnic. Oh by the way, I like that Fauzie looked a bit chubby in this movie. Hahaha…

The lead actors in Banting: Fauzie Laily, Adlina Adil, Izyan Mellyna and Mastura Ahmad…

While I do not need to wax lyrical on the likes of Mastura Ahmad and Adlina Adil, because we know what accomplished actresses they are both on television and theatre, I feel that as a relatively newbie in the scene, Izyan Mellyna has all the attributes to be Singapore‘s very own Sharifah Amani. I cannot describe in words why I feel this way, but if there is a reference point I can compare her to, then Sharifah Amani is the one. Ok I used the word “newbie”, but really Izyan is already an experienced hand in the scene having been a child star during the days of “Ya Alif” and also has theatre background. It’s just that television viewers have been warming up to her since the start of 2014 when Walimah, followed by TeRaSeh! 2.0, Di Luar Garisan 2 and Walimah 2 came along. Along with Nurfarhana M. Noor, Izyan Mellyna is the name and talent to watch in our local Malay entertainment scene. See them soar and progress over the years, they will only get better.

Banting, is not just your typical light-hearted comedy. It brings with it moments of anxiety, also tugs a bit on our emotions (yes some people I know cried at some of the scenes :P). Above all, it feels very Singaporean and relates so much to the average Malay family here, the challenges we face as a society, as individuals, having to chase our dreams and having to appease our older folks in matters sometimes beyond our comprehension or will. Then there are the conflicts of interests. Somehow, somewhere, for those of us who have watched this movie, we can relate to them and agree that at some point of time in our lives, we have been through those kind of situations before, whether to listen to our instincts and passion or stick to the tried-and-tested success formulas. Director M. Raihan Halim and his team at Papahan Films have done well to potray all that I have mentioned either directly or subtly in the movie.

Executive producer Edmund D. Lim addressing the audience along with fellow executive co-producer and director, M. Raihan Halim, before the film commenced…

The film, which is brought to you by the same people who produced award-winning television shows like “Yazid Pakai Lampin“, “Mr. Perfect“, “Papa Rock” and “Step Puteri” amongst others, will hopefully usher in a new era of film-making and revive the local Malay film industry which has long been decimated since the demise of the Jalan Ampas studio. I will not go as far as to put undue pressure on M. Raihan Halim and declare that he is now the messiah of the revolution, but in a way, he has taken steps to break down the walls of barrier and shown fellow local Malay film-makers that it is possible to take the plunge and tread where others do not dare. He stands tall with his team from Papahan Films that such a move can be done. I share their pride at seeing their dream materialise and realised and I was honoured to have witnessed the momentous and ground-breaking occasion. Please do support and watch Banting when it is out officially at the theatres this Friday 31st October 2014 onwards and you will understand the same pride that most, if not all of us who came for the film premiere feel and share till now…

(Graphics poster courtesy of Mediacorp Malay Broadcast Division)

It’s been three weeks since Anugerah Planet Muzik 2014 (APM2014) was held at Suntec City Convention Centre on 17 October 2014, but the memories of the prestigious awards night are still fresh in my mind. I cannot guarantee if I will blog as lengthily as what everyone has been used to reading when it comes to my annual APM reviews, simply because on the surface, I doubt I have much to dissect and analyse this time round. But you’ll never know, since I have this tendency to blabber, make sidenotes and references that would eventually veer me off-course. But that’s the beauty of this blog, other than the many photographs that everyone loves to come in and see. I just wish I can make this a full-time career, but is there a proper industry here in Singapore to begin with??? :)

The right choice for the opening performance, Taufik Batisah with his current hit “#Awakkatmane“…

In years past, I would normally take the trouble and effort to read the reactions of the general audience and see their comments on social media. Not this year, as I did not wish to concern myself with the “Macam Faham” keyboard warriors. These people will always be there on social media, ever ready whenever there is an event on television, quick to comment on things that are trivial and out of their understanding, but still feel the need and urge to comment when they know nuts what is going on behind-the-scenes or understanding reasons behind certain shortcomings. But I believe this year’s event had few controversial incidents (more on that!!!) or arguable award recipients as in previous years. Congratulations to the organisers as APM2014 was the top trending topic on Twitter worldwide that night!!!

Yacko, Joe Flizzow and Sheikh Haikel continued where Taufik left off…

I had extremely good vibes about APM2014 days before the event, for the sole reason, this was (and if my memory still serves me well), the first in its thirteen editions, that it witnessed a sell-out crowd. Between 2001-2005 I remembered APM being close to a full house, but there were still empty pockets here and there. I attributed the presence of legendary Malaysian rock group WINGS and seeing Ariel of NOAH after his well-documented legal struggles, as the two main factors that pulled in the audience this year. In the past, we might have had household names like Dato’ Siti Nurhaliza and Taufik Batisah to help entice the crowd to attend, but still their presence were not enough, even if they continue to receive the biggest cheers every time they appear on stage. This time, I’m sure it felt like a major coup to have two of the biggest bands in the regional Nusantara music scene to grace the APM stage. This was the first time WINGS made an appearance at the awards show and the first time Ariel appeared since Peterpan performed at APM2005.

Hosts for the night – Dyn Norahim, Sarah Sechan and Nabil Ahmad

But the sell-out audience was also a major factor in me stopping short of saying this was the best APM in years. Yes the event itself, in terms of performances and overall production, is probably up there amongst the best and most enjoyable ones in its thirteen years of existence, but the atmosphere was close to dead from my humble observations. Other than Taufik Batisah‘s opening performance or whenever he appeared onstage either to receive his three awards or presented with Najwa Mahiaddin, the only times the crowd came alive were when Dato’ Siti Nurhaliza, NOAH and WINGS made appearances. The atmosphere during the rest of the other performances or award presentations felt like a morgue, or at the very least, just courtesy applause heard. At times, one could just hear a pin drop. That was how bad the atmosphere was and I had to turn around a couple of times to see whether it was really a sell-out audience or not.

A common feature of APM – Performances by artistes from the three countries together onstage – Maria Calista, Mafarikha Akhir and Aisyah Aziz…

I expected a bit more vigour and pride from the audience, when our local artistes who were nominated in the regional categories, had their names announced as the nominees. Or when the likes of Aisyah Aziz, Sufie Rashid, Sezairi and Sheikh Haikel performed. But it was just dead, with little to no positive reaction, save perhaps when Sufie Rashid won his award for Lagu Terbaik Singapura (Best Singapore Song). I wondered aloud that night, aren’t we proud to see our own acts stand toe to toe with the region’s best??? I was seething throughout the night at the thought and somehow when I’m typing this and recalling again, I feel that sense of anger returning. Last year, we had a party atmosphere with fans bringing drums and percussions, even when it was not a full house. It was just a big pity the same fans were not around to hype the audience. Or perhaps told not to bring their instruments into the event venue. But even if they were not allowed to, I’m sure they would still be in full voice.

The cool cat, Sezairi, performed his nominated single “Sayang“…

This year, there was a change in hosts from Singapore and Malaysia. Dyn Norahim (and not Ibrahim. Astro & MeleTOP please take note!!!) from Warna 94.2FM and Ahmad Nabil Ahmad, the winner of the second season of Malaysia‘s Raja Lawak reality competition took over the microphone duties alongside APM veteran Sarah Sechan. Indeed this was Dyn Norahim‘s first big break hosting an event of this magnitude, where the region’s eyes were on him. He admitted to having a lot of jitters before the show, in awe of his two colleagues whom he felt were more prolific in their crafts as hosts and extremely quick on the draw to butt in when he fluffed his lines during rehearsals. But I told him not to be overawed by the occasion and he would do just fine. Most importantly, I reminded him not to go overboard with some of his jokes, and overall I think he did extremely well without trying too hard.

Sultry Najwa Mahiaddin serenaded the audience with “Impian Terindah“…

While I’ve heard of many negative feedbacks about Dyn Norahim‘s performance that night, mostly from the online brickbats, I thought he did not do much wrong for a newbie on the APM stage. Local radio listeners would have been disappointed not to have witnessed Dyn‘s alter-egos Abang J and Mr. Wong, or that he might not have matched Nabil‘s wacky personality, but there needed to be a certain balance with all three hosts complementing one another, rather than hogging or competing for the limelight. Dyn is outgoing and comical in his own way and did not need to match Nabil pound for pound in the wacky stakes. Nabil‘s butting in at several award presentations and chiming in with wisecracks when others were presenting, were either welcomed or a source of irritation, depending on how you tolerate his style. Just that I was a bit uncomfortable when he made a joke about plane crashes in this very same year his own country suffered two tragedies of that nature. I was expecting some backlash from his countrymen about it, but thankfully I’ve heard none of it till today.

Loved Tulus‘ humble speech when he won his award for Artis Baru Terbaik (Lelaki) / Best New Male Artiste…

Speaking of backlash and the earlier mention of controversies that arose from this year’s edition, poor Dzar Ismail was targeted by the Indonesians on Twitter for unwittingly using the term “Indon” to refer to the “Indonesians” when he presented with Hanis Zalikha. For those who do not know, the term “Indon” is derogatory to the Indonesians. It is either a racial slur or a negative connotation to describe them. But I know Dzar Ismail did not mean it the way the Indonesians had slagged him off for it. For one, the term is used here in Singapore as a shortened name for Indonesia / Indonesians. Most, if not all of us, even Malaysians, use it as a shortened word of convenience, and not to degrade or look down at our neighbours. Even the Indonesians living here in Singapore refer to themselves as “Indon“, so I was a bit surprised at the amount of abuse being directed towards Dzar Ismail. Our own Berita Harian congratulated their new President by using the same term as their front page headlines recently. So really, it’s a matter of cultural misunderstanding. It would be nice however, to take note, not to use it during such events where we are interacting with Indonesian audience, out of basic respect and courtesy. It’s like the N-word where it is ok for the Negros and blacks to use it amongst themselves, but not us.

Dato’ Rossa and Taufik Batisah‘s onstage chemistry was intense and passionate to say the least…

I don’t think there are any major grievances pertaining to all the award winners. Previously, our regional neighbours were up in arms when any Singaporean artistes were to walk away with the popular regional award categories, but the winners this year (“Dia Dia Dia” – Fatin Shidqia Lubis and NOAH) somehow could have been justified in their eyes. I might not hear or perhaps been oblivious if there are any objections towards Taufik Batisah winning the Ikon Media Sosial (Social Media Icon) award. This is a guy who has timed his return to perfection and launched his latest album at the right moment, a month before APM2014. With his viral videos with the hashtag “#awakkatmane” making its rounds since Ramadhan and resulting in countless number of parodies being made, it was a no brainer. Rightly so that such an award conferred to him reflected his influence. I would also like to take this opportunity to congratulate Taufik on getting more than a million views on YouTube for his latest music video “#Awakkatmane” within three weeks of uploading it, and also for the hashtag to be the top trending topic on YouTube Malaysia.

One of the top draws of the night, Ariel and NOAH…

Such popularity comes with the caveat of having haters as well. You either like the “#Awakkatmane” song, or you do not. Personally I love it, in fact I need to listen to it daily as a form of perk-me-up. However, linguistic “Nazis” like myself however have a little grouse with regards to its title, where “mana” is spelt as “mane“. Releasing it in the middle of our national Malay Language Month, where speaking good Malay is encouraged, also felt a little odd but I know for one that Taufik meant no disrespect whatsoever. By adding that hashtag at the beginning of the title meant, he probably was taking a dig at those who love to misspell or spell out of convenience in social media or online messaging. Nonetheless, I am so hoping and wishing that with this new album launch, his viral clips and music video as well as his collaboration with the likes of Altimet in his new album and two of his songs being chosen as the soundtracks for drama series shown in Malaysia, it will finally be the big break that has eluded him all these years. Ten years in the scene, it is high time he becomes a household name across our shores. Sidenote, the voice of the lady in that hit song does not belong to Fiza O. Wonder how some people came to such a conclusion when the voice tones of both ladies are different.

Odd to see Judika attending APM without his wife Duma Riris, but congratulations to them on the birth of their firstborn, Cleo Deora Boru Sihotang…

I was and still am elated over the awards won by Awi Rafael for his collaboration with Altimet for “Kalau Aku Kaya” (Kolaborasi Terbaik – Artis / Best Artiste Collaboration), as well as those won by Aisyah Aziz for “Mimpi” (Kolaborasi Terbaik – Lagu / Best Song Collaboration) and Sufie Rashid for “Tiada Pengganti” (Lagu Terbaik Singapura – Best Singapore Song). I did say last year that I would not at all be surprised if “Kalau Aku Kaya” were to be nominated in at least the Duo / Kumpulan Terbaik (Best Duo / Group) or Kolaborasi Terbaik (Best Collaboration) categories. I stopped short of saying the song or collaboration would win outright last year, for the fact that I had yet to listen to newer songs from other artistes, but if I had the choice to award them for it, I would have given it to them last year. However, my hunch came true this time and I thought it was a satisfying reward earned by two artistes whom I have so much respect for in the regional music scene.

One of my favourite photos of the night – Dato’ Siti Nurhaliza belting “Jaga Dia Untukku“…

If there is an award for “Most Improved Performer” over the past year, I would give it to Sufie Rashid in a heartbeat. He has grown so much since his first forays in the scene, joining the various reality talent competitions on television, only to falter in the earlier stages. He was one of the guest performers during last year’s APM2013 Media Conference, along with Yaya Hamid, but he did not impress me at all that day. He was a bag of nerves and had pitching issues when he sang. In short, I was cringing when I watched him. I remembered Aura Shai asking me to upload a full video of his performance that day but I chose not to, cos I did not want viewers to slate him or subject him to abuse from online brickbats. But I know and can see that he has taken great pains to improve himself over the past year. Most importantly, he has gained so much confidence onstage thanks to his involvement in the recent SG Mania competition on Mediacorp Suria.

Judika and Dato’ Siti Nurhaliza teased a possible collaboration when they presented at last year’s APM and called themselves “Ju-Si“. This year it became a reality when they sang “Apakah Ini Cinta“…

SG Mania, I felt, was the making of Sufie Rashid. Where once he had confidence issues, he is now a fearless performer onstage. His performance during APM2014 made my hairs stood and I was happy for him that he was not overawed when paired with the likes of Hazama and Cakra Khan. He told me afterwards how he was worried that he might have upstaged the other two when he went for the high notes. I for one, was afraid his voice would crack as a result, but he pulled it off much to the audience’s approval, judging by their whoops and cheers. Credits also go out to members of The Sallys – Shafiq Iskandar, Izwan Khuzair and Rusdi Badri for composing “Tiada Pengganti“. This is an under-rated local band that has produced quite a number of radio-friendly hits. But my personal favourite from their collection of songs till this day is still “Gadis Marmalade“. Like my blog, the band recently celebrated their tenth year of existence this year.

The fearless performer, Sufie Rashid…

I enjoyed all the performances that night from the start right till the end. In fact, I did not feel the time passing by till the voiceover announcement informed that Dato’ Siti Nurhaliza, Dato’ Rossa and Aisyah Aziz were up next, indicating the second last performance of the night (I had the benefit of knowing who was performing in order of performances and songs thanks to the media press kit given to us). Slowly but surely, the organising team have begun to master the art of keeping things compact within a two-and-a-half hour timeframe. The commercial breaks were short, between three to four minutes, and most people who went to relieve themselves or went out for a quick smoke break ended up returning to their seats during the following commercial breaks or rushing back when the live cameras were rolling. Where previously the event felt like a drag, I have seen a lot of improvement in this area over the past two to three years.

Cakra Khan, Sufie Rashid and Hazama paying tribute to Sweet Charity with “Kamelia”…

I have been waxing lyrical all along other than making my unhappiness felt towards the audience for not being supportive enough. But of course I have other few niggly issues which I feel the need to voice out and hopefully improve future APM events. I already stated in my “Walk of the Stars” entry that not many artistes walked onstage to be introduced to the audience and how it would be nice for the audience to see our very own local acts be introduced to them. I also overheard and observed how the local artistes had to enter through the same doors and walked along the same route as the other audience. Though it would be nice to see them enter the event venue through another route as a mark of exclusivity accorded to artistes, I believe logistical issues were probably why they had to enter through the same way as the general audience or the fact that they were not mobbed could have been another factor why they entered the same way as the rest.

Another one of my favourite shots of the night, this time with Dato’ Rossa…

Logistical issue was also another factor why there was no post-event reception after APM ended last year. I was pleased that at least there was one this time round. Where some might complain about having to make do with light / finger food not befitting of such a prestigious event, I personally feel that beggars cannot be choosers. It was gracious and kind enough for the organisers to provide a place where artistes could do a bit of networking with industry players and fill their stomachs a bit before going for supper with friends elsewhere. Cos I’m sure a lot of artistes when they meet friends and such, they would want to adjourn to another place to continue their conversations. Fathin Amira Zubir was the busiest from my observations of the goings-on during the post-event reception, handing over her single CD “Sebenarnya” to various artistes and people from the music industry. I should have asked one from her, never mind if I had to pay for it, cos I always do my bit to purchase products from our local acts, rather than expect freebies or complimentary copies.

APM promotes friendship and warmth between artistes from the three countries. This photograph is one fine example.

Before the event and after looking at its graphics poster, I noted on my Facebook status that there was a bit of lopsidedness in terms of female performers and bands if one were to compare those in Singapore to our regional counterparts. Malaysia and Indonesia each had a band representative and more than one female performer than us who only had Aisyah Aziz to be proud of. I had called upon the organisers to balance the odds and add an additional female performer and band, cos seriously after watching Konsert Siti Nurhaliza Live back in March as well as SG Mania and Singa Maksima Live prior to APM2014, I felt the likes of Fathin Amira Zubir, Sarah Aqilah, Farisha Ishak and Tujuhband at least deserved to represent us and performed that night. I was absolutely sure they would not disappoint us on the big stage. At the same time I was not expecting much given the nineteen awards that were presented and the already stellar-cast on show having to fit into a compact timeframe of two-and-a-half hours.

 Loved this tribute segment for three Divas who recently passed on, Dato’ Sharifah Aini, Diana Nasution and Kartina Dahari…

I just hope for future APMs, more of such acts would be showcased cos we do not have a dearth of talent in our local pool, but it is sometimes a question of us having confidence if they would deliver or not. Somehow I have been observing over the years that our local bands do not get much exposure on television as compared to individual artistes. Most variety or charity shows on Suria do not feature our local bands as much as we would like them to. We know they have composed and churned out radio hits, some even topping the charts for weeks, but relatively, I dare say most of them are an unknown quantity to the masses. I wonder if it is a case of budgeting (cheaper to pay a solo singer as compared to a group / band) or show producers do not have confidence on the abilities and capabilities of our local bands. When was the last time we saw the likes of Diorama, The Sallys, Tujuhband, Aryan Band, Kraton, Klutz etc. on television??? It’s either been a long time or none at all!!! I hope the next edition of SG Mania would feature bands instead of individual singers. Cos really our bands deserve a platform to showcase their talents to the masses.

Oddly enough, the hosts only appeared onstage together twice throughout the whole show…

But speaking of our local bands and I hope they don’t kill me after this for saying this, I noticed a lot of them were too quick to get up from their seats that night during the commercial breaks to go for smoke breaks. I’m not a smoker and I cannot understand this addiction for nicotine, but surely some of them could have limited themselves to one break or none at all over the course of the whole event. Cos it didn’t look nice (since the event was also attended by dignitaries, people from the industry, sponsors and foreign guests sitting near the front rows where they were seated) that our local artistes were more interested in having a puff than watching the awards show. There were times during the show where they were all seen rushing back to their seats, some smelling from their cigarette smells which was and is a major turn-off.

Awie still packs a punch onstage and remains one of the best performers with his showmanship…

Respect in many ways, deeds and creeds, I believe goes two ways. If you want the bigwigs to sit up, take notice of your talents and feature you in future, you need to show a bit of respect towards yourselves and the event you’re at, cos there are many other observant eyes around us besides myself. It might be trivial, but little things sometimes might be used as a cause against you. And I personally wouldn’t want that to hinder their progress or possible exposure to the masses. I can only dispense advice from a perspective of an observer who has seen and heard grouses from people from the industry. At times I become the Agony Aunt to some of our local acts and listen to some of the problems they face. But I do not have the answers to everything, but where I can help, I’ll try to. This is one aspect I noticed and feel the need to voice out for them to improve on their image and standing as talents and acts to be given due respect.

WINGS closed the proceedings with an energetic medley of their current and past hits…

I finally come to my last paragraph. So much for saying at the start that I won’t make this a lengthy entry. I wanted to share more anecdotes and problems faced behind-the-scenes, but I guess I won’t because some things are best left unsaid to protect the dignity of others and the event as a whole. Some backstage politicking should remain between the relevant parties and not one for me to stick my nose into. I was there at the awards show to be entertained and to meet friends in the scene. I was sufficiently satisfied by what I saw onstage and contented with what I had off it, which made me feel that this was one of the most enjoyable APM events I had attended. I hope the next time APM is organised, Suntec City Convention Centre would continue to be the event venue. Congratulations once again to all the award winners and to the organising team from Mediacorp Malay Broadcast Division for a job well done!!!

Snapshots of APM2014

(Graphics poster courtesy of KreatiV OutBox)

I seldom watch theatre plays. I think if I can measure the rate I watch theatre shows, I can safely say that it is perhaps a once-a-year thingy for me. In fact I did not have any plans whatsoever to post a review on this show that I attended on 3rd October 2014 at the Black Box Studio of Goodman Arts Centre. Longtime readers of this blog would note how uncomfortable I am at doing reviews of this nature and that I am perhaps the worst at reviewing theatre plays for the fact that I do not have any acting or theatre background to begin with. At least when I review music performances, shows or concerts, I have an inkling of what I am typing about as I have some experience being a keen observer, stagehand, volunteer and even a performer at some point in my life. This entry is published since I was kindly approached by the director and playwright himself, Izad Omar, to do one as there was not much post-show publicity nor reviews other than the one that was published on Berita Harian a fortnight ago.

I heard about this show, produced by local theatre company KreatiV OutBox, back in April 2014 when I was covering the TeRaSeh 2.0 competition, during the week that Den Sabari, one of the show’s main casts, and his wife Huda Ali were the studio guests at Warna 94.2FM during the post-show interview with the “Malam 2 Mat” hosts, Hafeez Glamour and Dyn Norahim. Since I count Den as one of my good friends, I made the effort to block the dates of the play six months in advance so I could catch it when the time comes. Den admitted during the months leading up to the show, how excited, yet nervous he was at the thought of making his theatre comeback after more than five years away from the live stage. A lot of effort, practices and rehearsals were done just to get things right and there were times Den had to sacrifice his social time to play football with our Seniman FC team just for this play.

For a first-timer on a live stage, I thought Ainon Talib did extremely well juggling the different emotions that her character had to exude and display. One moment she was laughing and cracking jokes, the next she was angry and subsequently shedding tears. I have so much respect for performers who could switch emotions with a snap of the fingers and Ainon‘s character, Ira, demanded her to do just that. I strongly believe this experience would empower her and improve on her acting on television, though of course there is always room for improvement on stage. Den Sabari, who played Zali on the other hand, had a bit of nervousness in him, but I kind of attributed it to pressure knowing a few of his close friends were seated in the audience. And of course, there is that issue of rustiness of not performing a stage play in years, but personally I felt it wasn’t that glaring to the common folk like myself. Maybe theatre experts who caught the play could relate better.

However, the star of the show to me had to be Fariz Najed who played the effeminate BFF to Ainon‘s character. I felt his role, even though it was a supporting one, was the most crucial and important, in that he helped to link and added balance to the two main casts, the glue that held everything together. He was so likeable as the angsty best friend who not only found himself ostracised by his own family but also always at odds with the character played by Den Sabari himself. In a way, his role demanded the audience to understand from his perspective. His role and problems faced are common amongst men who are considered soft or effeminate, as they are often looked down by the community and seek acceptance for who they are. Fariz aced his role and gave us plenty of food for thought with his acting delivery.

As a normal-paying audience, not too concerned with technicalities of theatre play, I was there to be entertained. What I got from that 90-minutes show was not just mere entertainment, I left the Black Box Studio with a gamut of emotions from what I had witnessed throughout the play. The show highlighted common problems faced by many married couples, the real dilemmas faced as a young couple right down to their ageing years. What I like most about the play was, it was done in a light-hearted manner, without being too deep with the issues being discussed and some of the issues raised strike a chord with what we sometimes face in the course of our marriage. There were also several digs being made towards social / cultural practices which might contradict our Islamic beliefs without being too direct nor overly critical. For theatre novices like myself, this was an enjoyable play and I certainly did not feel the time passing by. The downside and only complaint I might have is how cold the venue was, even after two of the air-con units had been turned off, from what I understand from Izad himself. Other than that it was a very good production by KreatiV OutBox. Kudos!!!

(All photographs courtesy of KreatiV OutBox)

I foresee a spike in my blog statistics. This happens whenever there is a celebrity wedding happening here in Singapore. In fact, I’ve already seen my stats jumped over the past week, mostly searching for wedding photos of former radio personality Syah Ibrahim and his wife Ana Mahyuni. As his solemnisation and wedding was held in Jakarta, it was impossible for me to provide photos of the event. But fret not, cos I am invited to his wedding tomorrow, so I hope to share some photos of the wedding with you soon.

Anyway, I just came back from the solemnisation ceremony and wedding of SleeQ‘s Ahmad Syarifullah Ahmad Soribah (Syarif) and former Singapore Idol 2009 alumnus Syarifah Malak Aimana (Malaque Mahdaly). Since I have another wedding to attend after this and the wedding dinner event of the newlyweds to look forward to later this evening, I will just share with you these two photographs of the newlyweds for now to whet your appetite. I will be updating this blog with more photos in the coming days ahead. So do visit from time to time to see my latest updates ya??? :)

Filed under: Celebrity Weddings Tagged: #theSyarifs, Malaque Mahdaly, Syarif Sleeq

Syah Ibrahim & Ana Wahyuni

I am currently suffering from a hangover from the weekend’s two grand wedding events involving two famous personalities, Syarif from local hiphop duo, SleeQ, and former radio deejay Syah Ibrahim. I believe, many of you would have viewed the photographs of both weddings via your social media timelines by now, from those who had attended or even yourself who might have witnessed it firsthand as guests. While I will be taking my time to edit the photographs I took during Syarif and Malaque‘s wedding, I will be sharing with you photographs I took during Syah Ibrahim and Ana Wahyuni‘s wedding first. This is because I did not take many shots and focused solely on the newlyweds rather than include photos of other personalities who attended the wedding event. In fact I did not take any photographs of the known personalities who had attended at all.

The newlyweds taking the slow walk to the wedding dais…

There are several reasons why I did not include photographs of known personalities who had attended. Firstly, the venue (Singapore Recreation Club @ The Padang) was huge!!! The tentage spanned from one width of the Padang to the other. Indeed, I struggle to think which was the last known local personality who had a wedding this grand and huge, accomodating to more than 6000 guests. I think the last one was Fandi Ahmad and Wendy Jacobs‘ back in 1996. It was almost impossible to drift from one end of the tentage to the other just to snap photos of known guests. Just covering from when the newlyweds arrived down to their wedding dais made me drenched in perspiration. Add on to the pandemonium and chaotic situation where the guests clamoured forward to get a good look at the newlyweds and congratulating them, it was just madness where everyone jostled and the Orange Event staff (of which Syah Ibrahim is the CEO) had to be stern in pushing the crowd back.

Total madness with everyone jostling and wanting to get close to the newlyweds…

For me and I believe, the other guests as well, the highlight of the wedding event had to be when one of Syah‘s nephews, a boy who looked no more than five or six years of age came onstage to recite a lengthy prayer supplication for the newlyweds. It left us all in awe and it made the groom very emotional and unashamedly shed tears. Looking at the way he has been brought up with such good guidance and the potential he showed, the boy will grow up to be a very fine young man, God willing. My missus had already noted afterwards that if we were to have a boy in future, God willing, she wants our son to replicate this boy as he is a very good example. As what we like to say in our native language, “Sejuk perut mak dia…” :)

Even Ustaz Mohd Noor Tijany (holding handphone) was in awe of the boy…

To bro Syah Ibrahim, thank you for inviting us to your wedding. It was indeed a grand affair and one which all your loyal followers and friends had been waiting for for many years. Thank you for not forgetting all of us and even welcomed the public to join in your memorable occasion. We wish you and sis Ana Wahyuni a blessed and blissful marriage, always full of love and happiness. I am not that good with sharing marriage advices, but I think the best and most witty advice I heard yesterday came from bro Adi Rahman when he shared, “In a marriage relationship, happiness comes when the woman is winning the argument…” Well something to that effect, which is true in a lot of respects… :)

The poster that greeted the guests at the entrance along with the names of the wedding event sponsors…

It has been exactly three months since I last updated my blog. I remember I promised my next entry after Syah Ibrahim and Ana Wahyuni‘s wedding event would be photographs I snapped of Syarif SleeQ and Malaque Mahdaly‘s wedding, but events and circumstances happening in my own personal capacity made it impossible for me to update my blog. For that I apologise for not keeping to promise, but blogging was the last thing on my list of agendas as family took precedence. I was also partly hesitant to share the photographs, especially during the wedding and dinner events, because since the wedding, Malaque has taken the decision to cover up and don the Hijab and I personally don’t feel comfortable sharing the photos without first seeking the couple’s permission. Thankfully I met them at an event this past week, and they have kindly given their blessings to share and so here I am with this entry, my first for 2015.

The customary sign of respect shown by a wife to her newly-wedded husband…

I believe I do not have to relate so much on what happened during the solemnisation event, as you can still view this beautiful ceremony in its full glory via its official YouTube channel “the_Syarifs“. I was and still am impressed by the whole event and how fairy-tale like it turned out from morning till night. What’s more significant was the fact that this was the first time a live streaming of a wedding event by a local Malay personality was done for a worldwide audience. Correct me please if I am wrong or misinformed, but this was probably the first personality in Singapore who had his wedding event streamed live to the world. Even though Syarif & Malaque‘s wedding was equally grand alongside Syah Ibrahim & Ana Wahyuni‘s, the former wins hands down for the global outreach their event made, even making it trend on social media that day. All these was made possible by the brilliant CST Productions team.

Syarif placing the wedding ring on Malaque‘s fingers…

The solemnisation event which carried an Arabic-theme, was attended by close family members and friends at the event venue, Alkaff Mansion. The event was hosted by none other than Warna 94.2FM‘s AB Shaik. Local actresses Nurfarhana M Noor and Syirah Jusni were the roving hosts for the live webstream of the event. The marriage was solemnised by Ustaz Syed Ahmad Syed Mohamed. It was quite an emotional ceremony, with the groom getting all sentimental and emotional during the recitation of the Taklik, in turn making the guests, including his trusted groomsmen shed tears. But those emotions were only temporary as they were replaced by smiles, grins and cheerful looks on everyone’s faces throughout the day. I believe you might have viewed those solemnisation photos online already from some of the media portals across the Causeway, but I guess no harm in me sharing more of them again in this entry and my upcoming two entries, as all of them were personally taken by me… :)

I’m back with the second instalment of #theSyarifs’ wedding event held at the Alkaff Mansion on 22 November 2014. I have been looking at some of the photos shared in cyberspace with regards to arguably 2014‘s “Wedding of the Year” event, and most of them were from the marriage solemnisation ceremony as well as the dinner event. Correct me if I am wrong please, but I don’t see that many photos from the main wedding event shared amongst the media portals. Good thing that I hung around long enough to capture some of the memorable moments during the afternoon session, though not long enough to capture the couple in their second outfit nor the celebrity guests who turned up. I was fortunate to witness what went on during the traditional customary routine where the groom and his entourage made their way to the wedding dais, only to be stopped at various points to “pay their dues”, either through monetary means or through simple physical challenges.

One of the checkpoints required the groom and his groomsmen to perform Taufik Batisah‘s trademark “#awakkatmane” dance steps while the last checkpoint was the most challenging in that the groomsmen were subjected to perform various Yoga poses, of which the bride, Malaque, is known to be an avid practitioner. Guests who were around during that period were also fortunate to have been serenaded by local group Northbound (who in actual fact was having their own soundcheck for their evening performance), as well as the Arabic-influenced group Samra Alwehdah, led by local actor / comedian Mohammad Alhindwan (you would have noticed him playing the ring announcer role in Saga or as one of the funny characters in Warta Heran). Right I will not blabber more and let my photographs do the talking… :)

Back with the third and final instalment of #theSyarifs‘ wedding. This entry will feature photographs of the wedding dinner event, which I felt resembled a mini Pesta Perdana event, with the local Malay entertainment scene’s personalities making their presence by gracing the occasion. It was a long day for the newly-weds as well as those who had worked hard to make the whole event tick, yet everyone was smiling throughout till the very end, happiness etched on their faces and sharing the joy of the newlyweds. The wedding dinner event was held at the same venue (Alkaff Mansion) as the earlier morning’s solemnisation ceremony and lunch reception.

Like the solemnisation ceremony, those who had tuned in to the couple’s official Youtube channel, would have gotten a glimpse of what went on live via the webstream. Unfortunately I heard that the full clip has been taken down by Youtube due to copyright infringements of some of the songs featured. Though you will not be able to view the clip, I hope this entry would satiate your thirst to view some of the event’s happenings as well as see who’s who in the local Malay entertainment scene who had turned up. This was afterall THE “Wedding of the Year” for 2014, for me. It would be criminal not to feature this entry in my blog, especially when the groom took great pains to invite me and the wife to attend. For that I say “Thank You!!!” to Syarif and Malaque for having us, me in particular, for almost the whole day.

The wedding dinner event was hosted by Ben Muthusalam, Syarif‘s intern-mate when he did his internship with Mediacorp back in 2009. Please don’t ask me why the host’s name has an Indian surname. Maybe his good friends reading this can help to enlighten me cos I’m in the dark myself. Guests were treated to lovely performances by local groups The Trisno Trio and Northbound, as well as a guest performance by Malaysia‘s Dina Nadzir, whose rendition of Katy Perry‘s “Unconditionally“, had my hairs standing. She is such an under-rated vocal powerhouse. We also witnessed Syarif singing a song titled “Malaque“, which he had composed with Trisno Ishak just two weeks leading up to the wedding event.

The eleven-tier wedding cake was specially baked by Malaque herself, whom some of us know specialises in pastries, desserts and cakes. Also, the cheesecake recipe during the dinner event itself, was specially concocted by her, assisted and executed by Chef Siti Mastura and team. Female guests were fortunate to have received a make-up kit by Benefit Cosmetics, to go along with the main door gifts consisting of a Grey by Ortenhill bag, a lovely jar series, Sugee cake by Chef Siti Mastura and Calvin Klein parfum vials. The gifts oozed class in every sense, a reflection of the newlyweds. All in all, it was a wonderful and memorable wedding event and here’s wishing the newlyweds once again a blissful married life with filial kids in tow… :)

Photo courtesy of Taufik Batisah‘s official Instagram account…

First of all I would like to congratulate our soon-to-be-wedded first Singapore Idol, Taufik Batisah, on his impending marriage to Ms. Nurshaheena Akbal Ahmad, or whom most of us know her as Sheena Akbal over the last few days, when active paparazzis and CSI investigator-wannabes made so much effort to dig out information on the bride-to-be. I can understand such a happy news involving one of our own beloved sons of the country would make the media go into an overdrive and frenzy, as each one will be clamouring for eyeballs on their respective sites. However, I just find it a little distasteful that such intrusive tactics have inadvertently shoved the spotlight on Ms. Sheena Akbal, with some sites being so inquisitive as wanting to highlight the fact that they were following each other on social media, just to prove their point that they are having a relationship.

My first thoughts when I saw that was, “So what???” Each person has his or her own prerogative to follow or be friends with whom they deem fit to do so. This unnecessary stalking has resulted in the poor girl deleting her Twitter and Facebook accounts, from what I heard. I know and have also been informed by a few kind souls that the media culture outside Singapore is very competitive as they compete for not only eyeballs, but advertising and monetary opportunities from the number of visitor-ships. In the United Kingdom and even the United States, they have designated paparazzis following personalities wherever they go. It can be very suffocating for those who are used to the scrutiny, what more those who are instantly thrust into the limelight. I am just thankful that the local media here in Singapore are a respectful bunch in that they try to respect the artistes’ privacy as much as possible, even if they too can be very inquisitive and intrusive unbeknownst to us sometimes.

Actually I’ve heard of this piece of good news months ago. Just that I do not know exactly when is the actual wedding date nor the name of his bride-to-be. I just knew that wedding bells are gonna ring for him pretty soon. Why I did not share it in this domain of mine or on my own personal social media accounts is because I’ve always maintained a strict principle to respect other people’s privacy. Such news will eventually be made known sooner or later. I saw no need to share it out of respect for Taufik and also because I did not hear it from the horse’s mouth himself, even if I could have asked him from the number of times I met him in the last year. It would be very unfair of me to share it with others when he himself had not come out officially to talk about it. Thankfully now that he has made his official announcement earlier today, I can at least share my thoughts over the last few days when news first broke on the front page of last Saturday‘s Berita Harian.

Other than what I deemed as a “witch-hunt” to know the identity of the bride-to-be, I was also a bit uncomfortable seeing some of the comments made by some of his overzealous fans. Relax ladies, it’s not that you and him had something personal going on in the first place. The world doesn’t end with him getting married and you are left all alone (or for those who are already married but still pining secretly for him, with your hubbies). Though I have yet to see most of the comments on social media, I have heard that some of these fans have been a bit unkind and have made spiteful remarks against Ms. Sheena Akbal, either for her looks, her fashion sense, the way she dressed or even her personality. The term “Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned” seems apt in this case. Grow up ladies and snap back to reality!!! What do you gain from making all these negative remarks??? Some of you should feel ashamed of yourselves for being bitter, ungracious and judgmental. What is more appalling is that some of you who have made such remarks, are donning the Hijab. Is that a good reflection on yourselves???

As ardent fans, you should be praying for the best for the couple as they embark on this new journey in their lives. If you claim that you love and respect the guy, then please jolly damn well respect and embrace his choice of whom he chooses to spend the rest of his life with. Beauty is afterall in the eye of the beholder. She might probably not be as hot as some of you might think he deserves to be with (i.e. yourselves), but she is perfect in every sense in his eyes, so live with it!!! And this just in. A kind FB friend alerted me to the availability of the wedding invitation card now currently spreading around on social media. I am loss for words and just too amazed that there are disrespectful people out there who do not for once think of the repercussions of doing such a thing. Please spare a thought for the family on both sides who would have to receive a large number of gatecrashers and uninvited guests. Stop spreading those images of the invitation cards. Please!!!

To Taufik & Sheena, my advanced congratulations to you both!!! May your upcoming wedding event run smoothly and according to how you both plan it to be. Shut yourselves off from the media scrutiny for the time being and just concentrate on your respective preparations for now. Hopefully your fans too would understand and respect you both and give you the space you need to breathe for the coming month ahead…

Graphics photo courtesy of Mediacorp Suria…

The bienniel Pesta Perdana event, will make its long-awaited return this 28 March 2015 at the Mediacorp TV Theatre. The prestigious awards, now into its thirteenth edition, aims to recognise, acknowledge and honour the best talents in the local Malay television industry. It will also take viewers down memory lane with this year’s 50’s theme, in line with the ongoing SG50 celebrations. Pesta Perdana 13 (PP13) attracted more than 145 entries from 13 local production houses who are vying for top honours in the fiercely contested programme and performance award categories. A total of 32 awards and a special Lifetime TV Achievement award are up for grabs this year.

The PP13 media conference event was held at The Ballroom @ East Coast…

1. Mobile App: Toggle Now
2. Website: xinmsn.com/pestaperdana
3. Facebook: fb.com/mediacorpsuria

Code details are as follows:

MOST POPULAR MALE PERSONALITY

• Fir Rahman – Code: L1
• Hisyam Hamid – Code: L2
• Imam Shah – Code: L3
• Norman Ishak – Code: L4
• Syarif SleeQ – Code: L5

MOST POPULAR FEMALE PERSONALITY

• Farhana M Noor – Code: W1
• Mastura Ahmad – Code: W2
• Nadiah M Din – Code: W3
• Nurul Aini – Code: W4
• Wahyu Rahman – Code: W5

The media conference was hosted by Fiza O and Fauzie Laily…

I had the honour of being invited to attend the PP13 Media Conference held at The Ballroom @ East Coast on 4 March 2015, to announce all the award nominees. The event venue, as some of you might have known by now, is owned by Warna 94.2FM‘s A. B. Shaik. The media conference event saw the hosting chemistry of RIA 89.7FM‘s Fiza O and Fauzie Laily rekindled. Both of them had a field day tickling the guests with their witty and funny quips. They were also dressed according to the theme of the awards show this year, which is 50s Vintage. The event also saw Hyrul Anuar performing the theme song for Pesta Perdana, “Malam Gemilang“, accompanied by two of his good friends from AltoAura, Reyza Hamizan and Azura Goh.

Hyrul Anuar performing “Malam Gemilang“…

From the list of nominees announced this year, I note the wave of newer and younger generation of actors being nominated for their respective roles in the last two years. Which can only be good for the local entertainment industry, as they continue to hone their craft and complement the established and veterans in the scene. I’m also happy to see the likes of Farhana M Noor and Izyan Mellyna being nominated for Most Promising Actor / Actress. As I’ve said before in this blog, they have caught my eyes for their talent and potential, which can only get better. But do not discount the others nominated in their category. Asraf Amin, Atyy A. Malek (Nurhayati Abdul Malek) and Faizal Rahman will give them a run for their money.

Madam Zakiah Halim addressing the guests…

This year, there are also additions from Malaysia in the nominations list. The last Pesta Perdana event saw one nominee, Fauziah Nawi, whereas this year sees Iqram Dinzly, Keith Foo and Sharnaaz Ahmad being nominated. When asked by Berita Harian entertainment journalist Shahida Sarhid about the influx of Malaysian artistes into the nominations list, Mediacorp Malay Segment‘s head, Madam Zakiah Halim explained that they welcome the presence of the Malaysian actors over here, just like how our very own actors are welcomed over there and being nominated in several of their awards shows. This is good not only for bilateral exchange, but also the sharing of knowledge as well as good sparring in acting for both sets of countries’ actors. And I couldn’t agree more. I believe our actors can benefit from working with some of these actors, in turn even paving the way for them to work across the Causeway and hopefully, beyond.

Keith Foo certainly looked delighted with his nomination…

Pesta Perdana 13 will be telecast live on Mediacorp Suria on 28 March 2015 at 8:30pm. This year’s show will be hosted by Suhaimi Yusof and Huda Ali and the guest-of-honour will be Member of Parliament, Mr. Zaqy Mohamad. I end this entry with the full list of nominations as well as photographs taken during the media conference event.

Pesta Perdana 13 Nominations List

Taufik Batisah & Sheena Akbal…

It is only April 2015, but I dare say that this was easily the “Shaadi (“Wedding” in Hindi) of the Year“, both for its elegance, the guests turnout, the media coverage, as well as who was the married couple in question. Yes, to much dread and disappointment for ladies who had the hots for our first Singapore Idol, Taufik Batisah is now officially off the market and betrothed to Ms. Nurshaheena Binte Akbal Ahmad or affectionately known as Sheena. In a grand wedding affair befitting of his status as arguably Singapore‘s current number one singer, more than 3000 guests attended their lunch reception held at the Muslim Delights events venue on the seventh floor of Luzerne Building last Saturday, 4th April 2015, to celebrate their wedding and to wish them the very best in this new chapter of their lives.

Looking spleandour in their second outfit and meeting their guests…

Hand to heart, I certainly did not expect to be invited as I had anticipated a small wedding affair for close friends and family members. But the groom himself contacted to personally invite me and the family to his big day, less than two weeks to the wedding day. How could we ever say “No” to this humble and down-to-earth guy who has always been so nice and accomodating in the past to be photographed and allowed me to record short video snippets of him at events and showcases??? It was an honour indeed and here on behalf of my family, I would like to extend my gratitude to Taufik‘s family for inviting us and most definitely not forgetting his manager, Ms. Alison Leong, for kindly allowing me to cover this momentous occasion.

DJ KC and his beloved wife, Fiza O, were the emcees for both the lunch reception and wedding dinner…

I would like to say more about the wedding event, but sadly (or rather, thankfully), The New Paper as well as the other local media sites had already said it for me in their respective feature articles yesterday which you can kindly Google to read or view the video highlights they had put up. I was fortunate enough to be able to sit through his short fifteen minutes session with the media brigade halfway through the lunch reception before he changed into his second outfit. Taufik shared quite a number of interesting stuff like how he feels that he is THE lucky guy, rather than the other way round, how he proposed to Sheena in the car (Taufik, bro you should really seriously think about recording that song into a single. It will definitely be a sure hit on the charts!!!), their future plans to start a family and how many children they would want to have (three for him, two for her…) and so on.

Taufik addressing the media…

Taufik also shared some interesting insights like how Sheena is one of the fortunate ones to get to listen to his new singles before they are released and giving her fair share of inputs and critique. Which of course made yours truly enquired, whether her voice was the one we hear in the massive hit single “#awakkatmane“, and Taufik finally revealed that it was definitely her. In truth, I already knew beforehand that it was her voice, just that I felt it was no harm to hear it from Taufik himself since I still get people asking me till this day who is the girl behind the voice in that song. I would have loved to give all those people the politically correct answer, but since Taufik himself did not reveal initially, then I was in no position myself to do so. I would have also loved to have asked him what did she think of his first acting stint in “Demi Adriana“, but that’s a question to be asked another day.

Taufik serenading “Hanya Kamu” to his beloved wife, Sheena…

Taufik showed a side to him that most of us probably would never have seen before throughout his decade-long career in the music scene, and that was to tear up whilst singing his song. He did crack when he sang “Hanya Kamu“, the song he dedicated to Sheena. I had expected the bride to cry, but the opposite happened. Taufik had shared during the interview session with the media, how unfazed Sheena has been amidst the media scrutiny when he was all worried about her, but she has so far taken it in her stride and is a person who is not easily swayed by all the gossips and chatter that is synonymous to the entertainment world. In fact he said, it has never been an issue nor a contentious talking point between them all these while. Neither was the fact that she did not mind not being known as his other half before this, when most girls out there would like their other halves to tell the world who they are. It is very rare indeed to find such a partner and I have nothing but profound respect for Sheena. Taufik is indeed a lucky guy!!!

The newly-weds on the wedding dais taking in the performance from “Yaar Punjab“, the Bhangra percussion group that accompanied them out to meet the guests…

What I was most impressed with however, was the organisation of the whole event. For those who attended, I am sure most of them would have queued up for what felt like ages, just to go up to the event venue and having to register their names and showing their wedding invitation cards to the officials on duty. It might have looked too strict to some and probably a waste of time having to wait for their turns to go up, but I thought it was the best thing to do, to prevent gatecrashers and uninvited guests from turning up unannounced. To their credit, the officials on duty were all patient and full of smiles, even though the weather threatened to leave some of us with a bad temper given the heat. I felt it was orderly and everyone was cooperative, allowing the event to go on fuss-free. Kudos to everyone involved in the smooth running of operations during the wedding event. My utmost salute to all of you!!!

A kiss for the groom from the bride…

To Taufik and Sheena, I really hope and pray for nothing but the best for you both as you embark on this new journey as husband and wife. Married life is not easy. No one said it was. This road is littered with pitfalls and challenges, but the strength of your love, the patience you have for one another will see you through, Insya-Allah. May Allah bless this union of yours with many showers of blessings, sustenance and good tidings, grant you both beautiful and filial children, and may only death do you both part. Best wishes to you both once again and thank you so so much for having us at your wedding… :)

Photo courtesy of ohbulan.com

Sharnaaz Ahmad – Danny

Elfaeza Ul-Haq – Danny

Nick Mikhail – Kasih Berbisik

 Farhana M Noor – Belah Hati

Zaidi Ibrahim

Aishah Ahmad – Ingat Tak Mak

Mastura Ahmad – Bingit Sr. 2

Khairudin Samsudin –  Sinar Lebaran 2014

Khairudin Saharom – Sinaran Hati 2013

Rilla Melati Bahri (Rudy & Rilla Sr. 4)

Nyla Esman – Ingat Tak Mak

Bingit Sr. 2 (Mediacorp Eaglevision)

Drama Terbaik (Best Drama Series)

Tetap Anak Papa (ThinkPlate)

Drama Khas Terbaik (Best Drama Special)

Te:Ra Seh 2.0 – Mediacorp Eaglevision

Rancangan Hiburan Terbaik (Best Variety Series)

Viva Elektra – Mediacorp Eaglevision

Rancangan Hiburan Khas Terbaik (Best Variety Special)

Terbit – DV Studio

Rancangan Informasi Terbaik (Best Info-Ed Programme)

O.M.G. – DV Studio

Rancangan Kanak-Kanak Terbaik (Best Children’s Programme)

Sanif Olek – Bingit Sr 2 (Fantasi Biru)

Arahan Terbaik – Drama (Best Directing – Drama)

Fadila Abdul Wahid & Zaharian Osman – Viva Elektra

Arahan Terbaik – Hiburan (Best Directing – Variety)

Wan Firzaleenazrah

Skrip Terbaik – Drama (Best Script-Writing – Drama) – Bingit Sr 2: Aku & Avatar

Skrip Terbaik – Hiburan (Best Script-Writing – Variety) – Viva Elektra

Haryani Othman – Terbit (DV Studio)

Skrip Terbaik – Informasi (Best Script-Writing – Info-Ed)

Noor Azam Sheriff – Raya Sempurna (Flipside Stories)

Videography Terbaik – Drama (Best Videography – Drama)

Bingit Sr 1 & 2 – Flashforward

Suntingan Terbaik – Drama (Best Editing – Drama)

Desain Pembukaan Terbaik (Best Opening Title Design)

Fatimah Mohsin & Team – Sinar Lebaran 2014

Reka Imej Terbaik (Best Image & Styling)

Mental – Bingit Sr 1

Composer – Reyza Hamizan

Lyricists – Reyza Hamizan & TukangKata

Singer – Eiss Ismail Feat. TukangKata

Lagu Tema Terbaik (Best Theme Song)

Mengejar Mentari – Mediacorp Eaglevision

Rancangan Paling Popular – Most Popular Programme

Imam Shah

Pelakon Lelaki Paling Popular (Most Popular Actor)

Nurul Aini

Pelakon Wanita Paling Popular (Most Popular Actress)

Hajjah Ponisah Bachik

Anugerah Perdana Emas

It has been a fortnight since Pesta Perdana 13 was upon us. A lot of post-event thoughts and comments were made on the winners or what happened during the event itself, some of which have been downright vile and preposterous in my opinion, but that is something I will discuss on another day. I am still in the midst of editing the 3400-odd photographs I snapped that night but just to satiate your wait, I’ll be sharing selected photographs I took during the pre-event cocktail reception, during commercial breaks as well as during the post-event reception in this entry. Hope this will be a good filler before I share my after-thoughts… :)

Before I embark on this entry, I would like to apologise first and foremost to the organisers and good people of Gentarasa 2015 for this belated promo entry, as personal and family matters over the past three weeks or so have prevented me from posting it up. Oh and I doubt I would publish my post-Pesta Perdana thoughts anyway as the euphoria and backbiting have fizzled out within a week or two after the event. I’ll probably bring it up if some of those occurrences were to rear their ugly heads once again in the next edition. Anyway, I could have just kept quiet till the event ends this Saturday 30th May 2015, but I felt it will not be fair, especially since my old friend, Izzat Yusoff, had kindly invited me to the media preview event held at Goodman Arts Centre on 6th May 2015. So here I am with this entry and hoping that it will help in some way, entice you reading this to attend this much awaited annual event.

To be honest, I have never once attended a Gentarasa event in my lifetime, as the dates always fall on some prior engagement or commitment that I have planned or confirmed earlier. This year once again, is no different with much regrets, even though I thought I would be able to make it. Now in its fourteenth year, Gentarasa 2015 promises to be “The Production of the Year” as it commemorates the SG50 celebrations. This year Gentarasa will be a musical showcase that brings with it the question of “Nak Ke Mana” (Where Are We Going). It is an apt question to ask of our community, looking back on our past 50 years of nation-building, the difficulties and hardships faced and the direction that we are currently heading in the years to come.

Gentarasa 2015 depicts the story of the struggles of a group of youths, who in a bid to fulfill a project, reflect on the contributions and progress of the Malay community since Singapore‘s independence and reflect the unified Singapore Spirit of care, concern and support, especially in times of difficulties. This year, Gentarasa is directed and scripted by Haryani Othman, no stranger to our local Malay entertainment scene. She is ably assisted by producer Firdaus Faisal, artistic director Izzat Yusoff, head choreographer Osman Hamid and composer Zubir Abdullah. If I am not mistaken, all the songs featured in this year’s showcase are all fresh and original compositions from our well respected composer. No mean feat having to conceptualise and compose within a short time frame.

Maybe for those of you who have not been introduced to nor immersed into Gentarasa just like me, well here’s a bit of introductory summary for you. This annual show was initiated by Dr. Yaacob Ibrahim, Minister for Communications and Information and Adviser to MESRA (People’s Association’s Malay Activity Executive Committees Council), in 2002, to foster awareness and appreciation of Malay culture in our multi-racial society. This arts showcase also acts as a platform for the Malay performing groups at the various community clubs to come together and showcase their talent in Malay performing arts. Gentarasa literally means “Chimes of Expression” and it translates the many voices of expressions from the heart of the Malay community. These voices reverberate from the vast talents that exist in the community activity groups in the hopes to raise awareness and appreciation of the Malay culture, thus elevating and developing the standard of Malay cultural groups.

The main committee members of Gentarasa 2015 – (from left): Omar Ismail (Chairman of MESRA), Osman Hamid (Head Choreographer), Ramlan Rasidi (Organising Chairman of Gentarasa 2015), Dr. Yaacob Ibrahim (MESRA Adviser), Izzat Yusoff (Artistic Director), Zubir Abdullah (Composer) and Firdaus Faisal (Producer)…

I watched with much interest and intrigue during the media preview event. Even though it was just a ten to fifteen minutes preview of some of the songs and acting segments that will be featured this Saturday, I applaud all the performers for giving their all. Most of them I believe, are not full-time actors or performers, but their professionalism and eagerness to entertain those who attended the preview event was very much evident and shone like a beacon. For their sake, I really really hope you can set aside some time this Saturday to attend Gentarasa 2015 at the NUS University Cultural Centre for either the matinee show at 2pm or the gala show at 8pm. They deserved to be watched and appreciated for the amount of hard work and time sacrificed to bring you a good show. I wish everyone involved in Gentarasa all the best for this Saturday‘s event…

This entry sort of deviates slightly away from my usual entries in that it is not directly about Singapore‘s Malay entertainment scene per se. However, I still find it extremely relevant and important to share this with my readers as it involves an individual who has been a mainstay in our local Malay entertainment scene since she graced our television screens in the old days of Bengkel Kanak-Kanak TV SBC, and now as a highly-respected talkshow host that delves on social issues in our community. Rilla Melati Bahri, a name that needs no further introduction, has just launched her latest educational products via her company Mini Monsters Ltd. this past Sunday, 31st May 2015 at the National Library, in conjunction with the Asian Festival of Children’s Content 2015 event currently happening at the Plaza section of the building, from 30th May -6th June 2015.

I was honoured to have been invited to cover this event, a momentous one I should add. Rilla, from the time I knew her years ago, has always been a strong advocate of good education and learning. She has always championed for our younger generation to be nurtured and cultivated in good learning techniques in the field of language and being comfortable in our mother tongue. In fact, these newly-launched products were conceived from her own experience more than a decade ago, as a young mother looking desperately for educational materials in Malay to aid her in teaching the language to her son, Nadim, in a fun way. Back then, there were hardly anything in Malay in the bookstores and toystores. Through this experience, she took it upon herself to do this project for other mothers with toddlers.

A very decent turn-out at the launch event. Former national footballer Zulkarnaen Zainal (second row, left) was also in attendance…

Hence, the birth of “Siri Bacaan Cekap Kanak-Kanak & CD Bacalah Bersama!”(Confident Reader Series & Audio Read-Along CD) and the collaboration with Masfe Sendirian Berhad for “Set Gantungan Pembelajaran” (Educational Wall Hanging Set) in Malay for toddlers aged two to six years. Mini Monsters are also proud to have been appointed the exclusive sole distributor of the first ever customised Malay educational wall-hanging resources and this exclusive collaboration between them and Masfe Sdn Bhd represents a like-minded approach between both companies in taking the learning of the Malay language to greater heights for children during their formative years.

Rilla Melati addressing the audience and relating how the books and wall-hanging products came about…

This set comprises of mini detachable 2D “softies” which children can pull and paste to corresponding outlines on a standard thematic storyboard that comes with the Malay word to describe the individual softie. The educational objectives of this wall hanging resources are to cultivate early interest in reading through fun, interaction and play methodology, to develop children’s fine motor skills and encourage word-object recognition through touch-and-feel and to plant the seeds of love for the Malay language to children as young as 2 years old through visual stimulation. Although these sets are already in existent and used throughout Malaysia, this is the first time that the set is piloting in the Malay language exclusively for the Singapore market to be distributed by Mini Monsters Ltd. as a licensee.

(all images featured in this entry courtesy of Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay)

Pitahati

NOAH performs on 15 August 2015 at 8:00pm at the Esplanade Concert Hall…

The cast of YUSOF (from left): Erwin Shah Ismail, Najib Soiman, Sani Hussin, Dalifah Shahril, Farah Ong and Siti Khalijah Zainal…

Nona Asiah

A – Angklung Community Workshops