Compiled by BENJAMIN LEE and C. ARUNO
DESPITE suffering decades of bullying due to a chronic skin condition, a man from Baling, Kedah, has opted to use his congenital disability to stand out on social media.
According to Harian Metro, Mohd Zahir Abdullah, 32, said he had gotten used to being mocked and discriminated against for his looks due to the rare skin condition ichthyosis since birth.
“Honestly, I couldn’t accept my condition at first because it isolated me from other students at school as they were afraid to make friends with me due to my scaly skin.
“There is no cure for my condition as cream and medicine can only temporarily treat the symptoms.
“Even now, I get that ‘disdainful look’ from youths and even adults in my community,” he said.
But not one to back down, Mohd Zahir is using social media app TikTok to upload videos of himself singing nasyid songs.
“I’ve always loved nasyid and, thanks to a friend’s encouragement, I now actively conduct live sing along where I invite viewers to chat with me.
“To my surprise, many people online accepted me and some even prayed for me even though I only met them on TikTok.
“If we were born this way, we must stay positive and accept that the disease makes us unique compared to others,” he said.
> The daily also reported that local up-and-coming singer Nadeera has defended herself after being criticised online for seeking sponsorship partners on social media.
The 29-year-old, who is looking for a sponsor for her latest single, Emas, on Instagram, said she felt offended after one of her followers sent her a mocking message, claiming that she was acting like a beggar.
“I’ve been in the entertainment industry for 11 years, since the second season of Vokal Bukan Sekadar Rupa in 2012. I have sacrificed so much time and effort to reach my current level.
“But reading that private message made me feel like I want to pack my bags now and return to my hometown of Mersing in Johor,” Nadeera, who recently won the local reality singing competition Big Show’s fifth season, said.
Nadeera, who released a single with Arrow in 2021, argued that she searched for sponsorship online to make up for her shortcomings.
“I don’t have a pretty face, a lot of money, or abundant wealth, but I have a spirit. A spirit that will not fade but will keep fighting.
“I am a nobody, so I need the cooperation of those with experience.
“I am not begging, but I want to learn something new and share knowledge,” she said.
Earlier on her social media, Nadeera uploaded a scornful message she received from a follower who offended her.
“This search for collaboration is endless. The song is good, but I get a headache when I see you uploading like this every day. Do you want to be a singer, or do you want to be a beggar?” the follower wrote.
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.
