‘Crazy people’ song now a ‘mad hit’

INDONESIAN singer Upiak Isil (pic) and her song Tak Tun Tuang has gone from being a “laughing stock” to being a “hit” in her home country as well as Malaysia and Thailand.

In an interview with Harian Metro, the songbird said she was disillusioned when some people dismissed her as a singer whose songs were for “crazy people”.

“Some also thought I was being improper because I sang while wearing pyjamas, but I am lucky that my family was supportive when I was down.

“I slowly began to prove that I was not a singer who did ‘crazy people’s music’,” she said.

Upiak, 32, whose real name is Silvia Nanda, said that her life has changed a lot since she entered the music industry at age 13 to support her family.

> A sudden flood in Rantau Panjang on the morning of a couple’s wedding did not deter them from going ahead with their plans, Sinar Harian reported.

The groom, Anuar Abd Hamid, 37, said he had to seek help from the Fire and Rescue Department to get to his home in Bukit Tandak after floodwaters rose to 0.8m last Sunday.

He and his entourage later had to get into sampans to reach the home of his bride in Kampung Jejawi, which was also in 1m-deep flood waters.

“We did not want to change the date because it was a memorable event,” he said.

His bride Yumni Abd Manaf, 27, a lecturer, said she did not expect the floods to last over a week.

“I am grateful that my colleagues were also willing to brave the floods to attend our wedding,” she said.

> At least five social applications for hook-ups are being actively used in Malaysia as a platform for users to meet up for no-strings attached sex, Berita Harian reported.

Journalists who went undercover to use the apps for a month found that they not only provide matchmaking services to heterosexuals, but cater to homosexuals and bisexuals as well.

It was also revealed that foreigners in professional jobs based here were also using the apps to find local companions.

According to the report, most of these apps can be downloaded and accessed for free and this has enticed professionals, university students and even teenagers to get involved in social ills.