EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND

B.A. in Communication (Professional Writing)

UNIVERSITY OF CANBERRA, Australia

* Awarded William Heinemann Prize for Most Promising Student 1995

* Contributing Writer to CURIO (Newspaper for the UC Student Association)

President of UC Writers’ Group 1996 Graduated October 1998

Foundation Studies Certificate

CANBERRA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, Australia

* Completed Year 12 Certificate equivalent for International Students

* Awarded Tertiary Entry Ranking (TER) of 93.9 (Top 6.10%)

* Graduated October 1994

Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM)

LA SALLE SECONDARY SCHOOL, Sabah, Malaysia

* Awarded Sabah State Scholarship for Tertiary Studies in Australia

* Graduated with Grade 1 SPM in 1992

EMPLOYMENT BACKGROUND

February 2016 to present

Visual artist, Freelance writer, Event organiser and DJ

October 2015 to January 2016

Manager, MAP Gallery, Publika (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)

Duties include:

* Managing gallery administration and curating programme of events and exhibitions

September 2013 to September 2015

Assistant Editor, Star2.com (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)

Duties include:

* Writing and editing various articles for online publication on Star2.com (and previously, The Star Online and Daily Chilli, both The Star websites).

*** While at Star2.com, with my employer’s permission, I was involved in the following activities:

* Invited by the US State Department to be part of the International Visitors Leadership Programme on a 3-week visit to the US to meet with activists from various LGBT organisations in five different cities. During the programme, I also met with 23 LGBT community leaders from around the world.

* Invited to be a featured artist for MOCA Arts Festival 2014 in Dubai, UAE, held in conjunction with the World Islamic Economic Forum.

* Invited to compose music for “Not According To Plan”, a dance production directed by Leigh Warren, which was commissioned by the OzAsia Festival 2013 in Adelaide, Australia.

* Worked as a composer/sound designer/engineer for “Walls”, a theatre production directed by Hari Azizan and Wong Tay Sy, and produced by Five Arts Centre.

April 2011 to August 2013

Freelance Writer & Musician (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)

Projects include:

* Co-lyricist for “The Secret Life Of Nora” produced by Enfiniti Vision Media.

* Invited to attend a choreographer’s workshop “South Asian Lab Investigating Cross|Border Collaboration” organised by Strut Dance and Critical Path in November 2011, sponsored by the Goethe Institute.

* Contributed original songs to independent movie “Parts Of The Heart” (2012, Indonesia) by Kinekuma Pictures, directed by Paul Agusta.

* Invited to be a featured artist in the multidisciplinary collaborative arts workshop “Kakiseni Arts Exchange 2012” organised by Kakiseni in October 2012, supported by Malaysian Department of Arts & Heritage.

* Freelance copywriting work for Enfiniti Vision Media and Commas & Industry.

May 2008 to March 2011

Media Officer & Events Manager, The Annexe Gallery (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)

Duties include:

* Promoting the gallery’s exhibitions and events.

* Assisting the gallery’s programme director with the conceptualization, curation and running of the gallery’s programme.

*** While at The Annexe Gallery, with my employer’s permission, I was involved in the following activities.

* Independently released debut solo album entitled “Songs For A Shadow” 2008. Was nominated for Best Solo Vocal Performance at the VIMA Independent Music Awards 2009.

* Poetry featured in Asia Literary Review 2008.

* Co-founder and co-artistic director of Seksualiti Merdeka: Sexuality Rights Festival in KL, for three consecutive years, from 2008 to 2010. The festival deals mostly with raising public awareness of issues facing Malaysia’s sexual minorities especially the LGBT communities.

* Co-edited “Body 2 Body: A Malaysian Queer Anthology” with Pang Khee Teik, published by Matahari Books. The book is the first anthology of queer writings ever published in Malaysia.

* Co-organised KL Sing Song 2009 at The Annexe Gallery.

* Featured as a music performer at Bali Spirit Yoga & Arts Festival 2009.

* Self-published a poetry chapbook entitled “The Loneliest Profession In The World” 2010.

* Featured as a music performer in Sama-Sama Guesthouse Independent Music and Arts Fest in Malacca 2010.

* Acted in a production of Waiting For Godot at KL Performing Arts Centre in 2010, directed by Kimmy Kiew.

* Featured as a music performer in FEYST Digital Culture and Music Festival in Kuala Lumpur 2011.

January 2004 to May 2008

Managing Editor, Sub-editor & Writer, Freeform Publishing Sdn Bhd (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)

Duties include:

* Worked as group sub-editor for Freeform Publishing, on KLue Magazine and Junk Magazine, from February 2007 to May 2008.

* Worked as managing editor for KLue Magazine from May 2006 to February 2007.

* Worked as sub-editor for KLue Magazine since July 2004.

*** While at Freeform Publishing, with my employer’s permission, I was involved in the following activities.

* Co-organised KL Sing Song 2005, a regional singer songwriter dialogue and workshop held at the International College of Music, KL in April 2005. The event, funded by a grant from Arts Network Asia, featured singer songwriters from Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore and Thailand discussing and showcasing their work. Also co-organised KL Sing Song 2006, KL Sing Song 2007 and KL Sing Song 2008 at Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre, with sponsorship from the Ministry of Culture, Arts and Heritage. My duties as co-organiser of KL Sing Song included event management and artistic direction.

* Contributed feature articles and reviews to www.kakiseni.com, KLue, New Man, Five Senses, Pinch and Off The Edge.

* Invited to speak about poetry at SEPTFest in Singapore in 2004.

* Invited to appear as a featured poet/writer/musician at the Singapore Writers Festival 2005, Ubud Writers Fest 2005 (Bali) and Utan Kayu Literary Biennale 2007 (JakartaMagelang).

* Poetry featured in Wilayah Kutu, a new anthology of Malay writings published by Neohikayat Press and Dance the Guns to Silence: 100 Poems Inspired by Ken Saro-Wiwa, an anthology of international writings published by Flipped Eye Publishing in 2005.

* Composed music for OPs Ophelia: A Fashion Opera, a theatrical production presented by Artsee.net and directed by Rohaizad Suaidi in June 2004. At the 3rd Cameronian Arts Awards 2004, OPs Ophelia won Best Original Music (Theatre).

* Awarded Most Promising Artist Award at the 3rd Cameronian Arts Awards 2004.

* Co-organised Troubadours, a 14-month series of small indie concerts featuring singer songwriters in 2006/7 at La Bodega KL, Tengkat Tong Shin.

* Conducted extensive research work on the topic of Straits Chinese porcelain between February and August 2004 for Datin Seri Kee Ming Yuet’s coffee table book, Straits Chinese Porcelain published by Cross-Time Matrix Sdn Bhd in 2004.

March 2001 to December 2003

Writer & Researcher THE WRITERS’ PUBLISHING HOUSE SDN BHD (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)

Duties include: * Conducted extensive research work on the topic of Nyonya kebaya on behalf of The Writers’ Publishing House Sdn Bhd for Datin Seri Endon Mahmood’s book, “The Nyonya Kebaya – 1st and International Editions.”

* Co-advised Datin Seri Endon Mahmood on the writing of the book.

* Member of the Nyonya Kebaya book launch committee in the capacity of scriptwriter.

* Researched and wrote feature articles for clients of The Writers’ Publishing House Sdn Bhd including ASTRO Magazine and MBf Style Magazine.

*** While at The Writers’ Publishing House Sdn Bhd, with my employer’s permission, I contributed review and feature articles to Options2 (arts and lifestyle supplement of The Edge, a business weekly) and www.kakiseni.com (website devoted to the arts scene in Kuala Lumpur).

Duties included interviewing local arts personalities and reporting on arts events in Kuala Lumpur.

December 1998 to June 2000

Feature Writer and Sub-Editor THE BORNEO POST SDN BHD (Sabah, Malaysia)