KUALA LUMPUR: Singer, actor and producer Gadaffi Ismail Sabri or Dafi may be the son of Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob but he does not get any special treatment.
The 32-year-old star of dramas Dia Semanis Honey and Klik Pengantin Musim Salju said in a news report yesterday that he had been staying home like everyone else since the Movement Control Order (MCO) began.
"There is no special treatment for 'anak menteri' like me. Allegations that I've been getting special treatment are false. I've been staying at home all this while.
"True, my father is a Minister but I am an ordinary Malaysian who must follow the law. Furthermore, Covid-19 is a serious danger to all of us."
Dafi, who was discovered by Astro reality talent show Akademi Fantasia in its fifth season in 2007, said that he was now "riding on his father's popularity" as Ismail Sabri was a Senior Minister.
"More than a decade ago, I was more popular than he was, but today, the opposite is true.
"But as his son, I'm always proud of what he does, because he has always believed in giving his best for Malaysians," said Dafi.
Dafi admitted that he and Ismail Sabri seldom talked about their respective careers, but he knew that his father was satisfied with his current job.
"He took a brief hiatus from politics for a year, but he is back as a Senior Minister with heavy responsibilities. Best of all he's really energetic and vigorous in his daily press conferences and hardly looks tired."
Dafi also said that it was hilarious for Malaysians to compare Ismail Sabri's colourful shirts at press conferences to popular cakes and drinks.
"Malaysians are very creative. Every shirt he wears seems to be linked to a popular dessert.
"He's got lots of stylish shirts, especially batik ones as he loves contemporary batik."
A Facebook user identified as DakuCing Ku recently linked Ismail Sabri's shirts with mouthwatering desserts such as the Sarawak layer cake, the rainbow pudding and the avocado and chocolate shake.
Dafi, who has postponed the launch of a new single as a result of Covid-19, recently joined fellow singers Siti Sarah Raissuddin and Haiza Hanafi assisting 400 families negatively impacted by the MCO in Pontian, Johor.
They provided the families with basic necessities in collaboration with Pertubuhan Kebajikan Aspirasi Peduli Rakyat Marhaen.