Television 17

FRIDAY 18 November 2005

Meet Aiman Asmawar,

the Malaysian youre going
to see a lot more of on MTV
Asia, says NIKI CHEONG.

StarTwo

Over the

moon
TURN TO PAGE 18

Aiman Asmawi is thrilled to be the newest

member of the MTV Asia family.

18 Television
StarTwo

FRIDAY 18 November 2005

Home at last
FROM PAGE 17
design student from Limkokwing
University College of Creative
Technology was so thrilled with
his win that his emotions went
haywire.
There were tears and joy
(when they announced that I had
won), he admitted. I felt so
proud at the moment, and I hope
that when I go on screen, I can be
myself and show everyone that
Malaysians can do the job.
So far, none of the permanent
fixtures on the MTV Asia roster
includes a Malaysian, and this is
something that Aiman hopes to
change, even if it means putting
his studies on hold.
Studies are something that
you can go back to, even when
youre 30 or 40. But how many
chances do you get to be an MTV
VJ?
Indeed, this win was the break
that he had been waiting for all
his life. Aiman had in the past
performed as part of a dance
troupe for numerous corporate
and public events around the
country.

is love for the spotlight

began early when he was
studying at the
International School of Kuala
Lumpur and took part in the
dance classes.
I even had to learn ballet, he
said in a whisper.
It wasnt just performance
training from young that gave
Aiman the confidence he needed
to win the competition.
He feels that the communication skills he learnt from having
to move and travel his whole life
helped him identify and interact
with people more easily.
I learnt that communication is
the key to being in touch with
another, he said. While I was
growing up, there was a lot of

times when I felt out of range

with others, because I was living
within a different culture.
Aiman travelled a lot when he
was young because of his fathers
job as a diplomat.
Soon after he was born in Johor
Baru, the third child of four sons,
moved with his family to Beijing,
China, where they lived for four
years.
Barely a couple of years after
returning to Kuala Lumpur, the
family packed their bags again
and headed for the United States
where Aimans father was stationed for four years.

hen I came back, having lived abroad for so

many years, I really got
to see what Malaysia was all
about, he explained. And I
quickly learned what to say, and
what not to say.
Now, having been back in
Malaysia for about eight years,
and being Malaysias latest
ambassador on MTV Asia, the sky
is the limit for Aiman.
Im a very multi-tasking person, he explained. And yes, Id
love to be more than just an MTV
VJ but for now, yeah, I do see
myself doing this for a few
years.
And it seems that this young
man isnt afraid of what challenges lies ahead, especially in
chasing his dreams.
I have this thinking, he
enthused. Whatever it is, whatever you are doing in life, just do
it to the fullest.
When I was told about the
competition, I said to myself,
Why dont I give it a shot. And
from here, where I am now, it
(the future) doesnt look that
bad.
MTV Asia will be airing the finals
of the MTV Asia VJ Hunt/
Malaysia on Dec 3 at 4.30pm.

A change of pace
US FILMMAKER Martin
Scorsese (pic) early this week
said he plans to stop directing
Hollywood blockbusters and
focus on documentaries and
short films.
Scorsese, director of such hit
films as Raging
Bull, Goodfellas
and The Aviator,
was one of the
honoured
guests at the
Marrakech
International
Film Festival,
which opened
last Friday and
runs until Nov
19.
The director
who turns 63
this week said
at a press conference that he was getting old
and did not want to spend his
time making big pictures
demanded by Hollywood studios.
He predicted that the film he

would make in Japan next year,

to be titled Silence, would be
one of his last efforts for
Hollywood. The movie will tell
the story of Portuguese priests
who go to Japan in the 17th
century to convert the country
to Christianity.
The American
director said he
wants to focus
on documentaries like the
one he did
recently of US
folk music legend Bob Dylan.
Scorsese, who
said he liked
films from different perspectives, saluted
the work of
Iranian director
Abbas Kiarostami, who is also
attending the Marrakech festival.
Sixteen films are in competition for the Gold Star, the festivals top prize. AFP