Compiled by C. ARUNO, HEMANANTHANI SIVANANDAM and R. ARAVINTHAN
GULF of Alaska, a Mandarin song composed by Malaysian singer-songwriter Firdhaus Farmizi, is so popular online that one of its covers racked up over a million views in just two weeks, reported Sin Chew Daily.
Local singer Priscilla Chai uploaded her own rendition of the song on YouTube and has since garnered 1.56 million views and the numbers continue to grow.
Fans praised Chai’s take on the song, with many requesting for a collaboration between her and Firdhaus.
“It’s so perfect. Firdhaus was the original singer and Priscilla made a female cover. You’re awesome Malaysia!” wrote an internet user.
It was reported that Gulf of Alaska garnered a staggering 170 million views and counting on the short form video-sharing app, Douyin, in China.
The ballad, which was part of Firdhaus’ latest EP A Letter, became an instant hit in China.
> Being stuck in Taiwan, singer Ella Chen and her Malaysian husband Alvin Lai went on a three-day two-night holiday to the snow-covered Mount Hehuan, reported Sin Chew Daily.
Chen posted photos of them with their three-year-old son on Facebook enjoying snowball fights and having a good time on the mountain.
The photos showed the entire family donning thick winter jackets and gloves, complete with trapper hats.
Chen said the scenery on the mountain reminded her of spending New Year’s Eve in Iceland in 2019.
“To be able to enjoy such scenery at the Wuling mountain pass, it’s so touching!” she wrote.
It was reported that Chen, who would often spend Chinese New Year at her husband’s hometown in Melaka, will not be returning to Malaysia this year due to Covid-19 restrictions.
> Malaysian rapper and film director Namewee is considering buying a house in Taiwan and making it his permanent home, claiming it was more accepting of his artistic work, reported China Press.
The multitalented 37-year-old has garnered dozens of controversies in Malaysia in his 13-year-career, with the latest being his film Babi, which is a retelling of a racial riot at a school some 20 years ago.
He is now reportedly wanted by the police after reports were lodged against him for allegedly tarnishing Malaysia’s image overseas and for touching on racial sensitivities.
“I will be locked up once I reach home. I’m not worried about spending time in jail but about the Covid-19 cases in the detention centres, ” he said.
The above articles are 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 a >, it denotes a separate news item.
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