Fauzie Laily left Sabah days before earthquake struck
Late last month, local actor-host Fauzie Laily visited Sabah with his wife for a short getaway.
It was his treat to her before she started her new job as a principal at a pre-school.
Days after their return last week, a 6.0-magnitude earthquake struck Mount Kinabalu in Sabah on Friday morning.
Six pupils and a teacher from Tanjong Katong Primary School and a Singaporean adventure guide lost their lives in the disaster.
Another pupil and a teacher are still missing.
Twenty-nine pupils and eight teachers from the school were in Sabah for a leadership camp.
The devastating news affected Fauzie and his wife Nurul Huda Abdul Khalid, both 30, emotionally.
"My wife found a photo of a restaurant in Mount Kinabalu that we had lunch at and it was destroyed. It's crazy to see something like that," Fauzie told The New Paper yesterday on the set of his new 199-episode Channel 5 drama Tanglin.
While the couple were relieved to have escaped, their hearts went out to the victims and their families.
"...we cannot imagine how traumatic it must be for the families to go home and see empty rooms that were once occupied by their children. It's very sad," he said.
It was much harder on his wife.
"She kept reading online updates every day and crying. I had to stop her because it really affected her," added Fauzie.
Since his return from Sabah, Fauzie has been busy filming Tanglin, in which he plays a loving but henpecked husband to a ditzy wife (played by Suria actress-host Syirah Jusni).
Tanglin centres on the lives and relationships between four multiracial families - the Tongs, the Bhaskars, the Rahmans and the Lims - who are residents in a neighbourhood located at the Holland Village, Tanglin and Commonwealth area.
It premieres on June 30 at 8pm and will then air every weeknight at 8.30pm.
The drama also stars Masturah Ahmad, Elfaeza Ul Haq, Wee Soon Hui, Nat Ho, Constance Song, Adam Chen, Mathialagan and more.
RELATABLE
Fauzie, who tied the knot in 2013, can relate to his onscreen alter ego.
"Getting married is all rosy and glamorous, but it's the part after marriage that is most important. You adopt a new life and learn to care for the feelings of new family members," he said.
Fauzie also has to get used to the baby questions not only off-camera but on the show as well, after his character gets married.
"The questions are coming left, right and centre. It is something I'm going through in real life as well," he said.
To answer the million-dollar question, he said with a laugh: "We're going for it.
"If it happens, it happens. Some things you just can't plan."
...we cannot imagine how traumatic it must be for the families to go home and see empty rooms that were once occupied by their children.
- Actor-host Fauzie Laily on families of the Sabah earthquake victims
M'sian TV industry is cut-throat world
SURVIVOR: Local actress Elfaeza Ul Haq, 30, says she needs to be tough to compete with teenagers for roles in the Malaysian entertainment scene.
Since breaking into the Malaysian TV industry in 2011, home-grown actress Elfaeza Ul Haq has established quite a name for herself across the Causeway.
She landed roles in dramas like Cinta Qaseh (Qaseh's Love) and Adam Dan Hawa (Adam And Eve).
The 30-year-old follows in the footsteps of Singapore actors Aaron Aziz, Adi Putra, Erwin Shah Dawson and Shah Iskandar, all of whom have made inroads in the Malaysian entertainment scene.
But Elfaeza, who plays Syirah Jusni's highly motivated single older sister in Tanglin, stressed that the cut-throat industry is no walk in the park.
"If you think the environment is competitive in Singapore, it is 10 times more competitive there. I still feel belittled sometimes," she said.
The pressure is amplified, she said, because of her gender.
"I'm 30 and I'm competing with younger girls who are 16, 18 years old.
"These days, they take on lead roles and they have youth on their side. Plus, they lack experience and talent so they will command less money.
"There are so many factors working against you and they will eat you up if you are not strong enough."
When the going gets tough, Elfaeza chooses not to depend on others.
"It's a dog-eat-dog world where you look after yourself. When times are hard, of course (us Singaporeans in Malaysia) will have each other's back and will help each other out.
"But we take care of ourselves and protect Singapore's name at the same time," she said.
For five years, Elfaeza was absent from the small screen here until she landed a lead role in Malay drama Danny The Series last year, opposite popular Malaysian actor Sharnaaz Ahmad.
FIRST WIN
For her role as a mother of an autistic girl, she clinched her first Pesta Perdana win this year for Best Actress in a Leading Role - Drama Series.
It was also her first nomination in the biennial local Malay awards ceremony after 12 years in the industry.
She said: "I'll be blunt - winning an award here does not guarantee that you get more jobs or become more popular.
"I appreciate the fact that after so long, my hard work is being recognised. It was more the feeling of getting a gift from your friends in the industry and sharing it with them."
Nearly quit TV for family
FUTURE BRIDEZILLA: Actress Syirah Jusni, who plays a bridezilla in new drama Tanglin, says she will be one in real life too.
She is highly sought after on Suria and is a household name among Malay TV viewers here.
But six months ago, bubbly actress-host Syirah Jusni was ready to give up and leave the industry.
"The reality is that being a freelance artist in Singapore is hard. I have to be realistic.
"On the one hand, I love what I do, but on the other, it doesn't pay all the bills," said the 26-year-old, who plays a bridezilla named Norleena who marries Fauzie Laily's character in Channel 5's new drama Tanglin.
Syirah's dilemma arose because she needs to support her family.
While her mother works as a trainer with telecommunications company Singtel, her father has been suffering from kidney failure for the past 26 years.
"My priorities have changed and I realise that I have to let go of some things I love to do for my family," said the Anugerah Skrin 2010 winner.
She started looking for jobs as an events or tour guide.
Shortly after, she was invited to audition for Tanglin.
Syirah, who said that she has bad luck when it comes to auditions, did not have high hopes, but landed the role.
It is her first major role in a local English production.
Asked if she is anything like her Tanglin character, she said with a laugh: "I think I will be a bridezilla, but only when it comes down to planning my future wedding with my sister, who will have a large role to play in it. We are both egotistical.
"I think Ashmi is going to be a groomzilla, if there is such a thing," she joked.
She is referring to her local actor-boyfriend of two years, Ashmi Roslan, 34, whom she met on the set of Malay drama Bingit, where they played a couple.
The couple have talked about marriage, but have not set a date.
"When I landed this role, I told him to give me time to focus on the drama. Maybe the wedding will happen late next year or the following year, if all goes well," she said.
My priorities have changed and I realise that I have to let go of some things I love to do for my family.
- Actress Syirah Jusni on wanting to sacrifice TV roles to support her family
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