Taufik reveals identity of his fiancee
The identity of Taufik Batisah's fiancee has finally been revealed.
The woman, who has remained anonymous since news of his planned nuptials surfaced, is Miss Sheena Akbal, a Singaporean.
The 33-year-old singer-songwriter had previously confirmed in a statement that his fiancee, whom he declined to name, is not in the entertainment industry.
In an Instagram and Facebook post yesterday evening, Taufik shared a photo of the two of them, putting any speculation to rest.
The former Singapore Idol winner had to fight rumours among his fans that he was dating Malaysian actress Nur Fazura Sharifuddin.
The pair were on the same judging panel for Malaysian comedy competition Maharaja Lawak Mega.
But he ended all speculation with his photograph and a caption that read: "I've always been private about my personal life but these past few days, I have been asked by so many friends and media about who my other half is...Please meet Mrs #awakkatmane to be, Sheena Akbal..."
#AwakKatMane (a Malay slang for where are you) is the title of a song on Taufik's album, Fique.
The New Paper understands that Miss Sheena is a 30-year-old university graduate working in the arts industry.
LUCKY GIRL
Fans reacted to Taufik's post almost instantly with congratulatory messages, while others expressed their heartbreak, calling Miss Sheena a "lucky girl". The pair are set to tie the knot early next month.
We also spoke to a close friend of the bride-to-be last night. Miss Ilyana Othman revealed that Miss Sheena is "ecstatic" about the nuptials.
She said: "Just like most brides, Sheena is ecstatic and nervous (about the wedding) at the same time."
TNP also got in touch with Miss Sheena's cousin, who declined to be identified but spoke to us via Facebook chat.
"Our family loves Fik (Taufik) and we are all really happy and so excited for the both of them," she said.
When TNP asked Miss Ilyana why Miss Sheena has been flying under the radar, she said: "She is not a popular figure like Fik is, she's a regular woman like you and me.
"She is not accustomed to that life and understandably so. That said, she is slowly getting used to (the attention) but, of course, nervous about it at the same time."
Miss Sheena's cousin echoed her sentiments.
"My cousin is a very shy person. She gets it from her mum," she said.
While the love story between Taufik and Miss Sheena remains unclear, Miss Ilyana, who is one of Miss Sheena's five bridesmaids, said that the two met through "mutual friends".
But she added: "The details of their relationship or how it all started is not my story to tell."
When asked how the wedding preparation is going, Miss Ilyana and Miss Sheena's cousin both described this period as busy.
"It is hectic, as expected, but we are close to the finish line and everything is almost good to go," said Miss Ilyana.
Miss Sheena's cousin added: "There are so many of us helping out. (Members from) both our families, the wedding entourage and our friends...it's all hands on deck so we're confident that everything will fall into place.
"It will definitely be a day we will remember for a very long time."
"I've always been private about my personal life but these past few days, I have been asked by so many friends and media about who my other half is...Please meet Mrs #awakkatmane to be, Sheena Akbal."
- Singer-songwriter Taufik Batisah. #AwakKatMane (a Malay slang for 'where are you') is the title of a song on his album, Fique.
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