KUALA LUMPUR: TikTok sensation and budding actress Kimberly Chuah is fast becoming a hit with fans of local television dramas, largely because of her flawless command of Bahasa Malaysia.
The 21-year-old's TikTok videos have to date received more than 1.5 million views, and many Netizens initially thought that she was a Malay actress.
"I guess my growing-up years have a lot to do with who I am. During my primary schooldays I had many Malay friends, and furthermore my parents are of Straits Chinese descent and speak fluent Malay," she said in an interview with Harian Metro recently.
Chuah, who lives in Setapak, also said that she was a big fan of Malay cuisine, in particular spicy dishes that came with sambal belacan.
"I can also speak good English, Mandarin and Hokkien, which is my mother tongue dialect. However, most of the time I speak Malay since that is the language I use most when socialising with friends," she said.
Chuah, who began her acting career last year, is currently involved in a Malay drama which will be screened on Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM) early next year.
"My last TV appearance was in the drama Kelmarin Cinta screened on TV Okey," she said.
Chuah admitted that many crew members on the set of Kelmarin Cinta were impressed by her fluent Malay.
"I take it as a great compliment, for Bahasa Malaysia is our national language, and it is good for Malaysians of all races to master it," she said, adding that speaking good Malay was an asset in the local entertainment industry.
