RAS ADIBA SUSPENDED OVER CHARITY HAIRCUT

HAIR CUT....Photo of Ras Adiba after she had cut her hair.

KUALA LUMPUR : NTV7 news anchor and television personality Ras Adiba Radzi cut her hair recently for charity — and now she has been suspended from appearing on air until her hair grows back.

The Star reported that Ras Adiba, who works on a freelance basis for the TV station, cut her hair on Friday to show her solidarity with the National Cancer Council’s (MAKNA) Jom Botak cancer awareness campaign.

She had pledged to raise RM50,000 in donations for the charity. However, NTV7 took issue with her new look, and told her she could no longer appear on air until her hair grows back to an acceptable length.

The TV station had told her from the start that if her hair was cropped she would not be allowed on air, a source with the TV station told The Star.

She could resume her part-time position as newscaster once her hair grew back, the station had told her.

“We can’t put a bald person on air, especially for news, and the anchor is a woman. We have to upkeep a certain look and feel.

“Ras suggested a wig, which we were against because it would look strange for her to appear on air in a wig and then in public with a shaved head,” the source was quoted as saying.

According to The Star report, Ras Adiba has been receiving anonymous calls abusing her for defying a fatwa that prohibits women from shaving their head.

“The callers claimed to be from a religious department,” she told The Star yesterday.

“I am answerable to God. Islam is a way of life, and we are told to always help people. I am a Muslim, I pray five times a day and I love my religion,” she was quoted as saying.

She said she cut her hair as a sign of solidarity with cancer patients, having members of her own family who had been afflicted with the disease.

She also works for the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry which, she said, had no issues with her new look.