You studied Media and Communications at RMIT University, what inspired you to pursue this field of study?

I decided to study Media and Communications because at such a young age, I’ve always been into storytelling and creating content, especially videos. I would create skits, random videos, and unboxing to name a few, and upload it onto social media sites such as YouTube. What inspired me to pursue this field academically was to learn how to make people feel something and connected, especially through forms of media such as video.

What was your experience like studying in Australia as an international student?

My experience studying in Australia as an International student had been eye opening, mainly from the cultural differences and having to adapt life from Malaysia to Australia. Another aspect was that I was able to become more independent and mature as I live abroad alone.

You undertook an internship at RMIT while studying, and now work at RMIT in a Communications role. How did your internship help to shape your early career?

My internship was a blessing in disguise. As part of my course requirement having to complete an internship, I was able to have landed one at RMIT itself, working under the student storytellers’ team as a communications officer. My first experience of working in a big corporate setting was daunting yet thrilling and the support from the team itself made me more confident in my own skills whilst adapting new ones which I’ve learnt throughout the internship.

I was aware that there would be no paid role offer after the internship, but I was fortunate to have received a casual role offer, and then transitioned into a full-time role under the social media team, creating student social media content.

Aside from your media work, you also have an interesting pastime as a professional wrestler in Melbourne – can you tell us a bit about what it was like for you to come to Australia as an international student, and find a community of like-minded people while also pursuing your studies?

Prior to moving to Australia, I had done my research of the pro wrestling scene in the country. With 5 years of experience as a pro wrestler at the time, I was able to connect with certain pro wrestlers and reputable training schools which had a community of like-minded people chasing for the same aspirations. Everyone seemed to be pushing everyone to do their best, and I never feel stagnant as we are always learning something new or perfecting our techniques.

Can you tell us a bit more about the role that you play at RMIT University now, where you work as part of the Communications team?

I now work as a full-time communications officer under the Channels team handling internal communications. My role involves having to communicate with different stakeholders, and includes aspects such as building articles and processing digital screens to name a few.

What do find most exciting about working on a university campus? And how does it feel different to you going from being a student to working as part of the team?

I find creating content for both external and internal communications exciting as I’m able to convey and tell a story through certain mediums to both generic and targeted audiences. Going from being a student to working in a corporate setting in a short time-frame really made me mature much quicker and adapt to the work culture, with my time working at RMIT as my first office job.

What do you think is the biggest challenge facing higher education in Australia? 

The biggest challenge for me was having to adapt and learn the correct processes.

Can you share what inspired you to pursue professional wrestling here in Australia, and in your home country?

Since the age of 8, I’ve always wanted to become a professional wrestler. Though the opportunities were limited in Southeast Asia at the time, I was still adamant on wanting to pursue my dreams. Moving to Australia allowed me to broaden my skillset and also learn from different trainers, experiences, and to entertain audiences from different parts of the world.

I have always wanted to grow the culture of pro wrestling in Southeast Asia, and being able to gain experience in Australia, I’m able to bring that knowledge back to improve the quality of pro wrestling in my home country.

Can you tell us of a book, film or TV show you recently read or watched that you would recommend and why? 

A TV show which I’ve recently watched which I’d recommend is ‘The Queen of Villains’. Not entirely an accurate representation of a pro wrestler’s journey to stardom, but some aspects do showcase the highs and lows of wanting to become a full-time professional wrestler. Many people perceive pro wrestling as fake, but they don’t take into account the amount of time it takes for pro wrestlers to train to perfect their craft for everyone’s entertainment.

What’s your dream holiday destination and why? 

My dream holiday destination would be to go to Japan again. Not only for their food and infrastructures, but I’d also love to tour around Japan and wrestle for their more known companies.

What would you say to an international student who is about to begin studying in Australia in 2025?

I would say to make the most out of your time in Australia. I’d encourage others to go out of their comfort zones – make new friends, learn and try new things, and create memories which you will cherish. Though our time may not be long here, we should make the most out of it.