For many Malaysians, this public figure needs no introduction. Malaysian-born Nur Amalina Che Bakri first shot to fame in 2004 after receiving 17As in her SPM (Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia), a record-breaking phenomenon in Malaysia at the time. Amalina transformed from next-door-girl to national hero seemingly overnight. She was offered a prestigious scholarship to study abroad and graduated with flying colours from the University of Edinburgh in 2013. She is now a distinguished and respected medical practitioner.
Dr Amalina Bakri currently lives in United Kingdom with her husband, Alexander Charles, and is now proudly showing off her baby bump in her Instagram posts. Today, she is a general surgeon at NHS UK & a PhD clinical research fellow at Imperial College.
Celebrating Her First Pregnancy
Dr Amalina broke the happy news about her pregnancy in an Instagram post earlier in June captioned with a bolded, “A little surprise!“. She took some time in making the announcement due to her busy schedule. And of course, because she wanted to keep the news to herself a little before sharing it with the world. She was already in her third trimester by the time the post went live.
It’s amazing how this little one can bring so much joy in your life, and I look forward to this exciting new journey as a mother!
Juggling between her medical career, PhD and pregnancy has not been easy. But thankfully, she has a supportive husband to hold her hand all the way. Despite having to go through morning sickness and long hours, Dr Amalina is looking forward to being a mum.
Stance on Malaysian Citizenship Issue
As a child of Malaysia who is now a permanent resident of the United Kingdom, Dr Amalina took to social media address the recent court ruling over citizenship rights of Malaysian children born outside the country. In an Instagram post, she addressed her decision to have the baby in London—a decision that she says was the safest and most practical option for her with her current pregnancy age and work arrangement.
At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter where they live or what passport they hold; what matters is that they are human beings with good moral values who can contribute to humanity.
Dr Amalina says that she is saddened by the news and hopes the parents who are affected by the ruling will find a solution. As for her own children, Dr Amalina says she has no intention of giving birth in Malaysia as she already has a family and a career in UK. She will teach them all she knows about Malaysian culture, language and traditions to keep them close to their roots.
Debunking Harmful Medical Myths
Aside from educating her followers on female sexual health, gynaecological cancers, and COVID-19, she also regularly debunks harmful medical myths and practices. In one of her past Instagram stories, Dr Amalina mentioned two of her biggest pet peeves: people who sell unethical, pseudoscientific products for personal gain, and people who spread misinformation online without citing reliable sources.
This brings us to one of her more popular involvements in a controversial medical issue involving Neelofa’s ‘anti-ageing supplements’ for babies. Yes, this actually happened. Dr Amalina was quick to address the dangers of giving babies untested (and unnecessary) supplements. At the end of the day, she says, breast milk will always be the best nutrition for newborns.
As part of her mandate to continue educating the public on dubious medical practices, Dr Amalina regularly posts ‘Ask Me a Question’ stories on her Instagram account. This is where she invites her followers to quiz her on any medical myths that they’ve heard. She has so far debunked vitamin C IV drips, whitening products laced with mercury, and soursop as a cancer cure. As an expectant mother herself, Dr Amalina has since prioritised content relating to pregnancy, myths about diet restrictions (e.g., pineapple and eggs) and traditional Malay confinement practices.
Dr Amalina continues to be an inspiration to young girls who truly want to make their mark upon the world. Not only as a successful careerwoman, but as one who fights for truth, equal rights, social justice, and female empowerment.
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