Compiled by BENJAMIN LEE and C. ARUNO
SINCE April 18, 68-year-old veteran singer Rohana Jalil (pic) has been hospitalised in critical condition at the Chancellor Tuanku Muhriz Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Hospital due to an unknown ailment, according to Berita Harian.
The unfortunate news was relayed by Rohana’s close acquaintance and fellow singer Salwa Abdul Rahman, who said that Rohana had exhibited signs of weakness since last week.
“Rohana had suddenly felt weak and couldn’t stand while performing at the Plaza Shah Alam Mall last Sunday. Her condition is currently stable, but she is still on life support,” said Salwa, who heard the news from Rohana’s children.
Rohana, who is also known as Dara Abdul Jalil, is most known for her stunning performance in the 1981 Bintang RTM competition.
She then went on to create almost 20 albums throughout her career. Her famous hit, Naluri Cinta, skyrocketed her popularity.
> Instead of preparing for the Raya celebrations, a family of four is travelling across states to seek shelter in the parking area of a relative’s home in Merbok, Kedah, after the family’s savings ran dry, Kosmo! reported.
Jamil Ahamad, 36, and his wife, Syahera Nabila Hamzah, 28, and their two toddlers were forced to move from their rented house in Tasek Gelugor, Penang, after failing to pay rent due to Jamil quitting his job as a security guard four months ago.
Jamil explained that this was due to him suffering from a broken femur after being involved in a road accident in 2009.
“In order to make ends meet after quitting my job, I started doing odd jobs around the village. My income was not consistent, and I could not earn enough to support our family,” he said, adding that they also received RM400 in monthly assistance from the Social Welfare Department.
“Although the shelter at my in-law’s home has no walls and only a dirt floor, this is the ‘home’ for us now as my wife is going to give birth to our third child early next month,” he said.
> Kosmo! also reported that more than 300 people swarmed the grounds of Kapitan Keling Mosque in George Town, Penang, hoping to get donations from pilgrims attending the mosque’s annual 27th night of Ramadan celebration event on April 18.
Some of them even brought along their children, and a number of them had come from neighbouring states just to “camp” along the mosque’s sidewalks since 7pm that night.
The group was eager to earn some “duit raya” donations that would usually be handed out by the pilgrims. It is believed that some could collect up to RM200.
A farmer from Kedah known as Makcik Biah, 65, said the money she earned would be used as raya money for children who visit her house.
A rubber tapper who went by the name of Ahmad, 57, said his nephew dropped him off at the mosque on a motorcycle.
He said that what he could earn that night was equivalent to more than a day’s work.
“Nobody will give us RM300 a night without doing any work, but here, you will not return empty-handed,” he said.
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.
