Turn up the ‘Bass’: why Bella Astillah, Syed Saddiq’s new chapter has captured Malaysia

For years, Malaysians watched singer-actress Bella Astillah’s heartbreak unfold in public. They saw her endure a troubled marriage, a cheating scandal and a divorce while raising two children under the glare of celebrity culture. When lawmaker Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman, 33, proposed to her – first on Mount Kinabalu and later at a formal engagement ceremony in Kuala Lumpur – it resonated with many Malaysians who felt Bella was finally getting the happy ending she deserved.