Malaysian Influencer Farhana Zara Throws Lavish Birthday Party
Gifts Include Rolex, iMac, and a Car
A Malaysian entrepreneur and influencer has sparked controversy after revealing an extravagant birthday party she threw for her 11-year-old daughter, stating, "I only spent 300 million won."
According to local media outlet Must Share News on June 4 (local time), Farhana Zara, who runs a beauty and health supplement business, posted a video of her 11-year-old daughter's birthday party on her social media on June 2. Along with the video, she wrote, "Please forgive your mom. This is all I could give you. I only spent 1 million ringgit (about 320 million won) on this birthday."
Malaysian businessman Farhana Zara's birthday party and birthday gift prepared for her 11-year-old daughter. TikTok capture
The video begins with Zara descending a luxurious staircase reminiscent of a golden palace, holding the hands of her two daughters. Behind her, her husband appears carrying their youngest daughter. As they step outside, guests at the outdoor party venue cheer and welcome the Zara family. Amid the singing of the birthday song, the gift-opening ceremony soon follows. The gifts given that day included an Apple iMac computer, a Rolex watch, and a seven-seater Toyota vehicle. Another video also shows Zara surprising her daughter's former driver with a Mercedes-Benz sedan as a gift.
Each of these videos has garnered over 2.2 to 2.4 million views, becoming a hot topic. However, Zara's remark that she "only spent 300 million won" has angered many online users.
Netizens strongly criticized her, saying, "It looks more like a party for herself than for her daughter," "Giving a car to an 11-year-old who can't even drive," "This is spoiling the child," and "Some parents can't even afford a birthday cake, this is too much." On the other hand, some defended the family, commenting, "Anyone would want to do their best for their children if they have the means," and "The spending of those who have a lot can also benefit the economy."
Zara has previously stirred controversy several times for her 'show-off spending.' In 2023, she gifted her then five-year-old second daughter a brand-new Mercedes-Benz G-Wagen worth about 530 million won for her birthday. At the time, she said her daughter had complained about not wanting to go to school and said she would go if given a green Mercedes or BMW, so Zara actually bought her the car. In 2022, she also faced criticism for "excessive flaunting of wealth during a sacred period" after posting a video of herself withdrawing 2 million ringgit (about 594 million won at the time) from a bank to celebrate Hari Raya, the largest Islamic festival.
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