I had no chance to tell my side of the story
January 25, 2006
SHE will now move on.
But without a chance to tell her side of the story.
And that is why Malaysian diva Datuk Sharifah Aini Syed Jaafar said she has no reason to celebrate the court discharge issued yesterday.
The singer, accused of defaming pop icon Siti Nurhaliza Tarudin through an e-mail, was given a discharge not amounting to an acquittal, reported the Malaysian newspapers.
Dressed in a purple baju kurung, the singer seemed pensive as magistrate Azroul Hisham Azulan ruled in her favour.
Then she gave a broad smile and thanked him for the decision.
The magistrate said that the defamation charge needs a complaint to be made in accordance with the provisions under Section 131 of the Criminal Procedure Code.
If no complaint is made, then the court cannot consider the offence committed.
THE JUDGMENT
He said: ‘At this stage, when the full trial has not started, it is therefore appropriate for the accused to be given a discharge not amounting to an acquittal because this court has no jurisdiction to hear the case.’
Sharifah, 53, said: ‘It is time to get on with my life.’
She had been accused of sending an e-mail containing derogatory statements about Siti Nurhaliza to Mr Ahmad Shaharil Jamaludin, Sharifah Aini’s adopted brother, on 24 Aug 2004.
The alleged defamatory statements in the e-mail message touched on Siti Nurhaliza’s looks and that she had artificially enhanced it.
It also contained claims about her private life.
On 1 Dec 2004, she claimed trial to committing the offence.
The defamation case seized headlines in Malaysia as it involved two of the country’s most popular artistes – veteran singer Sharifah and the younger Siti.
Sharifah told reporters yesterday that she had mixed feelings over the court decision and had no reason to celebrate.
She said: ‘It did not give me a chance to tell my side of the story. I have gone through humiliation and stress for over a year and I am tired and upset. It is time for me to get on with my life.’
Late last year, Sharifah claimed to have been kidnapped and drugged.
The Malaysian police said then that there was no evidence that such an attack had taken place.
DID NOT TESTIFY
Neither Sharifah nor Siti were called to testify in the defamation case.
But Sharifah still hopes to give her side of the story one day.
‘I will try and tell my side of the story one day,’ she said.
Her lawyer, Datuk Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, said that she could write a book on this.
And the singer nodded, saying that it was a good idea.
Datuk Muhammad Shafee said an appeal by the prosecution would be a waste of time: ‘This case does not benefit anyone, be it Siti Nurhaliza or Sharifah Aini.
‘It does not amount to a win-win situation for both parties. Many would get hurt if the case were to go on.
‘If they appeal, then legally speaking, they (the prosecution) have to re-charge (Sharifah).’
Meanwhile, Siti said she was pretty calm about the whole thing.
She told Utusan Malaysia: ‘I don’t know what to say. My reputation has been tarnished.’
According to Siti, although the case didn’t impact her greatly, she has lost her good name in the local music industry.
‘This isn’t a case of Siti vs Sharifah Aini. I am just a witness in this case and I have cooperated with the court as best as I can.’
‘I have conducted myself in the proper way and followed the letter of the law.
Siti, 27, said that she is consulting her lawyer following the court’s decision.
‘I accept the decision, but if the case is reopened in future, I will offer my cooperation.’
Asked whether she knew of the court’s decision in advance, she replied: ‘I only found out when the media approached me for comment while I was on my way to the recording studio.’
http://newpaper.asia1.com.sg/
Four idols together on stage
Monday, December 12, 2005
TV viewers witnessed a bit of entertainment history last night.
Four singing talent contest winners came together for the first time to help raise funds for a worthy cause. Anugerah winner Kairul Anuar, Singapore Idol’s Taufik Batisah, Project SuperStar’s Tan Wei Lian and Vasantham Star’s Mohd Shabir took part in the Ikhlas TAA-Suria Charity show, which was shown on MediaCorp TV 12 Suria.
The live performance was held at the MediaCorp TV Theatre, where the guest of honour was Dr Balaji Sadasivan, Senior Minister of State at the Ministry of Information, Communication and the Arts and Ministry of Health.
The four idols were joined by Malaysian pop star Siti Nurhaliza and their efforts paid off. The show marked the end of the fund-raising drive for Tabung Amal Aidilfitri (TAA) – an annual event during Ramadan.
TV viewers donated $241,147 through two hotlines, while the total from MediaCorp, including its radio campaign, was $449,287.
http://www.todayonline.com/
Winners of Singapore’s four talent quests come together to raise funds for needy
Time is GMT + 8 hours
Posted: 11 December 2005 2229 hrs
Winners of Singapore’s four talent quests come together to raise funds for needy
By Valarie Tan, Channel NewsAsia
Winners of MediaCorp’s four talent competitions came together to perform in the name of charity on Sunday evening.
Singapore Idol Taufik Batisah, Suria’s Anugerah winner Khairul Annuar, Vasantham Star Mohd Shabir and Project Superstar Kelvin Tan lent their voices to the Ikhlas TAA Suria 2005 charity show.
The show aims to raise funds for over 6,000 needy families in Singapore.
Dr Balaji Sadasivan, who was the guest of honour, said it’s great that celebrities are helping out for charity.
The Senior Minister of State for Health, speaking before the show, said: “I understand that it’s a historic first. We have all the stars from the different channels participating together. And to top it off, we have Malaysia’s top Malay pop queen Siti Nurhaliza and so it’s going to be a great show.” – CNA/ir
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/
Is Siti a wedding belle?
October 19, 2005
MALAYSIAN pop princess Siti Nurhaliza has been the subject of heated media speculation that her pending nuptials to a businessman – identified only as Datuk ‘K’ – will take place next year.
Siti, 27, denied the reports and told The Star newspaper that she and Datuk ‘K’ are only business partners.
She said: ‘I am under undue pressure. I do not want to overreact, as this will create other wild rumours. But I hope, like all previous rumours, this too will die down eventually.’
Her rumoured beau is a director of a publicly listed company and is said to resemble Bollywood actor Anil Kapoor.
Siti, who is preparing for an umrah (minor pilgrimage) to Mecca, is unhappy about such talk.
‘There is so much baseless talk that I find it amusing.
‘There is no doubt that I will marry some day. When I do, I will make it public,’ she said.
http://newpaper.asia1.com.sg/
Hey, where is your baju kurung?
Something old… Siti teases cultural show audience: Hey, where is your baju kurung
SITI, Siti.
That’s the name on practically everyone’s lips at the Johor Cultural Extravaganza held at NUS University Cultural Hall last Friday night.
By Eri Akbar
06 September 2005
SITI, Siti.
That’s the name on practically everyone’s lips at the Johor Cultural Extravaganza held at NUS University Cultural Hall last Friday night.
Malaysia’s numero uno singer Siti Nurhaliza was the highlight of the show organised by the Johor Heritage Foundation.
She certainly delighted the 500-odd audience, who waited with bated breath for her to take over the stage in the second half of the show.
The 26-year-old Siti received boisterous cheers from the audience when she greeted them in a pristine white baju kurung. Her perfectly coiffed French twist was adorned only with a simple sanggul (Malay hair accessory).
The intimate affair provided an opportunity for Siti to interact with the audience.
Siti started by requesting that the lights be switched on, so that she could see the audience in the balcony seats.
Then, she teased some members of the audience for not turning up in baju kurung. She also made small talk about zapin, a type of Malay dance.
Siti sang her own hit songs like Balqis, Cindai and Nirmala, which are from her ethnic albums.
Before launching into Nirmala, Siti pointed her microphone towards the audience, asking them to sing the first line from the song.
FLUID DANCE MOVES
When the audience sang at the top of their lungs, Siti chided them jokingly: ‘Traditional Malay songs are melodious and have to be sung gently.’
Obviously inspired by Siti’s encouragement, the audience fared much better on their second try.
Siti showed off her fluid dance moves while singing Nirmala.
But halfway through the song, she said, tongue in cheek: ‘I’m dancing dangdut (a type of Indonesian music) style. The composer must be angry.’
The composer, who’s simply credited as Pak Ngah in her album, was among the musicians in the show.
The Johor Heritage Foundation dance troupe, which included talented primary school children, entertained throughout the two-hour programme.
Scenes of a wedding and a kampung were created through song-and-dance items.
A handful of Johoreans had turned up for the event in buses parked outside the venue.
Some Singaporean supporters received a ‘thank you’ from Siti when they yelled from their seats, telling her that they had attended her concert at the Singapore Indoor Stadium two months ago.
Singaporean teacher Siti Maisura, 31, said: ‘I seldom miss a show that has Siti in it.
‘She’s not just a good singer. She’s the model Malay girl.’
http://newpaper.asia1.com.sg/
Malaysian pop icon Siti Nurhaliza has the world at her feet
Entertainment News »
Time is GMT + 8 hours
Posted: 20 July 2005 1058 hrs
Malaysian pop icon Siti Nurhaliza has the world at her feet
By Zul Othman, TODAY
Despite the fact that she’s a Malaysian pop icon with a multitude of music awards under her belt, Siti Nurhaliza Tarudin still gets the jitters when she faces a huge audience.
“I’m still nervous, especially before a big show,” the 26-year-old pop princess said in an interview yesterday.
She is in town for tonight’s concert at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.
“When I think and worry too much, I get excited. It’s good though – it keeps me on my toes. Only then can I give the audience my very best performance,” she said.
Siti has certainly come a long way from her hometown of Kuala Lipis in Pahang. The fifth of eight children, she lived with her policeman father and housewife mother.
How things have changed. Since her debut on the Malaysian music scene in 1995, she has been consistently ranked as one of Malay pop’s foremost superstars.
Her talent and demure beauty have won her a legion of young fans, while her carefully-crafted, squeaky-clean image has endeared her to parents and moderate Muslims everywhere.
The image has also landed her lucrative endorsement deals. In Malaysia, she’s been the face of major cosmetic brands, such as Maybelline, as well as of Samsung and mobile phone operator Maxis.
Yet, for someone who has achieved so much so young, the singer is friendly and surprisingly down-to-earth in person.
Speaking in a mix of English and Malay, she was pleased to discover that we had chatted before in another interview. She even asked whom I was taking to her concert – she seemed very pleased to hear that I was planning to watch the show with my mum.
She is also amazingly candid, the sort of frankness that you don’t often see in stars. She talked about taking an interest in investing her money, fully aware that “the spotlight will eventually fade”.
While she said she was grateful for her “decade of blessings” in the music industry, what excited her was the new direction her career was taking: That of remaking her into Siti, the businesswoman.
Her company, Siti Nurhaliza Productions, has been busy with a variety of projects for the singer.
A concert held at London’s Royal Albert Hall in April was hailed as a runaway success, with an estimated 3,000 people attending the show.
The show will be released on DVD later this year. There are also plans to do similar shows in Australia and Sarajevo.
Last year, she lent her name to a brand of tea products – C-tea.
“The production company has quite a few projects in the works,” Siti revealed. “We’re also working on television variety shows while the tea brand is being introduced to Singapore and Brunei.
“I’m not giving up music anytime soon, though; I’m working on a Malay album, which we plan to release in September.”
Also in the works: A debut English album.
But no matter how busy she may be, Siti says performing live remains a priority. After her success in London, she said Singapore was the next logical stop.
“The Singapore Indoor Stadium show is one we’ve been working on for a while now,” she said. “It will be similar in spirit to the London show. If it works out, we just might take it to Indonesia and Brunei.”
So far, all signs indicate that her Indoor Stadium debut will be yet another well-earned feather in the singer’s cap.
According to a spokesperson from concert organiser MediaCorp TV12 VizPro Entertainment, “nearly all” of the 7,000 tickets for tonight’s show have been snapped up.
She’s successful; she’s driven; she’s at the top of her game. Yet for all that, you can’t help but feel that Siti is uncomfortable with the trappings of fame and success.
She said she was not used to the glare of celebrity and that she preferred to spend time with her family.
“People always seem to be interested in my private life, but the truth is I am too busy for relationships. I’ll leave that to God for the time being,” she said.
“In the meantime, I’ll do everything I can to make my career even more fruitful.”
What: Siti Live! 2005
Where: Singapore Indoor Stadium
When: Tonight at 8.30. Tickets from Sistic. – TODAY/jt
source *http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/entertainment/view/158807/1/.html
She dazzles at sold-out concert
NINE years ago, Siti Nurhaliza won her first award when she was named Best Newcomer at the Singapore-initiated Anugerah Planet Muzik.
Now, the Malaysian singer, who has over 150 awards to her credit, is one of the top artistes in the region and is well on her way to breaking into the international market.
During her sold-out concert at the Singapore Indoor Stadium last night, Siti took the opportunity to thank her Singapore fans here for helping her gain a foothold in the music scene.
She told the 7,000-strong crowd: ‘I got noticed after winning the award. Thank you for believing in me.’
Despite the big scale, her two-hour gig came across as a rather intimate affair. Siti alternated between her hit songs and casual banter.
The audience, ranging from teenagers to yuppies and makciks, lapped up every note sung by the 26-year-old, who was born in Kuala Lipis, Pahang.
Siti showed she’s a kampung girl as much as she is a city slicker during the concert. It was apparently a reprisal of what she had put on at London’s Royal Albert Hall two months ago.
Her performance here last night showcased traditional Malay music, which is something close to Siti’s heart.
While singing a medley of folk songs and her ethnic hits such as Nirmala and Cindai, she danced along with a costumed Malaysian dance troupe, never missing a step.
But Siti also proved that she has the potential to go farther than her home when she belted out Get Here by American singer Elita Adams and Conquer by Chinese singer Na Ying.
Even though her diction for the latter was questionable, her powerhouse vocals were crystal-clear.
Siti, who was wearing a glittering number by Malaysian designer Michael Ong, was the polished entertainer.
Halfway through her song Bukan Cinta Biasa, she stopped to tease the audience and asked with a dazzling smile: ‘What are you waiting for? Waiting to get married?’
Perhaps Siti was poking fun at her eligible bachelerotte status (which she has often been quizzed about) because after that, the singer, who once said she believes in fate, pointed heavenwards and warbled: ‘Waiting for its answer’.
Yes, if fate decrees it, Siti will strike international stardom pretty soon.
- Eri Akbar
http://newpaper.asia1.com.sg/
Siti: Who forced Maia to wear kebaya?
Siti: Who forced Maia to wear kebaya?
Answer: No one
Fan Maia Lee gladly slips on outfit she had worn in Siti sing-a-like contest
By Eri Akbar
July 22, 2005
SINGAPORE Idol finalist Maia Lee is the self-professed No 1 non-Malay fan of Malaysian pop princess Siti Nurhaliza.
Maia, with a less traditional-looking Siti, appearing demure in her kebaya, which she had bought for about $100. — DOMINIC YING
Maia is so smitten with her idol that she even joined a Siti Nurhaliza contest two years ago, wearing a kebaya and singing one of Siti’s songs in Malay.
On Monday , she put on the all-yellow outfit again to meet Siti at a press conference at Grand Mercure Roxy Hotel.
The New Paper had arranged the meeting, knowing of Maia’s admiration for Siti.
Braving a downpour on the way to the event, Maia sent this reporter an SMS, saying: ‘I’m tripping all over the kebaya!’
The usually-sexy Maia was almost unrecognisably demure in the modest outfit, which she had bought in Geylang Serai for about $100.
Siti, on the other hand, had ditched tradition in favour of a trim pants suit.
When she was introduced to Maia, she said with a smile: ‘Oh, so pretty.’
Then, she turned to this reporter and asked in mock protest: ‘Who coerced her to wear this?’
Once they were seated on a sofa for a casual chat, Maia quickly whipped out a plaque which she got for her participation in the semi-finals of the Siti sing-a-like contest. She asked Siti to sign on it.
Siti asked: ‘You can sing in Malay?’
Maia had sung Cindai, one of Siti’s greatest hits, at the contest.
But this reporter still had to act as a translator during their 10-minute conversation.
Siti tried replying in English, but expressed herself better in Malay, while a few times, Maia interposed with ‘tak faham (don’t understand)’.
LANGUAGE IS NO BARRIER
But the language barrier didn’t stop the two from chatting and sharing a laugh.
Maia, 22, as the newcomer about to release her debut album, fished for some tips from the 26-year-old Siti, whose experience in show business spans nearly a decade.
Candidly, Maia blurted out that she’s going to try swallowing egg yolks – Siti’s highly-publicised recipe – before performing at the ZPOP concert at Suntec City on Saturday .
Siti laughed and pretended to retch, warning Maia that she would feel sick if she is not used to eating raw eggs.
The Malaysian singer, who was in a relaxed mood, occasionally tapped Maia’s lap as they talked.
As for Maia, she remained composed until she learnt about the size of Siti’s wardrobe. Her jaw dropped when Siti revealed that two rooms in her Kuala Lumpur up-on-the-hill mansion had been allocated to storing her costumes.
Siti has not kept count of her costumes, but going by what her favourite Malaysian designer, Michael Ong, told The New Paper two months ago, the singer has easily accumulated 1,000 outfits.
Siti explained to Maia and The New Paper: ‘I feel it’s such a waste to throw them out. I try to mix and match them as much as I can.’
Maia also wanted to know how Siti psyched herself up for a performance.
Siti revealed that she’s always well-prepared.
Even her moves on stage are choreographed, she said.
She was also asked about being touted as Asia’s Celine Dion, who’s incidentally her idol.
Siti replied in her usual self-deprecating manner: ‘She’s up there and I’m down there.’
One thing is for sure though: Siti’s popularity reaches far and wide.
Other fans who were also at the press conference had travelled from Scotland and France to catch her concert at the Singapore Indoor Stadium last night .
Mrs Hayati Tillier, a Singaporean who has lived in Paris for the last 17 years, said that she timed her yearly vacation here to coincide with Siti’s concert.
She also proposed helping Siti to stage a concert in Paris and was seen in a deep conversation with Siti’s concert producer, Roslan Aziz.
Siti recently performed in London.
A handful of guests also took pictures with Maia after realising that this kebaya-clad person was really the familiar tattooed singer.
Maia acquired a liking for Malaysian singers, including Ning Baizura, after she grew up listening to her Indian-Muslim neighbour’s Malay music collection.
Said Maia later: ‘I thought that a superstar like Siti would be full of herself.
‘But she’s actually nice and friendly. She has no airs at all, unlike some celebrities I’ve interviewed.’
Maia writes a fortnightly column for the Show section of The New Paper.
Then, out of Siti’s earshot, Maia whispered: ‘Siti is cute like a doll. I wanted to pinch her cheeks.’
Talk about being a devoted fan.
http://newpaper.asia1.com.sg/
Siti and Anuar a couple?
Siti and Anuar a couple?
GUESS who turned up to catch Anuar Zain singing at his Secretaries’ Week gig in Kuala Lumpur recently?
27 April 2005
GUESS who turned up to catch Anuar Zain singing at his Secretaries’ Week gig in Kuala Lumpur recently?
The popular Siti Nurhaliza herself. Naturally, her presence at the JW Marriott hotel performance sparked speculation about romance between the two.
But Anuar (right), 34, quickly put a stop to the guesswork, saying that Siti (below left) 26, was only showing support for a fellow artiste.
He himself had attended her inaugural solo concert at London’s Royal Albert Hall three weeks ago.
Anuar told Harian Metro: ‘I went to London not only to watch Siti perform but also for a holiday.
‘The date just happened to coincide with my holiday plans.’
But in KL, he singled out Siti – who was said to be smiling broadly – as his special guest.
He kicked off the show by striding up to her table and thanking her for being there.
And he became protective when fans crowded around her.
He actually told them to ‘let her enjoy the food’.
How sweet.
http://newpaper.asia1.com.sg/
FAKE NUDE PICTURES OF SINGER PUT ON THE NET…
“THE STRAITS TIMES – SATURDAY, MAY 20, 2000
“”It’s disgraceful. They simply want to victimize me.”"
SITI NURHALIZA – FAKE NUDE PICTURES OF SINGER PUT ON THE NET…
The doctored pictures of Siti Nurhaliza show her in steamy poses and are being circulated via e-mail. She is the latest victim of porn peddlers.
KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia’s hottest singer, Siti Nurhaliza, has become the latest victim of Internet pornographic peddlers.
Seven superimposed nude pictures of the singer with a squeaky clean image were shown in steamy poses and were circulated through e-mails.
“”I feel humiliated and sad”", the Malay Mail quoted the singer as saying. “”It wasn’t me. I certainly did not pose for these pictures. This is the work of unscrupulous people who know how to doctor pictures.”" “”It’s disgraceful. They simply want to victimize me.”"
Siti Nurhaliza, 21, said the e-mail was a popular and advanced medium of communication and should be used positively. She knew of other artists who had similar experiences of having doctored nude pictures of them circulated on the Internet. She believed the porn peddlers were latching onto her popularity to gain commercial value, particularly to link the pictures to their web sites. “”Hopefully, the authorities can detect and take action against these irresponsible people.”" She hoped that the culprits would be caught and penalized heavily.
It is not known how many people recieved Siti’s “”nude”" pictures via e-mail.
An Internet expert told the Malay Mail that it was almost impossible for the Internet service provider to filter the pictures and stop anyone from sending the nude pictures through e-mails. “”There is nothing much we can do if people want to circulate the pictures to their friends. We cannot stop them from doing so as e-mails are private.”" He said such indecent exposure is not only confined to Malaysian artists.
Many Hollywood stars have also been victimized in more cruel ways and they can do nothing to stop it. “”This is basically a question of morals and ethics. People who do this have none,”" he said.
In March last year, Edry Abdul Halim of singing group KRU said that a total of 11 pictures of him and singer Linda Rafar in sexually-explicit positions had been circulated on the Internet. He said the pictures were fake and the work of malicious parties out to sabotage the pop group.
THE STRAITS TIMES”