Datuk Jalaluddin Hassan, who turned 72 on Feb 18, says he continues to welcome Ramadan with the same enthusiasm, regardless of age.
Recalling his early days in the entertainment industry – where there is no such thing as a 9-to-5 schedule and work can stretch well into the night – he says he has always tried to balance his professional commitments with his religious duties responsibly.
“What I’ve discovered is that I still feel enthusiastic about fasting no matter how busy my schedule is,” he shares.
“In fact, sometimes I feel even fresher at work when I’m fasting. To me, there’s no difference – fasting or not, I still carry on with my duties.”
Addressing common misconceptions, he adds: “People think fasting makes you weak, sluggish and unable to work.
“But not for me. I feel more energetic when I work because fasting tests my patience and my faith.”
The famed host of the Malaysian version of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? says he has grown even more appreciative of Ramadan now that he gets to witness his grandchildren fasting.
“I actually prefer watching my grandchildren break their fast rather than focusing on myself,” says Jalaluddin, a father of 12 and grandfather to 32.
Jalaluddin was previously married to Hasimah Mat Ehsan, who passed away in 2016. The couple had eight children together. In 2017, he married single mother Rapidah Abdul Ghani, who has four children from her previous marriage.
“The atmosphere during Ramadan with the grandchildren around is just ... wow.”
As much as possible, his family makes it a point to break fast together, whether at home or outside.
“We’ll buka puasa together and just have fun,” he says, laughing like a proud grandfather.
This Ramadan, Jalaluddin appears on Dapur Bapak Bapak on Astro Prima (Ch 105) alongside Chef Wan and music maestro Ramli MS, better known as Tok Ram.
Admitting he is no match for his co-hosts in the kitchen, Jalaluddin says viewers can expect to see him sweating it out as he tries to keep up.
“They really go hard on me for not knowing how to cook. The only things I can cook are Maggi mee, eggs and – erm – water!”
Still, the experience has sparked a new resolution.
“Eventually I realised, hey, this is fun. So this year, I’ve decided to learn how to cook – at least some of my favourite dishes like asam pedas and sambal daging berlada.
“I’ve also come to appreciate my wife even more. She’s been cooking for me with so much patience all these years. Maybe this year, it’s my turn to serve her as her husband,” he adds.
“It’s never too late to learn something new.”
