PETALING JAYA, June 18 — Malaysian actress Sharifah Amani cited the lack of multidimensional roles for Malay women as the cause for her brief hiatus from acting.

Known for her part as the gutsy Orked in Yasmin Ahmad’s Sepet, Amani said that she’s tired of seeing films and TV shows where women are portrayed as needy or too dependent on their significant others.

"I stopped acting for a bit because the scripts that I’ve gotten don’t make our young Malay women, or women in general, look good," she said.

"They’re always going, ‘abang, I love you, please don’t leave me!’ The only thing Malay girls want in dramas is to get married, and we all know that’s a lie.”

The 33-year-old pushed for more local films and movies to create female characters who pave their own path rather than waiting for men to swoop in and save them from their hardships.

"We have so many independent, hardworking, capable, single Malay-Muslim women out there doing their thing. Where are our stories for these women?

"I feel like I can’t take on a lot of drama roles right now because they’re not truthful and they focus on women who wait for someone else to come in and help them.

"I can help myself. I have my own paycheck, my own house, my own everything. If I have to fall in love, I need to want it on my own terms.”

She was met at the launch of feminine care line Libresse’s "Get Your Fit” campaign where she appeared as a brand advocate.

Not one to prioritise wealth or fame, the Cinta star said the most important thing to her was to work with brands that hold the same values that she does, similar to the way she chooses her acting projects.

"I’m very particular and picky about the work that I take on. It’s my responsibility to choose the right brands to be associated with and I need to know that the brand is supporting something that I support as well.”