Jacklyn Victor on Merdeka Eve Celebrations

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - A smaller allocation this year by the government for the 51st Merdeka Day (Independence Day) celebrations and a drizzle did not dampen the patriotic spirit of Malaysians to come out and celebrate the eve of the occasion at several locations in the federal capital Saturday night.

Gracing the celebration at Dataran Merdeka was Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and his wife Datin Seri Jeanne Abdullah who arrived at 11.45pm and were welcomed by Unity, Culture, Arts and Heritage Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal and his wife Datin Seri Shuryani Shuaib. Mohd Shafie is the chairman of the Merdeka Day celebrations committee.

Also present were Cabinet ministers, Kuala Lumpur Mayor Datuk Abdul Hakim Borhan and foreign missions' representatives. The highlight of the celebration to mark Malaysia's independence day on August 31 were the seven shouts of 'Merdeka' by Abdullah followed by the raising of the Jalur Gemilang (national flag) by National Service trainees to the strains of the national anthem sung by the 30,000-odd crowd present. This was followed by a 10-minute fireworks show that lit up the skies of the city as those present sang this year's theme song "Unity The Pillar of Success".

The celebrations began at 8pm with a stage show of the arts and culture of the various races and included entertainment by artistes like Datuk M Daud Kilau, Dayang Nurfaezah, Raihan and Meet Uncle Hussein. Besides at Dataran Merdeka, various other programmes also took place around the city including at the Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC) and Jalan Bukit Bintang. At KLCC more than 10,000 people started gathering at 8pm to wait till midnight, a tradition there now. The event at KLCC saw the presence of Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and his wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor.

There was entertainment by popular singers Faizal Tahir, Aisyah, Sheila Majid, Reshmonu, Jacklyn Victor and the Rabbani and Butterfingers groups.

At Jalan Bukit Bintang, the celebrations saw the presence of many foreign visitors who swelled the crowd at the popular tourist spot.

Singles, Music Videos, Conerts and of Jaclyn Victor

Singles

• In a Dream (2002, released only in independent music circles)
• Gemilang (2004)
• Di Bawah Pohon Asmara (2005)
• Tiada Lagi Indah (2005)
• Cuma Setia (2005)
• Wajah (2005, theme song for "Bersamamu" TV3)
• Getaran Rinduku (2005)
• Cepat Cepat (2006)
• Ceritera Cinta (2006, duet with Rio Febrian)
• Without You (2006, duet with Same Same)
• Jealous (2007)
• Satu Harapan (2007, theme song for Malaysian version of Telenovela Mi Gorda Bella, Manjalara)
• Cinta Tiada Akhirnya (2007)
• Kau Muzik di hatiku (2007, duet with Vince Chong) (OST of High School Musical 2 - Asian Edition)
• You're the Music in Me (2007, duet with Vince Chong) (OST of High School Musical 2 - Asian Edition)
• Dambaran Cinta (2008, theme song for Apa Kata Hati)

Music videos

• Gemilang
• Wajah
• Cinta (duet with Misha Omar)
• Without You (duet with Same Same)
• Cepat-Cepat
• Ceritera Cinta (duet with Rio Febrian)
• Ipoh Mali (as featuring artiste)
• Satu Harapan
• You're the Music in Me (2007, duet with Vince Chong)
• Awards
• Hitz. FM Best Newcomer Award - 12 March 2005
• Anugerah Bintang Popular Berita Harian - Most Popular New Female Artist - 13 April 2005
• Malaysia's Global Chinese Recommended Golden Arts Award (Music Category) - 16 July 2005
• XIII Shanghai Asian Music Festival Golden Prize - 28 October 2005
• RTM Hits 1 - 21 January 2006

o Best Song Award - Gemilang
o Best Performance Award

• TV3 Anugerah Juara Lagu - 5 February 2006

o Juara Lagu Best Ballad Award - Gemilang
o Song Of The Year Award - Gemilang

• Anugerah Planet Muzik (Singapore) - 24 March 2006 - Best Female Artist
  
• 13th Anugerah Industri Muzik (AIM) Malaysia - 29 April 2006

o Best New Artist
o Best Arrangement in a Song
o Best Pop Album
o Album of the Year

• URS Magazine Award - Non-malay glamour artist
• 14th Anugerah Industri Muzik (AIM) Malaysia - 28 April 2007 - Best Female Vocal Performance in an Album
• IKON MALAYSIA - Winner of Ikon Malaysia - Solo
• Anugerah Era 2007 - Chosen Local English Artiste - Ipoh Mali/Point Blanc
• Anugerah Juara Lagu 27 January 2008 - Best Vocal Performance Ceritera Cinta (duet with Lah, from VE)
  

Concerts

o Zoom in with Jaclyn Victor (2005)
o Konsert Fenomena Jaclyn Victor & Misha Omar (2005)
o Sunday Nite Live at Planet Hollywood (2006)
o Zoom in with Jaclyn Victor (2006)
o Konsert Fenomena Jaclyn Victor & Dayang Nurfaizah (2006)
o Down Memory Lane with Jaclyn Victor (2007)
o Malam Gemilang Ekslusif bersama Jaclyn Victor @ Planet Hollywood (2007)

Cute swing-about also features Jaclyn Victor

A cute, nifty, handbag-friendly new book has hit the market in time for our 51st Merdeka. Smartly called 50+1.Malaysia, the book is an ode to the nation.

Just when we thought the dust had settled after our lavish coming-of-age party last year commemorating a half-century of independence, the year 2008 brings a tiny but charming tome exalting our beloved land.

The size of a large wallet, the feel-good 50+1.Malaysia is the brainchild of Quachee, who at 26, was just one year old when Malaysia was a quarter-century old.

The sometimes model and self-described “dreamer entrepreneur” describes the book as an “entertainment-travel guidebook”. But it is less Time Out Malaysia and more of a condensed and instant dose of Malaysiana.

The book is perfect as a present for foreign friends or Malaysian students who have stayed away too long.

Of course, it includes the inevitable, like Food, Places to Visit, Things to Do and Festivals, etc. These are rather run-of-the-mill but the saving grace is in the first and last two chapters.

The chapter Truly Malaysian deals with Malaysian English and explains the nuances of such words from the vernacular as lah, one, aiyoh, chin chai, yam seng, syiok, ta pao, belanja and alamak. Quachee, like Kit Leee, calls it “Manglish”, which gives it the impression of being mangled English, which it is in a sense.

There is also a discourse on Malaysian fabrics and fashion. This is not surprising, considering the fact that Quachee’s first publication was the lavish coffee-table book Batik Inspirations.

The opening gambit succeeds in grabbing our attention as it delves on all things Malaysian, from the way we speak, to the Malaysian car, to hibiscus, MyKad, gamelan and a mishmash of familiar and little-heard-of stuff.

Every chapter features exactly 51 items (now why are we not surprised?), which makes the book easy to read and refer to. One suspect, though, that occasionally Quachee had to stretch or shorten each description to accommodate the holy grail of 51.

Invariably, some of these overlap, like cave exploration, which is found in both Places to Visit and Things to Do.

Most entries deal with the things that any free tourist brochure will include, from satay to laksa, yong tau fu to buah keluak, Jonker Street in Malacca to Suria KLCC, all the major state museums, cultural villages, temples, caves, islands, forest reserves, beaches and you get the drift.

More interesting is the line-up of notable Malaysians. Badminton silver medallist Lee Chong Wei’s triumph at the recent Olympics came too late for him to be included in the list, but Lee is described as “one of Malaysia’s most promising badminton players”.

This shows Quachee to have his pulse on the who’s who of the sporting and entertainment world. More examples: he lists Maya Karin and Rosyam Nor,both of whom recently won Best Actress and Best Actor nods at the 21st Malaysian Film Festival.

The drawback is the lack of photos in the book. Not all of those honoured in 50+1.Malaysia have their mugshots included.

Of the 51 Malaysians, only 30 come with their photos attached, and these tend to be among the most photographed personalities, like angkasawan Datuk Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor, Chef Wan, Erra Fazira, Mawi, Maya Karin, Jaclyn Victor, Fish Leong, Datuk Michelle Yeoh and Amber Chia.

Not that many know or have heard of Fasha Sandha, who limps in with a mere five sentences, Jazeman Jaafar, Penny Tai, Rynn Lim and Saiful Apek. Quachee also has a penchant for songwriters.

The last chapter, 50+1 Love Expressions, is postcard-perfect with tributes and pretty pictures by ordinary Malaysians showing, among other things, cascades of the Malaysian flags. The websites of contributors are listed should you get the urge to download what you see.

Still, the book is readable, fun and surprisingly enlightening. And it’s reasonably priced at RM19.90.

Jaclyn Victor participates in walk to keep abreast of disease

Some 5,000 people donned pink T-shirts and walked 3km to raise awareness of breast cancer and early detection yesterday.

Among the participants were the country’s first astronaut Datuk Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor and local celebrities including Syafinaz Selamat, Nasha Aziz and Jaclyn Victor.

Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Dr Ng Yen Yen, who launched the event at Taman Tasik Titiwangsa, planned to have mammogram mobile clinics in rural areas to increase breast cancer awareness.

“It is estimated that one in 19 women here are at risk of getting breast cancer in their lifetime. Even men are susceptible, although in small numbers.

“Women need to overcome their fear of getting checked as early treatment of breast cancer can help save lives,” she said.

Dr Ng encouraged women to regularly examine themselves and to visit the ministry’s clinics for a subsidised mammogram check for those above 40-years-old.

“From May 2007 until June this year, 5,217 women underwent our mammogram check, of which 368 were highly suspicious and 20 were positively diagnosed,” she added.

Breast cancer survivor and mountain climbing enthusiast Rene’e Aziz Ahmad said one must seek professional medical treatment and not just rely on traditional healing.

“Life is not over just because one gets diagnosed with breast cancer as it can be prevented if detected early,” said Rene’e who was diagnosed seven years ago.

Net proceeds from the Avon Walk Around The World for Breast Cancer (WAWBC), totalling RM50,000, was donated to the Pride Foundation, a charity body aimed at raising awareness and improving accessibility to treatment.

This is Malaysia’s first such event which is already held annually in more than 50 countries.

Jaclyn Victor on Prime Time

With a vision of being a leading global content creator and provider, Media Prima Berhad’s latest baby, Primeworks Studios Sdn Bhd, is all set to go.

A brainchild of Media Prima International chief executive officer Datuk Seri Farid Redzuan, the idea was first mooted five years ago but was put on the back burner since Media Prima Group’s priority then was to consolidate its television business. But now, with the group’s strong hold in the local broadcasting industry (with four television stations and two radio stations under its umbrella), Primeworks Studios is ready to fulfil its goal.

Already supplying content to Brunei and Singapore, Primeworks Studios’ target is the bigger market like the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Taiwan and Hong Kong. “We want to expand on a global platform by exporting more Malaysian-made content of all genres. If we don’t do this now, we will never move forward and we will never get our products out.”

Primeworks Studios’ content is divided into various genres. They are Chinese Drama/Movie, Chinese Entertainment, Movies/Drama, Malay/English Magazine/Documentary, Malay/English Entertainment, Sports, Corporate Affairs, Artistes/Talent Management, Creative & Technical Services and Content & Industry Development.

Primeworks Studios may be a 100 per cent subsidiary of the Media Prima Group but Farisha hopes the company will be viewed as an entity of its own. There have also been talk that Primeworks Studios may monopolise the programmes aired on the group’s TV stations.

“Previously, programmes like entertainment and magazines shows were sourced internally as it reduced costs. But when it comes to dramas, our Grand Brilliance Sdn Bhd (GBSB) provides less than 20 per cent of the titles. The remainder goes to outside production houses.” (GBSB has been absorbed into Primeworks Studios.)

Farisha also touched on its Artistes/Talent Management department, which will see 8TV’s 8 Unit come under them, which means artistes like such as Faizal Tahir, Jaclyn Victor and Ayu Damit will be managed by Primeworks Studios.

There are also plans to relocate the Primeworks Studios on a designated area in Petaling Jaya that can house 10 studios, to be used for any kind of recording or even as a concert site. It is currently operating at Sri Pentas in Bandar Utama, Petaling Jaya.

This sounds like Primeworks Studios is heading towards becoming the next Universal Studios (in the US) which houses huge movie sets and backdrops, Farisha smiled and said: “Well, that is the eventuality.”

Jaclyn Victor: One of the presentor at MTV Asia Awards 2008

On a celebratory night of high fashion, glamour and exhilarating live performances, Malaysia finally got to savour the flavour of a star-studded MTV event as it played host to the MTV Asia Awards 2008 for the very first time.

While Singapore and Thailand have hosted the previous editions of the awards, Saturday’s glitzy event, held at the Arena of Stars in Genting, proved to be the perfect opportunity for Malaysia to step up and prove its credentials as a credible alternative. With the enthusiastic 3,000 strong crowd in fine voice, eager to show their appreciation and make plenty of noise, a carnival atmosphere flowed throughout the evening, confirming that Malaysians do indeed know how to let their hair down and party with the best of them.

Celebrating its sixth edition, the pan-regional awards show saw a total of 18 international and regional awards given out on the night, including two surprise late additions to the awards list – the Knockout Award and The Inspiration Award as voted by MTV Asia viewers across the region.

Jointly hosted by Hollywood hunk Jared Leto (frontman of 30 Seconds to Mars and actor of Panic Room, Alexander and Requiem for a Dream), and award-winning Hong Kong actress and singer Karen Mok, the awards show aimed to give recognition to international and regional artists for their musical achievements as well as providing a platform for exciting music collaborations in the region.

In short, it was time for Asia to rock ‘n’ roll ... MTV style!

The evening got off to a lively start courtesy of an attention-grabbing dance routine by Jabbawockeez, winners of the popular US TV show America’s Best Dance Crew. Busting out their signature moves complete with white masks and gloves, the dance crew managed to get party started in exciting fashion.

The decibel count in the audience was then raised several notches when the sexy, statuesque Pussycat Dolls took to the stage, looking every inch a sight for sore eyes. Kicking off with a sizzling rendition of their slinky slow jam Buttons, the girls also performed their latest hit single When I Grow Up for the very first time in Asia amidst plenty of fanfare and fireworks.

Maybe, the Beijing Olympics opening ceremony committee should thought about hiring these girls.

Back in Genting, the first award of the night went to the all-singing, all dancing, 10-member Korean boy band Super Junior for being voted Favourite Artiste of Korea. The boys received a roaring welcome when they returned to rock the stage with an energetic rendition of their hits Mirror and Thirst later in the evening.

Other regional award winners included Lee Yu Chun (Favourite Artiste China), Leo Ku (Hong Kong), Yovie & Nuno (Indonesia), Chicosci (Philippines), Show Lo (Taiwan) and TOR+ Saksit (Thailand). Elsewhere, Singaporean songbird Stefanie Sun bagged the Favourite Artiste Singapore Award for fifth time running (doesn’t Singapore have any new names). On the local front, Chinese pop crooner Nicholas Teo beat off a strong challenge from four-time MTV Asia Award winner Siti Nurhaliza to clinch the Favourite Artiste of Malaysia award.

The Sarawak-born Teo has come a long way since grabbing the Astro Talent Quest title nearly six years ago. The 26-year-old has carved a name for himself in the Taiwanese pop scene and now this MTV Asia Award recognition is guaranteed to boost his career further.

On the international front, Linkin Park proved as popular as ever with Asian music lovers as they took home the coveted Favourite International Artiste in Asia Award. The other international honorary music awards were presented to OneRepublic and Timbaland (Best Hook-up), 30 Seconds to Mars (Video Star Award) while The EDC Style Award was presented to Panic at the Disco for their impeccable fashion sense and sartorial elegance,

Among those presenting awards on the night were Dave, Jaclyn Victor, Joe Flizzow, Leo Ku, Miguel Chavez, Moots from Pop Shuvit, Pussycat Dolls, Show Lo, Electrico and Stefanie Sun. Guest presenters MTV veejays Denise Keller, Juju, Mike and Utt caught everybody off guard when announced the first surprise of the night – the Knockout Award – which was given to the artiste who has successfully captured the hearts of young music audiences in Asia. Power pop quintet The Click Five floored the rest of their competition to swoop this brand new award.

The second surprise addition was the Inspiration Award, which was presented to co-host Mok for her achievements in the music and film industry as well as her dedicated efforts in promoting social and humanitarian causes.

Minor quibbles like poor live sound quality (not so much from the performers but from the presenters’ podium) aside, Malaysia’s MTV Asia Awards debut turned out to be a memorable occasion. Roll on next year.

Jaclyn Victor at MTV awards

The star-studded MTV Asia Awards 2008, which made its Malaysian debut here last night, lived up to its top billing with glitz, glamour, good music and exhilarating performances.

Entering its sixth edition, the awards ceremony which saw 18 regional and international awards being presented, had previously been hosted in Singapore and Bangkok.

Held at the 6,000-capacity Arena of Stars, the regional awards show saw thrilling live performances with lively guest presenter appearances from an international cast, such as Jabbawockeez, Leona Lewis, OneRepublic, The Click Five, The Pussycat Dolls, The Script (a new pop sensation from Ireland), ably backed by our very own stars Pop Shuvit, Jaclyn Victor and Joe Flizzow.

US rockers Panic At The Disco brought the proceedings to a close with a flourish, performing two of their biggest hits - I Write Sins Not Tragedies and Nine In The Afternoon, with the latter delivered complete with a local marching band, flamenco dancers and a gymnastic team.

Playing host alongside Hong Kong actress/singer Karen Mok was Hollywood heartthrob and rock star Jared Leto, frontman for US rock band 30 Seconds To Mars.

His acting resume includes Panic Room, Fight Club and Requiem For A Dream.

The big winner of the night was Linkin Park, who swooped the coveted “Favourite International Artist In Asia” award, confirming their enduring popularity among Asian fans.

British singing sensation Leona Lewis, who is enjoying unprecedented success on both sides of the Atlantic with her blend of smooth R&B won the “Breakthrough Artist” award while her English counterparts, edgy alternative rockers Radiohead, walked away with the “Innovation” award.

Muse, another British act, also found themselves among the winners with their Asian Tour being awarded the “Bring Da House Down” award.

Flying the flag for the Asian contingent was Taiwanese pop star Show Lo who grabbed the “Favourite Artist Taiwan” award.

Korean boyband Super Junior was “Favourite Artist Korea” while Chinese pop crooner Nicholas Teo was the fans' choice for the “Favourite Artist Malaysia” award.

Host Leto was not left out with his band clinching the “Video Star” award for their song A Beautiful Lie which was shot in Greenland.

His co-host also didn’t leave empty-handed with the Hong Kong star being presented the “Inspiration” award.

The MTV Asia Awards 2008 was sponsored by Esprit, Tourism Malaysia and Genting–City of Entertainment and locally sponsored by Xpax in Malaysia.