World Famous Malaysians.

How many world famous Malaysians do you know? How well do you know about them? Well, it is time to recognise the Malaysians who have carried our name far and wide. Just to name a few - from a woman who took on James Bond to a man who became the first Malaysian to travel in space. Source : MSN Entertainment.

Dato’ Michelle Yeoh is arguably Malaysia’s biggest and most successful movie export. She first gained stardom appearing alongside international action star Jackie Chan, in the highly-acclaimed 1992 film The Police Story 3. In fact, the tough-as-nut Dato’ Michelle is only one of a handful of female stars whom Jackie lets do her own stunts.

Since that stint, she has appeared in several big-budget Hong Kong and Hollywood films, notably Ang Lee's Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, The Mummy 3, Memoirs of a Geisha and Babylon A.D., just to name a few. Another notable highlight of Dato’ Michelle’s movie career was playing a Bond girl alongside Pierce Brosnan, in Tomorrow Never Dies.

From the provocative to the poignant, her roles have broken many barriers for Asian actresses in Hong Kong and Hollywood. A great lady of the screen who has made it easier for Malaysian-born talent to dream.

Dato’ Jimmy Choo has become such a towering figure in the world of luxury footwear that the mere mention of ‘Choos’ incites gleeful looks from women the world over.

Born in Penang the son of a shoemaker, Choo crafted his first pair when he was only 11 years old. He graduated from the London College of Fashion in 1983 and opened his own shoe shop in Hackney three years later. He quickly became known for his fabulous designs.

By the time British Vogue came knocking at his door in 1988, Choo had already honed his craft. The fashion mag gave the designer an 8 page spread, prominently featuring Choo's collection. Everyone suddenly wanted a pair of Jimmy Choos: fashionistas, celebrities and even royalty. The Queen of Denmark is a loyal client of his and so was the late Princess Diana.

Although Choo sold his 50% stake in the eponymous brand by 2001, it had already made a mint and turned him into a household name by that time. He is still probably the most talked about Malaysian out there and we're huge fans of Uncle Jimmy and his ‘Choos’.

You might not know this face or the name to which it belongs, but Ling Tan has made a big splash in the international modelling world. She has one of the most sought after Asian faces in fashion

Ling was discovered first in a small fashion show, and a Tiger Beer commercial gave her some success in Malaysia. After just a year of modelling on home ground, she went to New York where she was snapped up by one of the most influential modelling agencies in the world, IMG.

Since then Ling has worked with the world’s top designers including Karl Lagerfeld, Jean Paul Gaultier, Valentino and Donna Karan. She has been photographed by giants like Mario Testino (for a Gucci campaign), Patrick Demarchlier and Richard Avedon.

Ling has also appeared in every major fashion magazine you can think of, from Vogue to Elle. She even popped up in an episode of “Sex and the City” as herself and was featured in a George Michael music video for the track “Fast Love”.

Tyra may ask her girls if they, "Wanna be on top?" But none of even Banks' recruits have achieved the level of success Ling has in high-fashion. Meet the world's new top model!

Malaysia’s most well-loved supermodel, Amber Chia, began her modelling career at the age of 17. The modest-but-gorgeous Amber gained international stardom after she won the 2004 Guess Watches Timeless Beauty Contest – a global model search for a Guess Watch brand ambassador. Amber made Malaysia proud by becoming the first Asian model to win a top global, professional modelling contest.

The win kick-started Amber’s blossoming career. She was named Model of the Year by the Malaysian International Fashion Awards in 2004 and 2005. She became the ambassador for brands like Sony and L’Oreal, starred in several local and regional movies and she also created Malaysia's first modelling reality show "I Wanna Be A Model". Do we see a Malaysian Tyra Banks in the making?

Malaysia’s premier diva has been steadily conquering the international market over the past 20 years and continues to do so. She was one of the first Malaysian recording artists to break the Indonesian market and she even won the Indonesian BASF award for Best Female Artist in 1986, which was never before won by a non-Indonesian. Majid also has a wide following in Japan and remains the first and only Malaysian artist to successfully infiltrate the Japanese market.

Dubbed Malaysia's Queen of Jazz, Majid has collaborated with some of the world’s best musicians, including American bassist Nathan East and Japanese violinist Aska Kaneko. In 1996, Majid performed a sold out show at the Royalty Theatre in London’s West End. She later returned to London that same year to perform at the jazz Mecca of music, Ronnie Scott’s. In recent years, Sheila Majid has continued to be one of the most notable Malaysian names in music.

While we think Sheila leans more to pop than jazz, there's no denying the beauty in her phrasing and the way her instrument moves with ease around a melody. She is, indeed, a national treasure.

If someone were to ask who Malaysia’s biggest pop singer is, only one name would come to mind: Dato’ Siti Nurhaliza. Dato’ Siti started out as a talented youngster who caught the attention of the public when she won the 1995 RTM Juara Bintang competition at the tender age of 16.

She got her first international accolade when she won the ‘Gold Award’ in the 1999 Shanghai Music Festival. That same year she won the South Pacific International Song and Singing Competition. In 2004, the much-loved songstress made history when she became the first non-Chinese entertainer invited to perform at the 15th Golden Melody Awards in Taiwan, singing a duet with Wang Lee-hom.

Aside from being a Malaysian artist with one of the biggest followings in Indonesia, in 2005, Dato’ Siti held a successful solo concert at the Royal Albert Hall in London, with the British media dubbing her ‘Asia’s Celine Dion’.

Malaysia continues their love affair with the pop diva as she plans to release another album, later this year. We look forward to more from Dato' Siti Nurhaliza.

Nicholas Teo is making us proud 2,000 miles away from home. Teo was only 21 when he won the Astro Talent Quest in 2002. He got his recording career off the ground with First Album in 2004. Thanks to his vocal skills and boyish charm, the album sold more than 30,000 copies in Taiwan alone within a month of its release – a feat that could rival some of Taiwan’s biggest pop stars.

Due to his rising popularity, Nicholas was roped in to star in the highly-rated Taiwanese drama “Smiling Pasta” – a move that put him on the map internationally. He has become Malaysia’s biggest export in the Chinese entertainment market, going further than any local pop star has in the past. And to think it all started on Wah Lai Toi.

Nicol David is presently one of Malaysia’s hottest sports properties. Perhaps, she is hotter than the hottest real estate property around the nationhood. While most Malaysians will have to take a really good look before becoming a professional sports person, Nicol shows them how she did it, and why they should do it too.

Now a professional squash player, Nicol David is a definite role model for Malaysian and other youngsters around the globe. She trains under a former world number 2, Liz Irving in Amsterdam, Holland. Her desire to succeed has taken her to a territory where other Malaysians consider impossibility. She is also a living legend who proves that you can be exceptional in both sports and education fields. Malaysia Boleh!

For a boy who preferred playing basketball in his youth, Dato' Lee Chong Wei has since come a long way for both badminton and Malaysia. Born in George Town, Penang, Chong Wei had developed an early love for sports - playing basketball. He eventually quit the game at the request of his mother, whom disapproved of him playing in outdoor courts amidst sweltering afternoon heats. His passion for sports never faltered during this time and he soon found a game that could satisfy both him and his mother. At the age of 11, with the encouragement of his father, Lee Chong Wei discovered badminton. A true sports talent, Chong Wei immediately picked up the game and spent hours training after school in order to excel.

The trainings after school brought out the best in Chong Wei and at the age of 17, he was spotted by Misbun Sidek and drafted into the Malaysian national badminton squad. It was with training that Lee Chong Wei pushed himself to be a top notch player, undergoing gruelling daily training sessions. These sessions included rigorous fitness regimes and multiple sparring with up to three opponents on court simultaneously.

Unbeatable within Malaysian territory for 3 years (2004-2006), Lee Chong Wei bagged his first 5-star event in the Danish open in 2005. His track record consists of a slew of wins including 5 Super Series titles.

Numerous titles and an Olympic silver later, Lee Chong Wei is now loved as one of Malaysia抯 most recognisable and successful athletes. His great efforts in the 2008 Olympics have resulted in him being conferred with a 'Darjah Setia Pangkuan Negeri (DSPN)', which carries the title Datuk. He is also currently the world number one singles player and is set to win the upcoming 2008 BWF Super Series Masters Finals held on home soil in December.

Even with all his wins and titles, Dato' Lee Chong Wei still remains modest and humble, epitomising the ultimate Malaysian role model.

This Malaysian didn’t just make it on the international front. His achievements took him out of this world. Literally! He is the first Malaysian man to make it into space. Not only that, he was the first Muslim to have observed Ramadhan in space as well as celebrate Eid out of the earth’s atmosphere.

On October 10th, 2007, Datuk Dr. Sheikh Muszaphar, an orthopaedic surgeon by profession, blasted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan for a voyage to the International Space Station with two other astronauts from Russia and the USA. He spent nine days in the space station where he conducted a series of scientific experiments. While he was in space, Datuk Dr. Sheikh Muszaphar celebrated Hari Raya in true blue Malaysian fashion, by sharing satay and Raya cookies with his fellow astronauts.

As far as famous Malaysians go, it'll be hard to top that. Datuk, you did us proud!