CHANGING MALAYSIA 51ST NATIONAL DAY PHOTO EXHIBITION

Thursday August 28, 2008

Photographs bring back memories for Erra and hubby

PETALING JAYA: It was a mixture of nostalgia and amazement when golden couple Suria FM chief operating officer Engku Emran Engku Zainal Abidin and his actress/singer wife Erra Fazira visited the Changing Malaysia 51st National Day photo exhibition.
Erra was reminded of her 70-year-old grandmother when she saw the photo of a man watering his little garden right next to his house.

Malaysian way: Erra telling Engku Emran the story about her grandmother while looking at the picture of an old man watering his little garden at the photo exhibition in I Utama, Petaling Jaya, yesterday.

“Back then, my mother and I lived in Ampang and my grandmother used to come by and plant all kinds of vegetables.

“It seemed odd initially to have an old-fashioned garden next to the modern brick house, but once the vegetables grew and could be eaten, we had no complaints,” said Erra at the exhibition in 1 Utama shopping mall yesterday.

Engku Emran pointed to his favourite band, Hujan, in one of the photos which reflected the progress of local music scene.
“My favourite song by them is still their first single, Bila Aku Sudah Tiada. I still remember when that song first played on Suria FM,” he said.
Another photo of a free-spirited boy and his group of friends playing football in the field also caught his attention.

“The boy's satisfaction was captured well in the photo,” said the avid Manchester United fan.
Asked on how she would be spending National Day, Erra said that although her husband would not be in town, she would still celebrate the day when the mood was right.
“I'm not really the type that goes out to Dataran Merdeka for the countdown, but when I'm in the mood for celebrating, I will drive past in my car with windows rolled down and shout 'Merdeka! Merdeka!” she said enthusiastically.
She added that the national flag would be a permanent fixture on her car, to which Engku Emran replied: “She's even more patriotic than I am.”
Erra, who is in the midst of recording a new album, also commented that the exhibition was a good effort by The Star as it represented the country perfectly.

Lecturer Zarina Zawawi, 29, who was also at the exhibition, said that she brought her mother to visit for the second time.
“I really like this photograph of four Malay women walking along the streets of Kuala Lumpur, with different ways of covering their hair, from the traditional tudung to a trendy cap.
“It reflects how our differences bind us together at the end of the day,” said the mother of two.
The Changing Malaysia photo exhibition, which showcases over 160 images of the Malaysian way of life, will be held until Sept 7 at Highstreet, Ground Floor, 1 Utama shopping mall.
Also available are books published by Star Publications Bhd which are sold at a 20% discount from 12pm to 8pm only at the exhibition.

The Star