Ex-Playboy bunny says she’s embracing Islam on July 3

Former model Felixia Yeap told an audience of 2,000 in Shah Alam last night of her intention to embrace Islam on Wednesday. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Afif Abd Halim, June 28, 2014.A former Playboy bunny and model, Felixia Yeap, whose interest in the hijab drew intense media attention late last year, yesterday announced that she was embracing Islam this Ramadan.

The 28-year-old, speaking at a programme in Shah Alam in conjunction with the Islamic holy month which begins tomorrow, said she would officially recite the Muslim declaration of faith on July 3, which is her birthday, adding that the fifth day of Ramadan was Prophet Muhammad's favourite date.

Speaking in front of a 2,000-strong audience, Yeap said some of her friends have started to avoid her.

"My friends have distanced themselves from me, thinking that I wear the hijab to become a Malay, but the fact is I am attracted to Islam," she said, adding that she has support from her parents, especially her mother.

Yeap would announce her Muslim name later, saying she preferred not to reveal the place where she would recite the shahadah or oath taken by a new Muslim.

The Ipoh-born, saying she faced a huge challenge in observing the fasting month because of her gastritis, said she had bought dates which were traditionally served for breaking of fast in Ramadan.

Last year, Felixia told The Malaysian Insider of the criticism she received after donning the hijab.

“They say I did this to find a rich Malay datuk to marry. If I wanted to find a rich man, I would have done it a long time ago when I was still modelling in sexy poses. Their criticism defied logic. All I wanted to do was to cover up more and do more decent modelling," she said.

A former kindergarten teacher, Yeap started modelling in 2005 when she entered the Dewi Remaja contest organised by a magazine and became one of its finalists.

She then joined many beauty pageants and at the peak of her career, she was invited to be a Playboy bunny and worked at its club in Macau. – June 28, 2014.