Industry players defend Siti Nurhaliza’s UM appointment

POP queen Datuk Seri Siti Nurhaliza Tarudin’s appointment as an expert for Universiti Malaya Centre for Continuing Education (UMCCEd) has sparked criticism from some netizens who argue that the 45-year-old singer lacks the necessary academic credentials.

UMCCEd and Siti have remained silent on the matter while artistes and academicians have backed her capabilities, reported Kosmo!.

“Siti’s appointment was as an icon, not a professor, not an academician, not as a lecturer. Just an icon to promote continuous learning programmes,” said Universiti Malaya alumni and television host Datuk Aznil Nawawi said.

No comment: Siti Nurhaliza is keeping mum against naysayers on her UM appointment. – Photo taken from Siti Nurhaliza’s Instagram

Academician Datuk Dr Ramzah Dambul also highlighted Siti’s breadth of experience from the “university of life”.

“Expertise in knowledge can be learned from a university of study. Practical expertise can be gained from the university of life,” he said.

> Housewife Paridah Abu has found financial success from selling handmade crocheted items, reported Harian Metro.

Starting with crocheting shoes for her eldest granddaughter to save money, the 62-year-old now crafts a wide range of products such as baby shoes, keychains, hats, handbags and wallets.

Her handicrafts can fetch up to RM300 each.

By selling her goods online or from her home, Paridah earns about RM1,500 a month.

She also participates in the National Information Dissemination Centre’s programmes and earns up to RM3,500 per event.

> Actor Ben Amir has taken on a challenging role in the drama Bawah Payung Awan, portraying a teenager and school student named Soleiman despite being 34 years old.

The role marks a departure from the usual dashing and wealthy characters Ben plays, with this character struggling with poverty.

“The acting style and dialogues are different.

“It is fun for me to bring out Soleiman’s character, who has an immature way of thinking.

“It makes me feel like a kid again,” he said in a Harian Metro report.

During filming, Ben, whose real name is Muhammad Amir Sabaruddin, immersed himself in the role by residing in a squatter house, aiming to authentically depict the realities faced by people living in such conditions.

● The above article is compiled from the vernacular newspapers (Bahasa Malaysia, Chinese and Tamil dailies). As such, stories are grouped according to the respective language/medium. Where a paragraph begins with this ‘ >’sign, it denotes a separate news item.