Compiled by QISTINA SALLEHUDDIN and C. ARUNO
TWELVE-YEAR-OLD Nurul Afina Aqila Azman has a fondness for the animals in her family’s barn, even singing one of the buffalo calves to sleep, Sinar Ahad reported.
Affectionately known as Che Tam, the girl spends much of her free time at the barn in Felda Lepar Hilir 2, Gambang, Pahang.
For her, the 24 buffaloes – particularly Bantut and Baby, an adult and a calf – are more than just livestock.
“After I sing, Baby will definitely fall asleep. I truly love these animals. I grew up with them.”
Her lullabies recently drew widespread attention after a 15-second video of her patting a buffalo calf while singing went viral on social media, garnering 1.5 million views and more than 40,000 likes.
Her father, Azman Umar, said the family has run their livestock business for over two decades.
He said caring for the animals has instilled a strong sense of responsibility in his daughter, who helps out at the barn after school.
“Rearing animals is not only a source of income but also a way to teach children about love, trust and responsibility from a young age,” he added.
> Harian Metro reported that although Sharifah Amani might still be writing scripts and directing films, much of her focus has now shifted to her two-year-old son Ahmed Mohsein.
“After having a child, it is hard to be away for long.
“Now I understand what my mother and siblings meant about the difficulty of leaving your child. It feels incredibly heavy.”
Even when stepping out for a short while, Sharifah said she frequently checks on her son through surveillance cameras.
“This is my first experience and the feelings are different. I have never felt a love as powerful as the love for a child.”
She said she only took on two commercial projects last year so she could spend more time with her son.
The above articles are compiled from the vernacular newspapers (Bahasa Malaysia, Chinese and Tamil dailies). As such, stories are grouped according to the respective language/medium. Where a paragraph begins with a >, it denotes a separate news item.
