PETALING JAYA, Dec 30 — Local singer Siti Sarah Raisuddin has taken to Instagram to hit back at social media users who body-shamed her by making jibes about her nose.

The 35-year-old wife of comedian Shuib Sepahtu said on her personal Instagram account that she has had enough of mean comments about her nose and was done being the target of online abuse.

 

 

Sarah said that she was triggered when scrolling through Instagram and came across a post by Malaysian singer Siti Nordiana that resonated with her, where she shared on being berated with comments about her weight and teeth.

"I saw a post when scrolling through Instagram by Siti Nordiana talking about how people body-shame her by commenting about her weight and teeth,” wrote Sarah.

"And actually, till this day, ever since I was young I have been going through this same problem. People saying mean things about the shape of my nose. I don’t know how to tell them off!”

After a lifetime of abuse, Sarah explained that she could not push down or hold in her emotions any longer and needs to stand up to her bullies once and for all.

"Deep in my heart, I can’t suppress it anymore, so I will face it instead.

"For 30 years, over and over again, I keep hearing things about my nose. If I change my nose then will all the abuse stop? Tell me what I should do because God gave me this nose.”

Siti Sarah has had enough of people making fun of her nose. — Picture via Instagram

She added that if the online bullies were in her shoes, they wouldn’t be able to handle the emotional stress of being made fun of publicly.

Sarah also mentioned that it was especially hard for her to deal with derogatory comments like these emotionally as her husband and kids are privy to the abuse she faces online about her nose.

"For your information, my whole family, my husband and kids read every bad thing that people say about my nose, do you know that?

"People nowadays are so mean, resorting to making fun of another person’s physical appearance. There are so many others like me who suffer this type of abuse, it’s just that nobody hears about it.”

Social media users were also furious with the hate comments Sarah was receiving and attempted to comfort the singer by asking her to stay strong and reminding her that she is still a beautiful woman.

Social media users send in messages of love and support for Siti Sarah. — Picture via Instagram

"If I were in your shoes, I’d remind everyone that they are making fun of God’s creation. I know what it’s like to be made fun of, hopefully, you stay strong and can still face the cruelties of others,” wrote a user.

"You are as beautiful as you are. These people are just looking for attention, they think we don’t read it. So just flip your beautiful tudung (headscarf) and smile,” wrote fellow singer Nourul Wahab Depp.

However, despite being obviously infuriated by the consistent abuse she faces online, it was reported that Sarah isn’t all that eager to take legal action against her bullies - for now.

"I actually feel sorry for them if I take legal action, but I’m not going to say that I won’t do it,” Sarah told Harian Metro.

"I’m old enough to face this kind of thing now, but maybe that individual isn’t used to facing a lawsuit or having to pay a huge fine. So I’m afraid of putting them under so much stress that they won’t be able to handle it.”

Body-shaming or publicly making negative comments about another person’s body is punishable by law, under Section 233 (1)(b) of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998, with the accused either having to pay an RM50,000 fine or serve a one-year jail sentence.