(From left) Izzue Islam, Elizabeth Tan, Sangeeta Krishnasamy and more share their New Year's resolutions. Photos: Handout
It's that time of the year where all of us are hitting the reset button hoping to make a positive change in our lives.
The past three years have indeed been challenging no thanks to the pandemic, and many were unable to fulfil their resolutions.
Now that Covid-19 restrictions have eased, we are welcoming 2023 with an optimistic mindset and a new set of goals.
We speak to some celebrities and ask them about their aspirations for the new year.
From breaking into Hollywood and devoting more “me” time to learning how to handle a gun and empowering youths, here are some of the stuff these stars hope to check off their wishlist by the end of the year.
Izzue Islam, actor, 32
Izzue Islam gained prominence in showbiz after winning the Most Promising Actor Award at the 25th Malaysian Film Festival.
My New Year’s resolution is to learn how to shoot a gun. I find it very cool whenever I see someone shooting a gun in action films.
Although I have held a gun in past movies, I lack the skills to handle one.
To ensure that my acting looks realistic in future action films, I am planning on enrolling for a shooting class this year.
I also want to enrol for a martial arts class to perfect my combat skills in films.
At the moment, I am relying on stunt people to do the job for me but if there is time, I want to learn how to do my own stunts.
Po Yiu Wong, Hong Kong singer-actress, 29
Po Yiu Wong is a member of the Hong Kong girl group, Staries. She recently debuted as an actress in 'Call Me Agent'.
My New Year’s resolution is to succeed in the film industry and star in more movies.
As someone who is new in the film scene, I want to take on diverse roles and dabble with different genres to showcase my versatility.
I also want to shoot more movies in Malaysia. After filming my first movie (Call Me Agent) here, the place really grew on me.
There are lots of beautiful places and delicious food so it would be great if there are more opportunities to film here this year.
Sangeeta Krishnasamy, actress, 37
Sangeeta Krishnasamy marked her first venture into mainstream Malaysian cinema after winning the Best Actress Award at the 29th Malaysian Film Festival.
I hope to raise awareness on the importance of speaking multiple languages among children.
I noticed that language is a subject that is often overlooked, especially in vernacular schools.
Malaysia is a diverse country. There are so many languages here ... and the more languages you speak, the more opportunities there are for you.
Look at me, I can speak three languages fluently (English, Tamil and Malay), and this opened up so many doors for me in the movie industry.
Unfortunately, most of the children I have met are satisfied with speaking just one language. I feel that this is going to shut doors for them once they graduate.
That is why I plan to work with more schools this year and teach kids more languages.
Elizabeth Tan, singer-actress, 29
Elizabeth Tan began her singing career by posting covers on YouTube. She was scouted by multiple companies after covering Joe Flizzow's 'Havoc'.
I want to be more confident in driving.
I have a license, but I barely drive due to anxiety. Just the thought of getting behind the wheel gives me sweaty palms.
I am unsure where this phobia comes from as I have never been in any accidents, but I am guessing it is because I keep seeing cars speeding on highways and also stories of accidents.
So far, I have taken baby steps by asking my manager to accompany me whenever I drive to the grocery store which is really close to my house.
The next step for me now is to take the car on a highway.
I believe with enough time and practice, I will be able to overcome my fear and drive confidently.
Michael Chuah, director, 43
Michael Chuah grew up watching Hong Kong movies and is a fan of action films. Photo: Filepic
My resolution for 2023 is to break into the Hollywood scene.
I want to continue making great films and venture into foreign markets.
We live in a globalised world today. As a director, I believe it is important to explore other countries so we can experience different cultures and discover new talents.
I have worked with China and Hong Kong in the past.
My ultimate goal right now is to work with someone from the Western scene.
Language isn’t a barrier for me when it comes to working in the US because I have spoken to a few American companies previously.
The only challenge now is to obtain a bigger budget because most Hollywood productions are costly.
Tabitha Ariel Lam, music artiste, member of girl group Dolla, 22
Tabitha Lam was the only Malaysian listed in TC Candler's 100 Most Beautiful Faces of 2021. Photo: Tabitha Lam/Instagram
My new year’s resolution is to spend more time with my parents and appreciate them more.
I would like to learn to treat those around me better and I would like to improve myself in terms of my career.
Hopefully I can try something different and new in 2023.
Starting a business is one of those goals and getting a car of my own is also one of my goals this year.
Alicia Amin, model-actress, 27
Alicia Amin was one of the contestants for the fifth season of 'Asia's Next Top Model'.
My New Year’s resolution is to improve my craft (acting) in whatever ways that I can.
I always resolve to take on projects that I know will be challenging, because I am a firm believer that we can grow the more we step out of our comfort zone.
At the moment, my goal is to play a character that is difficult to pull off. For example, what Angeline Jolie did in Girl, Interrupted.
The way she plays this psycho character is so perfect. She was a supporting character, yet she stole the show.
Sure, these kinds of crazy-psycho roles have been done before.
It is not an original concept, but I do think that if I had the opportunity to play a character like that, I want to make it my own and pull off that role in a unique way.
I really hope I land an opportunity to play that insane kind of role this year. It would be a dream come true.
Aisha Retno, singer, 22
Aisha Retno gained popularity in the music scene with her English single, 'WHUT'.
This year, I hope to be a stronger version of myself.
I want to be brave when facing challenges and not turn into an emotional mess when life gets hard. I don’t want to be the kind of person who gives up so easily.
Working in the music industry, negative comments are inevitable. When I first started out, it was really difficult for me to cope with the haters.
Although I am less affected by those comments and taking them more positively now, I believe there is still room for me to develop my emotional resilience.
Pablo Amirul, actor, 37
Pablo Amirul is well known for portraying villains in multiple local films.
My New Year’s resolution is to achieve double the success I did in 2022.
Last year, I starred in Air Force The Movie: Selagi Bernyawa which bagged over RM30mil at the box office.
I am looking forward to acting in more fantastic films that double or triple that number.
So far, I have two projects that are slated for theatrical release this year – Ikhwansha Hazer’s Escape and Syamsul Yusof’s The Original Gangster.
ChronicalZ, rapper, 22
ChronicalZ began rapping at the age of 15. He gained popularity in 2018 with his single, 'Bata Got Hype'.
I hope to lead a healthier lifestyle by working out more in 2023. I also hope to open doors for the next generation of young rap/trap music artistes, to help pave the way for Malaysian youths.
Hazell Siow, actress, 22
Hazell Siow took a break from acting seven years ago. She's planning to pursue a Master's overseas if possible. Photo: Hazell Siow/Instagram
In 2023, I hope to pursue a Master’s in Child Psychology.
I took a break from acting seven years ago to focus on my studies and am currently working as an Applied Behavioural Analysis (ABA) therapist.
I am planning to enrol for my Master’s this September and pursue my studies overseas. However, these plans are not confirmed as my love for acting has been reignited after starring in (the upcoming Chinese New Year film) Ma, I Love You.
For now, my plan is to get the best of both worlds by becoming a full-time child psychologist and doing some part-time acting on the side.
Ong Ai Leng, actress, 44
Ong Ai Leng was previously contracted to Mediacorp and was based in Singapore for several years. Photo: Ong Ai Leng/Instagram
Before I got back into acting last year for Ma, I Love You, my resolution has always been to be at peace and lead a happy and healthy life with my family.
Now that I have been bitten by the acting bug, my New Year’s resolution is to star in more films and play roles that are more interesting.
At the moment, I am exploring for opportunities by attending casting calls.
I am looking forward to working with more directors, actors and a wonderful team of people this year.
Angelina Chai, music artiste, member of girl group Dolla, 21
Angelina Chai became a member of Malaysian girl group, Dolla, in 2019.
This year, I intend to spend more time on myself and focus on building myself.
I realised the past year, I have spent a lot of time on people around me but not myself. So, moving forward, I would like to see bigger self growth.
Vincent Luk, Hong Kong singer-actor, 32
Vincent Luk is a fan of pop-rock music. He recently released his album 'Rejuvenation' on New Year's day.
My New Year’s resolution is to entertain more people.
I find satisfaction whenever I am able to make someone happy through my performance in movies or my songs.
I recently collaborated with my co-star, Po Yiu Wong, on a track for Call Me Agent. It has been played several times on the Malaysian radio, so I hope people will enjoy and support the song.
I also want to star in more films, write more songs and continue to do well as both an actor and a singer.
Chiu Keng Guan, director, 50
Chiu Keng Guan is best known for his 2016 film, 'Ola Bola'. Photo: Filepic
My New Year’s resolution is to learn more about the advanced technology used in filmmaking.
Nowadays, I feel that the world is moving really fast, and moving with it is the filmmaking technology.
We used to have 3D. Now, there is virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), 8D and so much more.
Aside from that, I also want to improve my storytelling skills in movies and continue making more local films.
Forceparkbois, hip-hop band
Forceparkbois is a hip-hop group that was first formed in 2018.
To become one of the prime rap groups in the Malaysian music industry by playing more shows and events in 2023.
We also want to contribute more to the community by inspiring the younger generations through our music.
