Malaysian musician Yuna recently took to social media to celebrate a significant milestone after her songs surpassed one billion streams on Spotify.

The 40-year-old singer-songwriter expressed her gratitude on Instagram, making history as the first Malaysian artist to reach the billion-stream mark!

Yuna surpasses one billion streams on Spotify!

Yuna, whose real name is Yunalis Mat Zara’ai, described the achievement as a “dream come true.” According to Harian Metro, the milestone reflects the collective total of streams across her entire discography.

“Alhamdulillah, I’m very grateful because I never actually set a goal to reach one billion streams. From the beginning of my career, I never thought about chasing that number. Back then, I was just making music casually with friends and for myself,” she said.

She added that the milestone feels more like a bonus in her career rather than something she set out to achieve.

“Honestly, I was shocked when I found out. My fans told me about it. When I heard it, I was like ‘really?’ and only then realised it had actually happened. For me, it’s not a target, but more of a bonus along the way.”

Malaysian fans break the news to her

Yuna shared that the achievement was not officially announced by her, but was only brought to her attention after fans began posting about it and sending congratulations online.

She also explained how she prefers not to put pressure on herself over future numbers, even though the milestone marks the start of a new phase in her music career. She also stressed that her focus remains on continuing to create music that connects with listeners.

“I’m very grateful that fans, especially from Malaysia, continue to support and listen to my songs,” she said.

Remember back in the day when kepoh relatives would judge you for not taking a “standard” degree? With questions like, “You’re going into TVET? Why not a degree? 🧑‍🎓” or “STEM? So you want to be a science teacher, is it? 🧑‍🔬”

Today, we’re going to put such misconceptions to rest by proving that TVET and STEM are NOT “Plan B” options.

Let’s go in-depth into why they’re a smart choice to future-proof your professional and financial prospects! 🔎

What are STEM and TVET, and what’s the difference? 🤔

For those who are unclear, here’s what STEM and TVET mean:

• Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics (STEM): Focuses on theory, research, and critical thinking. These are the Innovators and Designers who create new tech and complex systems.
• Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET): Focuses on high-level practical skills and industry training. These are the Certified Experts with hands-on skills.

How come these fields are suddenly the talk of the town? Here’s why! 👇

The Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI) recently dropped a “high-level” game plan called NIMP 2030 (New Industrial Master Plan 2030).

Here’s how this plan is basically going to change how Malaysians make money! 🤑

NIMP 2030: We’re encouraging Malaysians to create more! 🛠️

The vision of NIMP 2030 is to turn Malaysia into a tech powerhouse in Asia. Instead of only assembling components in factories, the NIMP framework encourages Malaysians to do the complicated (and expensive) stuff.

This includes work in Big Salary Industries such as:

• Chemicals & E&E: Computer chips and semiconductors (aka the stuff inside your phone).
• Aerospace: Making jet components.
• Medical Devices & Pharma: High-tech healthcare gear.

And here’s some of the stuff you get to work on as part of these industries:

• EVs (Electric Vehicles): Become an EV battery specialist or mechanic. 🚗🔋
• CCUS (Carbon Capture, Utilisation, and Storage): “Green” jobs that save the planet AND your bank account. 🍃
• Renewable Energy: Installing solar panels or managing wind farms. ☀️💨

What do these industries and roles have in common? They require skills you can only get through STEM and TVET!

Imagine a smart factory in Penang trying to install the world’s most advanced robotic arm. Who has the qualification to work on this? These people, of course!:

1. The STEM Grad: To design and programme the robot (Mechatronics Engineer).
2. The TVET Grad: To install, repair, and maintain that robot (Certified Automation Technician).

Both are CRITICAL to such an ambitious project. Without the TVET technician, the STEM engineer’s project stays on paper. Without the STEM engineer, the TVET technician has nothing to build. They’re not just “support staff” — they are the HEART of this new industry!

And here’s the part you want to know the most: the pay! 💰

Before we get into the salary, here’s a real-life success story: Ahmad (not his real name) is a Mechatronics Diploma grad who started off as a technician at a semiconductor plant with a RM3,000 starting pay. After 4 years and getting some extra certifications, he’s now an Automation Supervisor earning RM5,500. He’s living the NIMP dream!

This is because MITI’s NIMP has set a target that makes TVET and STEM courses more lucrative for Malaysians. The goal is to push the median salary for Malaysia’s manufacturing sector to RM4,510 by 2030.

The reasoning behind this is that sectors like Aerospace and Medical Devices are “high-value,” so companies have to pay more because the stuff you’re making is worth a fortune.

All in all, if you want a career that is AI-proof, has global demand (best for overseas work), and pays a “kaw kaw” salary, TVET and STEM are your best bets.

Ready to level up? 🚀

Don’t miss out on this wave. Malaysia’s industrial future depends on the choices you make today. For more info about the NIMP 2030 initiative, visit this website.

Disclaimer: This piece reflects the opinions of readers on the subject matter and the opinion of the writer. It does not necessarily reflect the opinions or beliefs of WORLD OF BUZZ.

WORLD OF BUZZ received complaints from netizens and readers in regard to an article published by a website called The Masculine Traveler. The article was said to be demeaning to Malaysian women with inappropriate, sexist and racist remarks that have caused outrage among netizens.

The website, The Masculine Traveler, is a site “built on the idea of sharing knowledge to help others travel the world, and have success with foreign women”, as stated on their page. Hence, they write articles on the different types of women that men can find in different countries and also provide ‘tips and tricks’ on how to pick up these women.

However, what caught the attention of Malaysians was when an article published by them, titled ‘Malaysian Girls & Dating in Kuala Lumpur‘, resurfaced after a netizen shared it. The statements and remarks written in the article were extremely offensive and demeaning as it objectifies the women from our country from the very beginning of the article until the very end.

The Racism & Sexual Objectification 

In the first paragraph of the article, the author highlights that Malaysian girls are often “not the most sought-after class of Asian women in international dating” compared to other South Asian destinations. However, the author then reveals that through the article, men would be able to take “a closer look at Malaysian girls in Kuala Lumpur” and learn that these women are “an untapped opportunity to men” who are seeking relationships with Asian women.

The author then breaks down the article into three sections, each section dedicated to the three main ethnicities in Kuala Lumpur: Chinese, Indians and Malays.

In the first section, the author speaks about Chinese women stating that they are generally the most attractive as they have whiter skin and possess polite dispositions. Adding on that ‘Chinese Malays’ prefer dating foreigners, particularly White men.

However, when the author moved on to the second section speaking of Malaysian Indian women, he stated that the higher class of Malaysian Indian women are the most open to dating foreign men although they are “less attractive than Malaysian Chinese”. Excuse me?! 

The author even had the audacity to say that however, some Indian Women are “stunners” if they are from the higher classes.

Adding fuel to the fire, the author heads into the insights of dating Malay women. Besides stating general information such as the Malay race represents the dominant ethnic group in the country, he then added that Malay women are “generally the least attractive class” and that “most foreigners will not pursue them due to the religious element”.

He even stated that Malay women are the easiest among women of other races to get into bed with.

The author then goes on to suggest the best places to meet local women and the best places to stay in Kuala Lumpur.

At the end of the article, to sum things up, he wrote: “There are plenty of opportunities for men who seek casual sex or for those who are more relationship-minded in meeting beautiful Malaysian girls in Kuala Lumpur.”

“Those who are keen on visiting Southeast Asia should consider Kuala Lumpur due to the cost, high English levels and solid Malaysian girls,” the author added.

My Thoughts…

Enough is enough. Women are not objects. There is no need to “leave a review” of each woman of a different race. What are we? An item bought on Amazon?

Race does not need to play a factor in figuring out which type of women are the “absolute best”. The colour of our skin should not play a part in defining what beauty is. And it isn’t right to call these “pointers” in the article facts based on a few foreign men’s opinions.  It isn’t facts. It is pure BS.

It is already difficult enough for most of us women to deal with the common stereotypes we face every day or to be criticised and harassed on a daily basis. We don’t need more men coming at us thinking that their superficial opinions on us are somewhat beneficial. And we certainly don’t need any foreigners who only view women as objects of pleasure to tell us we’re “underrated”! Seriously, check yourselves.

What are your thoughts on the article? Let us know in the comment section below.