Bintang Kecil: Tawau lass to represent Sabah
Published on: Sun, Jul 27, 2025 Text Size: Nurul Hafizah (left) and Hannah pose with their prizes. KOTA KINABALU: Nurul Hafizah Safri from Tawau will represent Sabah at the national Bintang Kecil 2025 competition, scheduled to be held in Kuching, Sarawak on Sept 20. She was named Best Participant for the Sabah Zone during the recent Debaran Bintang Kecil 2025 round, earning her a spot in the finals. Nurul edged out close competitor Hannah Jean Roney. Both received RM3,000 in cash prizes. Nurul expressed gratitude and promised to give her best in the finals. 'My hope is to do my best in Sarawak and make Tawau and Sabah proud,' she said. Her family, including her aunt Misbaria Maidin, has been supportive and noticed positive changes in Nurul since joining the competition. 'The Bintang Kecil stage has brought many benefits to children like my niece. She is now braver in public, compared to before when she was shy. She gained a lot of experience through this competition,' Misbaria said. A total of 11 participants from Brunei, Indonesia, Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak will compete in the final, which this year highlights a Metaverse concept, combining digital creativity and live performance. Meanwhile, Sabah Broadcasting Director Mohd Yusni Mohamed Ali congratulated all participants and expressed hope that Sabah's representative would shine at the national level. 'Congratulations to all participants, especially Nurul from Tawau. She delivered an outstanding performance and rightly earned her place to represent the Sabah Zone. I hope this win leads to greater success in Sarawak,' he said. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available.
Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Express
5 hours ago
- Daily Express
Sterling performance by Kian Kok students
Published on: Monday, July 28, 2025 Published on: Mon, Jul 28, 2025 Text Size: The performers and guests. Kota Kinabalu: A one-hour blackout and brief mid-performance disruption did not dampen the spirits of performers at Kian Kok Middle School's annual Cultural Night, Saturday. The event themed 'Joy at Kian Kok' featured musical, dance and multicultural acts. Attendees, including parents and special guests, witnessed the resilience of students and staff as they adapted to the unexpected technical challenge. In his opening speech, Board Chairman Datuk Clement Yeh praised the students' initiative, emphasising that the event was more than just entertainment, it was a platform for growth. 'At Kian Kok, education goes beyond grades. It is about nurturing passion, character and creativity. Tonight, our students did not just perform, they proved their ability to adapt and excel under pressure,' he said. Clement pointed out the school's commitment to well-rounded development as reflected by recent achievements, including its brass band winning gold at a national competition and its Chinese orchestra preparing for a 2026 cultural exchange in Taiwan. Guest of Honour David Lam, who is Honorary Advisor to the Board, lauded the performances as a profound life lesson in passion and perseverance. 'Kian Kok is not just producing top scorers but about cultivating dreamers. On this stage, students found their voices and the courage to chase their futures,' he said. The power outage became an unplanned highlight, with students and staff working to keep spirits high. Their composure left an impression on parents and guests, who described the night as a journey of hope and resilience. As the curtain fell, the thunderous applause echoed the school's mission to empower every child to shine in their own unique light. 'Education is not just about exams. It is about being seen, heard and believed in. Tonight, we did not just witness talent, we saw the power of unwavering belief in every student's potential,' said David. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
Daily Express
a day ago
- Daily Express
Bintang Kecil: Tawau lass to represent Sabah
Published on: Sunday, July 27, 2025 Published on: Sun, Jul 27, 2025 Text Size: Nurul Hafizah (left) and Hannah pose with their prizes. KOTA KINABALU: Nurul Hafizah Safri from Tawau will represent Sabah at the national Bintang Kecil 2025 competition, scheduled to be held in Kuching, Sarawak on Sept 20. She was named Best Participant for the Sabah Zone during the recent Debaran Bintang Kecil 2025 round, earning her a spot in the finals. Nurul edged out close competitor Hannah Jean Roney. Both received RM3,000 in cash prizes. Nurul expressed gratitude and promised to give her best in the finals. 'My hope is to do my best in Sarawak and make Tawau and Sabah proud,' she said. Her family, including her aunt Misbaria Maidin, has been supportive and noticed positive changes in Nurul since joining the competition. 'The Bintang Kecil stage has brought many benefits to children like my niece. She is now braver in public, compared to before when she was shy. She gained a lot of experience through this competition,' Misbaria said. A total of 11 participants from Brunei, Indonesia, Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak will compete in the final, which this year highlights a Metaverse concept, combining digital creativity and live performance. Meanwhile, Sabah Broadcasting Director Mohd Yusni Mohamed Ali congratulated all participants and expressed hope that Sabah's representative would shine at the national level. 'Congratulations to all participants, especially Nurul from Tawau. She delivered an outstanding performance and rightly earned her place to represent the Sabah Zone. I hope this win leads to greater success in Sarawak,' he said. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
The Sun
2 days ago
- The Sun
When club musicians fall, Danny Sandhu is there to catch them
PETALING JAYA: Danny Sandhu has never played an instrument on stage, nor belted out a ballad beneath the glow of bar lights. But ask any seasoned musician from Malaysia's club circuit, and his name brings immediate warmth and gratitude. For the past four years, Danny, 65, has quietly taken on a role most wouldn't expect: a relentless fundraiser and friend to musicians and deejays in crisis. From health emergencies to financial ruin, Danny, an events specialist by trade, has made it his personal mission to be there when the music stops, and the silence of hardship sets in. 'I just can't stand by when people who've given us joy are struggling in the shadows,' Danny said, his voice measured but resolute. 'They've played through the years for us, through heartbreaks, celebrations, quiet nights and loud ones. When they fall, we have to lift them.' Danny's partner, Ice, is a singer in the local club scene, a window into the unseen struggles that many musicians endure. Gigs are inconsistent. Pay is low. There's little to no social safety net. Behind every soulful tune is often a story of sacrifice and resilience. Danny's proximity to this world spurred him into action. Over the past four years, Danny has helped raise close to RM300,000 for various causes, thanks largely to the generosity of financial institution ICAP Sdn Bhd, which has strongly supported his mission of compassion. Of that total, ICAP contributed over RM220,000 specifically to assist club artistes, while Danny's friend, Justin Cheng, personally donated an additional RM50,000. Danny's collaboration with ICAP also extended beyond the music scene. A kindergarten run by the Canossian Sisters in Jinjang, Kuala Lumpur, received RM36,000, while ACTS (A Call to Serve) was given RM10,000 to support sick refugees and asylum seekers. His most recent initiative hit close to home: veteran keyboardist Johan Chong Mohamad Chong, who formed a duo with Ice, was diagnosed with stage three cancer. Recently, the Saints Bar in Taman Sri Hartamas filled with fellow musicians, patrons, and strangers-turned-friends. The night raised over RM15,000, a lifeline for Johan's ongoing treatment, and the total now stands at about RM21,000. 'This isn't charity. It's responsibility,' Danny added. 'These musicians and deejays are part of our cultural soul. They deserve dignity, not just applause.' It was in January 2021 that Danny helped launch 'Lend a Helping Hand' in collaboration with the Club Artistes' division of the Malaysian Artistes' Association (Karyawan). The initiative was born from one simple belief: 'Musicians, especially those who have little, must care for one another, and so must we.' Danny recalled the early days of the campaign with quiet pride. 'It was a unique show of caring,' he said. 'Helpless musicians, still finding strength to support one another during the pandemic.' ICAP's RM30,000 contribution at the time was a pivotal moment — a corporate gesture of humanity that, Danny hopes, will inspire others. 'I urge companies and captains of industry who love music, who've had great nights made better by great performers, to lend a helping hand,' Danny said. 'It makes all the difference.' For decades, Malaysian club artistes have lived in precarity. Gigs are scarce, fees are stagnant, and there's no formal retirement or healthcare safety net. Many have slipped through the cracks. The pandemic nearly broke the circuit altogether. Though music associations such as Musicians for Musicians and Karyawan have held benefit events, the reality remains: support is often temporary, while need is constant. Danny sees the gaps. He fills them, one fundraiser at a time. 'I'm not a musician. But I've seen their hearts. And when the gigs are gone, when the lights go dim, someone needs to stand in that space,' he said. 'That's why I'm here.' He doesn't do it for thanks. But if you ask those who've benefited, from guitarists sidelined by stroke to singers silenced by surgery, they'll say Danny is a rare person: a man who doesn't just love music, but truly honours the people who make it. In a scene too often defined by hustle and heartbreak, Danny's presence is a reminder that compassion is its own kind of headline act. - Frankie D'Cruz, FMT
