Wardina Safiyyah
Wardina Safiyyah Fadlullah Wilmot is a Malaysian actress, model, and TV host. She is of Australian and Acehnese descent.
Personal life
Wardina is the second child of six siblings. Her Australian father, Fadlullah Wilmot, was invited by Tun Abdul Razak the former Prime Minister of Malaysia to work in Malaysia. Mr Wilmot met her mother Asmah Abdul Ghani an Acehnese when he volunteered to teach English in Aceh, Indonesia. Her father is an active humanitarian currently working with Muslim Aid.Married to Ikhwan Johari in September 2002. She has 3 children; Amna Nafeesa, Azra Sareera and Imran Arrazi.
Her work experience ranges from broadcasting, entertainment, journalism, advertising, writing, public speaking, conducting seminars and various social work particularly working with children, women and the underprivileged.
Wardina will be best remembered as among the first "celebrity" in Malaysia to embrace covering up. From a sexy model, she shocked the country when she decided to cover up and adorn the hijab. She later starred in the first hijab wearing shampoo commercial in the world for SUNSILK without showing a single strand of hair. The advertisement won awards and sales of the shampoo brand tripled. Instead of slowing down, Wardina become more popular than even before since adorning the hijab. Many were curious on why she wanted to change her look and lifestyle? She found herself gracing magazine covers and received overwhelming response as well as offers which she never expected to happen.
She has found herself caught in between some controversial issues due to her speaking up particularly on her FB posts. She created a stir when questioning a religious leader, the treatment of disabled children and the alleged sexual abuse incident in a religious school owned by a famous preacher
She is seen as an icon and inspiration to many young women. Wardina has been seen to be more silent since moving to Australia keeping her life more private, she has not been sharing posts or pictures nor opinions as often.
Education
Wardina speaks fluent in English and Malay. She is psychology graduate from Griffith University, Australia.. She also holds a diploma in Interior architecture. She is currently pursuing an honours thesis before furthering her studies to attain a Masters in Clinical Psychology.She completed her primary and high school education in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia.
Accomplishments & experience
- Wardina has more than15 years of experience in the TV/broadcasting industry including hosting live TV talk shows such as "Wanita Hari Ini" and "Malaysia Hari Ini" – a current issues show on Malaysia's leading TV channel.
- Nominated for Pelakon TV Wanita Popular & Pelakon Filem Wanita Popular 2002
- Author of "Mama Saya Lapar" focusing on healthy nutrition for children and how to encourage children to eat healthy food and a pictorial children's story book "Siapa Alien"? a book on how differences should not lead to prejudice
- Mama Saya Lapar is listed as best seller in MPH Bookstore
- She has previously shared her thoughts and ideas as a regular columnist in a parenting magazine “Mami & Baby” and in a teen magazine “Gen-Q”.
- She has also been invited by various TV programs and radio stations to speak, sharing my thoughts and opinions on various topics such as parenting, religion and current affairs. Examples are an interview by ABC during a visit to Australia and an interview on BBC.
- As a popular and influential celebrity, commentator and activist, this led to a very important appointment by the Prime Minister of Malaysia. Wardina was appointed as a member of the National Unity Council, which is tasked to provide recommendations to the Government of Malaysia on how to improve inter-communal and inter-religious relations.
- In 2013, she was also appointed as a Fellow with a government body—the Islamic Da’wah Foundation of Malaysia.
- Wardina was selected by the 'Australian Malaysian Institute' to participate in the inaugural Australia-Malaysia Cultural Exchange program to Australia in 2013 as one of six outstanding young Muslim community leaders.
- Wardina has been the face for countless brands as an ambassador and spokesperson.
- She was the previous President of a Non-Governmental Organization called Muslimah Interest Zone & Networking which focuses on empowering Muslim women in Malaysia and carrying out charitable activities.
Public speaking
- She has worked and partnered with several universities in Malaysia including the University of Malaya, University Teknologi Malaysia, University Teknologi Petronas, International University Malaysia, Mara Technology University, University Kebangsaan Malaysia, University Tenaga National, Kuala Lumpur infrastructure University, Taylors College Malaysia, University Tenaga Nasional, Cyberjaya University College of Medical Sciences and various other public and private high schools and primary institutions.
- Wardina speaks to students on issues of communication, self-image and self-confidence, love, religion, psychology, media as well as motivation.
- She was invited to speak by the Malaysian Students Association in Southampton United Kingdom and students in Dongyang University South Korea in 2013.
- Wardina was a regular speaker, moderator and emcee for both government and non-governmental institutions.
- Among selected engagements include becoming the ambassador for the National Library of Malaysia and one of the reading icons for Scholastic Malaysia. She has also participated in reading campaign and events such as The Selangor Book Carnival and Malaysia Book Fair.
- She has also accepted invitations by The Ministry of Women and Family Affairs, NAM Institute for the Empowerment of Women, Istana Budaya under the Ministry of Information, Communication and Culture Malaysia, The Ministry of International Trade and Industry, Inland Revenue Board of Malaysia, Ministry of Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government and the Prime Ministers Department.
- Wardina helped raise awareness for Postnatal Depression and was invited to speak in the 17th Malaysian Conference on Psychological Medicine on the topic of Media Skills for Mental Health Professionals.
- She was invited as one of the keynote speakers at the Asia Pacific Conference of Early Childhood Education Graduates at the University of Malaya in 2003.
- Various Malaysian student bodies both local and international has invited Wardina to speak in Malaysia, Korea, Aceh, the US, Egypt, Australia and the UK.