PRIOR to joining TV3’s Mentor Otai, Alina Hassan was making a living as a cleaner and security guard.
“I was cleaning offices and toilets. Before that, I worked as a security guard at Suria KLCC for a year.
“I am not ashamed of my work. All forms of service are honourable.”
Alina, 50, a single mother of three sons aged 13, 16 and 18, is not averse to menial jobs as she has been doing them for the past nine years.
“Hardship is painful, but my loved ones remind me that it is the best teacher,” she said.
Her cleaning job took her to Kuala Lumpur, Petaling Jaya, Subang Jaya, Shah Alam and Ampang Jaya. Her employers had her clean offices and toilets of malls, company headquarters and government departments.
“My siblings, relatives and friends were shocked to hear this,” she said.
She tried her luck in TV3’s Sinaran Paspot Kegemilangan in 1996 and Astro Prima’s Kilauan Emas in 2013.
Not one to feel sorry for herself, Alina said she hoped that Mentor Otai would launch her singing career.
She is the show’s most senior protege, coming under the mentorship of singer Siti Sarah Raissuddin. Siti Sarah’s other protege is Sairi Osman, 36, from Rompin, Pahang.
Alina joined the contest not only to improve her musical ability, but also to prove to other senior singers that they can shine and become stars.
The six-week Mentor Otai, a spin-off of Mentor (which ran for six seasons between 2005 and 2012), began last Sunday and features four mentors: Siti Sarah, Misha Omar, Zarul Husin of Umbrella and Rustam Mustafa (Tam) of Spider.
Each mentor has two proteges. Misha’s proteges are Elvira Arul, 39, and Wan Azran Hamzah, 40; Zarul’s are Aznie Ariffin, 41, and Lokman Azmi, 36; while Tam’s are Irwan Ahmad, 35, and Azril Azmi, 42.
Singer Mark Adam and composer Edry Abdul Halim are the permanent judges.
The judges will award 50 per cent of the marks, 20 per cent are from the public jury, comprising musicians and educationists, while 30 per cent are from viewers’ online votes.