In a gesture of solidarity from the media and literary fraternity, nearly RM100,000 was raised in support of National Journalism Laureate Adibah Amin.
At the Adibah Amin Tribute Night, held at The Majestic Hotel Kuala Lumpur yesterday, some 500 guests gathered to honour the beloved writer, affectionately known to many as “Cikgu Bedah”.
The evening was graced by Raja Puan Muda of Kedah Che Puan Muda Zaheeda Mohamad Ariff, who officially unveiled Adibah’s book As I Was Passing – Legacy Edition.
At the event, Khalilah Fadzilah Amin said her eldest sister, who turned 90 in February, is facing significant health challenges, and proceeds from the tribute night and book sales will go towards Adibah's medical expenses and daily nursing care.
"On behalf of my sister Adibah, I would like to apologise for her absence tonight. She has been bedridden for two years, and in the last few days has found it stressful even to sit in her wheelchair for a few minutes," said Khalilah Fadzilah.
Over an illustrious career, she was a columnist, translator, educator, novelist and journalist, holding editorial roles at The Star and New Straits Times. The Johor-born Adibah was also Berita Harian’s first female editor. In 2024, she was the first woman named National Journalism Laureate.
Daughter of independence fighter Tan Sri Zainun Munshi Sulaiman, better known as Ibu Zain, Adibah also previously lectured at Kolej Tunku Kurshiah, the country’s first all-girls boarding school.
Remembering the stories
Limited to 1,000 copies, the As I Was Passing – Legacy Edition is a curated collection of Adibah’s weekly columns and essays dating back to the 1970s and early 1980s. The book is divided into 10 sections such as "Rasa Rasa Malaysia Dulu", "Nostalgia In Motion", "Other People, Lah" and "Celebrations That Shaped Us."
"As I Was Passing isn't just a collection, it's a legacy. And for me, it's also a thank you to a mentor who didn't just teach me how to write and translate, but how to live with compassion, harmony and respect in our nation of many voices," wrote editor Lay Hua in her personal note in the new version of the book.
A prolific writer, Adibah is equally at ease in English and Bahasa Malaysia. She also wrote under the pen name Sri Delima.
She once wrote of remembering Malaysia for its enduring warmth – and last night, that spirit was felt in full measure, as friends and family shared personal anecdotes, performed songs in her honour and read aloud favourite excerpts from her incisive, often witty columns that helped shape a generation.
In a tribute featured in the book, Star Media Group chief content officer Datin Paduka Esther Ng recalled her editorial stint at The Star in the 1990s.
"Her take on things, her views on the Malaysian way of life and perceptions were always witty and delivered in simple terms, the mark of a good writer. She truly is one of a kind," said Ng.
The dinner, organised by Friends of Adibah Amin, also brought together a cross-section of Malaysian journalists, including a gathering of fellow National Journalism Laureates such as Tan Sri Johan Jaaffar, Datuk Seri Wong Chun Wai and Datuk Abdul Kadir Jasin.
Those interested in securing a copy of Adibah's book (with a minimum donation of RM50 per copy, postage excluded), can email: adibahamin.tribute@gmail.com.
