Va-va Voom
Discover Nurul Alis Aidil Akhbar’s passion for living life on the fast lane with a touch of luxurious femininity thrown in.
WHOEVER said that only men have the need for speed? Nurul Alis Aidil Akhbar, fondly known as Kiki, dipped her feet into the world of motorsports some 15 years ago and hasn’t stopped since. The beautiful 38-year-old TV and sports personality indulges in everything from gokarting to drifting and biking. She certainly loves every bit of those exhilarating activities.
Believe it or not, as much as Kiki enjoys the company of them fast machines, she has a softer, feminine side too. The watch enthusiast and her husband James Mitchell are the people behind Alis Mitchell Watch Me and Wrist Couture. Luxury watches are everyone’s dream accessory and they’re Kiki’s favourite adornments. Collectors can expect exquisite personalised service from her company. Kiki shares with Clove how her passions help her maintain a fine balance and zest for life.
What is your passion?
I’d say that I’ve always had a passion for things on wheels. There’s just something about that adrenaline rush which makes me happy. I’ve also recently developed a new found passion for lovely luxury watches. Yep, I guess this is where my ultra-feminine side kicks in, as opposed to driving fast cars and riding on big bikes all the time!
How did it start?
While I had always wanted to be a pilot just like my dad, things didn’t exactly work out as planned after I had acquired my pilot’s licence. Then one fine day in 1997, a friend introduced me to go-karting and that was when things got off to a revving start! All that vroom, vroom, vroom piqued my interest and I began to dabble more into motorsports like drifting, biking and whatnot.
The most enjoyable aspect?
One thing’s for sure, the high-intensity of time attack gets my adrenaline pumping like there’s no tomorrow. Besides that, it’s all about the pure racing excitement of track k memorisation, anticipating the circuit, precision - driving and finishing it off sideways that at makes me feel like I’m on cloud nine every single time.
A favourite moment?
It has got to be during the Proton International 300km Merdeka Race in 1999 when I managed to score a third-place finish at my first race. I happened to be the first woman ever to stand on the podium in Sepang! Everything felt super-exciting and I had an overwhelming sense of accomplishment wash over me completely.
Passion is....
All about doing something you truly love— it’s timeless and comes effortlessly. If you indulge in your passion, life will get a whole lot more interesting and you’ll enjoy every single moment of it!