A strong woman who put others first

Painful loss: Family members of Sharifah Azizah scattering flower petals on her grave at Kampung Tengah Muslim cemetery here in Kluang.

Mum dedicated her life to her community, says Sharifah’s son

KLUANG: Take care of your siblings no matter what – this was the last message the late Mahkota assemblyman Datuk Sharifah Azizah Syed Zain gave her eldest son, Wan Mohd Hibatullah Abu Bakar.

The 40-year-old, who has three other younger siblings, said this was the advice given by his mother the last time they met before her sudden passing.

“We met last Friday and had tea together. She told me that she was going to Johor Baru the next day as she had a party event attended by Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

ALSO READ: Leaders pay tribute to Sharifah’s devotion

“She reminded me to take care of my siblings no matter what as I am the eldest and I should be stronger for them,” he said when met at Hospital Enche’ Besar Hajjah Khalsom here yesterday.

Sharifah Azizah, 64, had four children – apart from Wan Mohd Hibatullah, the others are Wan Mohd Hazwan, 39; Wan Mohd Hasbullah, 34; and Wan Harizahtul Nadia, 33.

Her husband, Abu Bakar Mohd Amin, passed away in 2005 at the age of 45 from lymphoma cancer.

Wan Mohd Hibatullah said his mother went to the Umno event on Saturday and when she returned home, she started to vomit blood and was rushed to the hospital where she was treated and warded for three days.

“On Monday, at around 2.30pm, my mother was discharged but later at home, after maghrib prayers, my siblings called me to say she was having breathing difficulties.

“We then decided to bring her back to the hospital,” he said, adding that he and his siblings were thankful for the help and prayers from everyone.

He said on behalf of his mother and family, he would like to extend an apology to anyone if Sharifah Azizah had committed any wrongdoing.

Wan Mohd Hibatullah said his mother was a stern person but was always concerned about the people’s welfare regardless of their race or religion.

“She was the strongest person I know and liked to help people. My mother worked hard to make sure that the person she helped would get the assistance required,” he added.

Asked about his mother’s cause of death, Wan Mohd Hibatullah said she suffered a health complication when a blood vessel in her neck area burst while she was in the hospital’s intensive care unit.

“The medical team at the hospital did their best for my mother. Her heart stopped for about 10 minutes before beating again,” he said.

Sharifah Azizah’s body was brought to her house along Jalan Ahmad Khan here for relatives and friends to pay their final respects and then sent to Masjid Jamek Kampung Tengah for prayers before burial at the Kampung Tengah Muslim cemetery.