By Boon Chan

Presenter Haslinda Amin will have you know that a TV anchor is more than just a pretty face.

'People think we get everything written for us. I get up at three in the morning, get to work at four so that I can prep myself for a show that starts at eight. I write, I research, I do my own questions. I don't get everything on a silver platter but that's by choice as well,' she tells Life! at The Fullerton Hotel.

'A lot of the misconception comes from the fact that it is seen as a glamorous job. Maybe it's all the smiling on telly.'

The animated and energetic Haslinda, who is in her late 30s, helms The Trade which airs weekdays on Bloomberg Television. The show, which covers Asia-Pacific markets as they open, is also broadcast at the coveted prime-time slot of 9pm in the United States, no small achievement for a home-grown TV presenter whose resume includes working on Singapore's NewsRadio 93.8.

Haslina started her plum host role in March this year.

After studying politics and English at the National University of Singapore, she 'bummed around for a year', then joined the pioneer batch of Radio Singapore International presenters and later moved to NewsRadio 93.8, now called 938LIVE.

'I grew to love journalism only because of the excitement - no two days are the same. Me being quite addicted to adrenaline, it proved to be the right choice,' she says. She declined to answer questions about her personal life.

Seven years ago, Bloomberg came knocking with a job in TV to cover finance. She turned it down at first as she was neither familiar with the medium nor financial news. So they offered to train her.

'Since they provided the opportunity, even though economics was not a strength, I decided to give it a go because you have to conquer your fears and that was how I looked at it,' she reasons.

She started out as the chief broadcast reporter covering Singapore and South-east Asia before eventually going on to host her own show, The Trade. 'Many nights when I first joined Bloomberg, I would study and read like never before. If I had studied that way in school, I would have aced it.'

The switch from radio to television proved easier to handle. When you ask if she had ever been caught making inappropriate remarks when she thought she was off-air, she gives a whoop of laughter.

'Lesson No. 1, TV 101, is 'Never, ever say or do anything when you're in front of the camera with the mike on'. I've seen it happen so many times to so many people, you learn not to. I don't take that risk, the next thing you know, it's on YouTube.'

One of the people who has impressed her most is Malaysia's former prime minister, Dr Mahathir Mohamad. 'Dr M is not afraid to take on the world, regardless of the reaction from whichever quarter, whether it's the West or whether it's Singapore. He speaks his mind and I respect him for that.'

Another memorable interviewee is Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew. 'It's hard not to be impressed by Minister Mentor. I always leave the Istana feeling glad this is the man who had the vision to develop and make Singapore the way it is.'

She adds: 'Don't even begin to go for an interview with him without being prepared on everything you could be prepared for. He has a reputation for shredding you to bits if you don't know what you're talking about. He questions you as much as you question him.'

The Trade airs on Bloomberg Television (StarHub Channel 25) from Mondays to Fridays, 8am.

This article was first published in The Straits Times.