Natural Flair

We hear you’re a freelance hairstylist! How long have you been doing this, and how did you first get into it?
You look at my beard, you know lah (laughs). I’ve been doing it for 20 over years already, but unlike before, I only work three days a week now because of my health—I have to be more relaxed and not overwork.

When I was young, I had a very big family with seven siblings, so my dad used to cut our hair to save money (he was the only breadwinner). So when I grew up, I had the liking to do hair and ventured into hairdressing because there were not many Malays—yes, I’m Malay, by the way—in hairdressing.

So technically hairdressing is your blood then! Has there ever been a time where you felt like your passion for it was dying?
Oh, never because I started quite late. Usually hairdressers start working quite early, when they’re still very young, but I only started after army, when I was more than 20 years old, so my passion still runs in my body lah. Until now, I still feel like I want to do this, but it’s just very tiring lah, because we start very early in the morning and close quite late at night.

What’s keeping you going, apart from your passion for the craft?
My clients. Many of them are like friends now, and some of them are even like family to me. They’re all nice and have been supportive of me for a very long time. I’ve done this for so long already that we’ve built a relationship where we understand each other—I know what they need and all, so it’s easy lah.

That’s sweet! What are some of the more memorable experiences you’ve had in your time as a hairstylist?
I met my wife—my lovely wife—when I was hairdressing! But also there are a lot of other things lah. Early in the ‘90s, some of my clients wanted to do this and that with their hair, then at the end of the day, they go to the toilet with the rods and everything in their hair and run away because they don’t want to pay!

There’s really all kinds of behaviours, but now my clients are more cool lah.

Do you have a particular favourite hairstyle or hair colour?
I prefer short pixie cuts because of the weather, but whatever hairstyle or colour you like to do, the most important thing is that you are comfortable with yourself. It doesn’t matter what people say—the most important thing is to be happy. So whatever makes you happy, just do lah!

Wise words! On the other end of the spectrum, what do you do when you’re feeling stressed and unhappy?
Well, I wasn’t into praying and all that when I was young, but now that I’m getting older, I like to pray, ask for forgiveness, and be nearer to God. This is how I find peace. Of course, this is what I believe lah. What you believe in is what you believe in. But for me, whenever I have any problems or am going through happy, sad, good, or bad times, I won’t go to any friend or whatever. I just go to God and ask for help or give thanks.

I think everything, like whether or not I can move my hands, is all God’s will. If doesn’t ask me to move, then I cannot move, so I’m thankful.