Malaysian-born Lee Sinjie appointed state tourism ambassador

File photo of Angelica Lee Sinjie

GEORGE TOWN, Malaysia, Aug 26 -- Award-winning actress and singer, Angelica Lee Sinjie was promoted by Malaysia's penang state as its tourism ambassador on Friday.

The Malaysian-born actress acted in various Hong Kong and Taiwan films including hit horror film, The Eye, which won her the Golden Horse Award for Best Actress, Best Actress at the Hong Kong film festival and a Hong Kong Golden Bauhinia Award.

She was one of the very few Asian artists to be awarded the Berlin Film Festival Best Newcomer Awards in 2001 for her role in Betelnut Beauty.

In 2006, her movie Re-cycle was screened at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival.

"We believe Miss Lee is the perfect candidate to become our ambassador because of her massive following" in Asia, especially in China's Taiwan, China's Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, many parts of Chinese mainland and of course, Malaysia, Penang's chief minister Lim Guan Eng said via a social networking site.

Penang is a northwest coastal state of Peninsular Malaysia by the Malacca straits.

It is known for its heritage city George Town, colonial style mansions and buildings and the Peranakan Chinese culture that descended from the Chinese immigrants who came to Malaysia as traders, settled down with local women and adapted themselves to the local language and culture six centuries ago.