A passion and a dream come true for TV1 newsreaders

PETALING JAYA: Carol Lee has been a beauty queen, model and actress but her real passion is news reading. 

To Lee, 31, being a newsreader may be challenging but is “definitely worth it.” 

The lanky lass was crowned Miss Malaysia/Chinatown for 1995/96 and played the lead role in a 1996 Hong Kong movie, Killer with No Return. 

On her first stint as a newsreader on Thursday at 6.30pm, she said it was nerve-wracking as she had only five minutes to go through her script before going on the air.  

“As part of the revamp, newscasters must be more interactive on the set. We have to be alert, up-to-date with the latest developments and keep our ears and eyes peeled for more news resources. It may be challenging but definitely worth it,” said the affable Lee from Penang. 

She is one of five new faces who joined TV1 as part-timers in line with the station’s move to improve its news presentation.  

The others who joined the existing newsreader line-up are Sharmila Kaur, Muhammad Shah Musa, Terrance Tay Kian Shuh and Jessica Ong Hai Liaw. 

TEAM SPIRIT: Ong (left) and Lee getting ready for a news bulletin Friday.

Ong, a teacher at SK Taman Medan in Kuala Lumpur, said the opportunity to be an anchorwoman was like a dream come true. 

Her first appearance on TV to present Warta Perdana (Bahasa Malaysia) was on Thursday at 8pm with Sharmila. 

“It was my first time on the air and I had butterflies in my stomach. Thankfully, all went well. I thank senior newscasters Norashikin Abdul Rahman and Jessica Lee, and former Radio 4 controller George Abraham for their help.  

“I’m having a good time juggling between teaching, motherhood and working for TV1,” said 30-year-old Ong, who has two children.  

Sharmila, who has appeared in airline and beauty product commercials before, took up the challenge when she heard that the station was looking for presenters.  

The 26-year-old chambering student said: “It’s something different. I’m beginning to see a whole new perspective of presenting news and I love it because I am giving out first-hand information to the audience.” 

Every Monday to Thursday, the ladies will wear baju kebaya while they will wear the baju kurung every Friday.  

On weekends, their attire will be baju kebaya with batik prints.  

Joining Ong and Sharmila Kaur on Warta Perdana is Muhammad Shah Musa, a former presenter at RMKL and Radio Muzik.  

Lee and Tay will helm the English news bulletins, which is aired daily at noon, 6.30pm and midnight.