Old Wok at 106 Years

URLhttp://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Saturday/Frontpage/2479571/Article/index_html 2009/02/14 (Accessed on 30th May 2009)

For 37-year old Muhammad Noor and wife, 106-year old Wok, every day is Valentine's Day

By : Zainuddin Muhammad

Wok Kundor and her husband Muhammad Noor Che Musa are deeply committed to each other despite the big age gap.


KUALA TERENGGANU: When Muhammad Noor Che Musa and Wok Kundor tied the knot just over three years ago, nobody gave their marriage much of a chance to survive.

After all, he had just turned 34 and the bride was 103. Now, three years on, the couple who reside in Kampung Tok Bak near here have surprised many by staying happily married and proving that love will conquer all, if given a chance.

Noor, from Tanah Merah, said almost every family member, friend and neighbour had once dismissed his decision to marry Wok as a desperate attempt for companionship.

"In the beginning, we were the talk of the town, if not the whole state and country. We ended up in the news a few times.

"But now, most of the people I care about, especially my family and close friends, have accepted Wok as my life partner. Most of our neighbours have also accepted that this marriage is for the long-haul," he said yesterday.

Wok, who was born in Bachok but has been living in Kuala Berang district for more than 50 years, said some neighbours hurled hurtful remarks at them in the beginning but patience and perseverance finally won them over.

"I couldn't say the same about the press though, as from time to time, some newspaper or magazine from as far as Singapore, Indonesia, China and Japan will come looking for stories.

"They must have been disappointed to find out that we're living a normal life.

"Sometimes, I just wish that people will leave us alone but I guess there's really no chance of that happening as there are not many 106-year-old women with 37-year-old husbands," she said laughingly.

When asked how it had all began, Noor said it was certainly not love at first sight. What started as friendship developed into something stronger and eventually led to a matrimonial bond which, according to him, would only take death to part them.

"I know some people are wondering why we decided to get married but rest assured that it has nothing to do with material things as we are living modestly on my income as odd-job labourer and Wok's RM200 allowance from the Welfare Department," he said.

"I don't know how poor we are but we lost most of our worldly possession, including television set, washing machine, stove, fans and even our beds when our house was burgled in December 2008. We have yet to replace some of the items."

Wok was quick to add that the most important thing was they had each other.

She claimed it was a good thing that they did not have their television set as it had given them more time to read the Quran together.

As for the secret to their blissful marriage, Wok said like any other, theirs also had some ups and downs but she added it was vital to remember not to go to bed angry with each other. When asked if he had to make sacrifices in order to be with Wok, Noor said it was no sacrifice at all and that he had never been happier.

Both husband and wife also admitted they were not too familiar with Valentine's Day but said if it meant a day for professing love for one another, then every day for the past three years had been Valentine's for them.

Maizawati, Akhil Hayy & Wahidah

Komen:

Wahidah tak cantik pun, cuba lah tengok gambar kat bawah tu... isteri pertama lagi cantik... memang sejak dulu lagi, saya tak suka penampilan Wahidah, dia kurus sangat, hipokrit pun ada... satu hari kata agama suruh tak boleh buat ini dan itu, besok hari disyaki pergi tengok wayang pula, ini tidak termasuk 'cair' suami orang (Harian Metro, 27th May 2009)...

URLhttp://www.hmetro.com.my/Wednesday/BeritaUtama/20090527062403/Article (27th May 2009)

Bom jangka meletup
Oleh Muhd Izawan Baharin dan Syarifah Dayana Syed Bakriam@hmetro.com.my

KUALA LUMPUR: Isteri kepada penceramah bebas, Akhil Hayy, Maizawati Zainal mengibaratkan dirinya seperti ‘bom jangka’ berhubung gosip suaminya dengan penyanyi berirama padang pasir, Waheeda.Ketika ditemubual dalam rancangan Wanita Hari Ini (WHI) terbitan TV3 di sini, semalam, dia mengaku kini tidak mampu lagi menahan sabar hingga sanggup meluahkan ‘pemberontakannya’ melalui media dengan kemunculan pertama, Ahad lalu. Maizawati menjelaskan bahawa kemunculannya di televisyen dan media cetak sebagai cara untuk menamatkan kekusutan yang berlaku.“Tindakan saya membuat pengakuan di media bukan untuk memburukkan sesiapa, sebaliknya menutup semua cerita yang didengar dengan keputusan muktamad.

“Tidak perlu saya menjaja cerita peribadi kerana saya sudah membuat keputusan dan segalanya akan diputuskan di mahkamah nanti,” katanya yang belum menerima panggilan telefon daripada Akhil Hayy sejak Ahad lalu.

(Komen: Apa pula tak perlu jaja cerita suami, dah jaja pun, Maizawati yg pergi jumpa media, itu lah suami dia tak suka, sebab itu dia mendiamkan diri...)

(Dia berkata, kesabarannya mendengar pelbagai cerita kurang enak mengenai suami dan Waheeda dipendam sejak dua tahun lalu selepas tersebar gosip mereka keluar bersama, ditambah pula cerita pergi menonton wayang.“Walaupun pelbagai cerita saya dengar, selagi tiada pengakuan daripada suami, saya anggap perkara itu tidak serius.“Namun, lama-kelamaan ia menjadi semakin parah apatah lagi dengan cerita mereka sudah berkahwin. Saya hanya perhatikan dari jauh dan tidak menyimpan syak hingga suami memohon keizinan untuk mengahwini penyanyi berkenaan,” katanya.

Maizawati berkata, sepatutnya isu rumah tangga mereka tidak perlu diperbesarkan kerana dia membuat keputusan mengundur diri dan mengizinkan Akhil berkahwin dengan penyanyi itu.“Saya sudah memberikan lampu hijau untuk suami memperisterikan wanita itu dan keputusan sudah dibuat pada Februari lalu. “Namun, sehingga kini masih tidak ada jawapan kerana selepas kami berbincang mengenai perkara itu, suami saya tidak memberi kata putus, sebaliknya mengatakan untuk berbincang dengan penyanyi berkenaan,” katanya.

Maizawati menjelaskan dia tidak perlu bersemuka dengan Waheeda kerana menganggap ia hanya akan memanjangkan lagi cerita.“Buat apa saya nak bersemuka dengan dia? Kalau nak berbincang, sepatutnya dia datang berjumpa saya sejak pertama kali gosip mereka disiarkan dan meminta maaf serta jelaskan perkara sebenar kerana dia dikaitkan dengan suami orang.“ Mengapa baru sekarang dia katakan macam-macam seolah-olah saya yang timbulkan masalah,” katanya. Sebagai orang yang beragama, kata wanita beranak enam itu, Waheeda sepatutnya tahu batas pergaulan mereka, terutama dengan menjalin persahabatan dengan suami orang.“Dia berkawan dengan suami saya dan sebagai seorang perempuan dia patut tahu bagaimana membawa diri tatkala berdamping dengan suami orang,” katanya. Maizawati bagaimanapun bersimpati dengan nasib menimpa suaminya kerana berikutan isu perpisahan itu, imejnya yang terkenal dengan jolokan Ustaz Rock tercalar.“ Saya kasihan dengan suami saya kerana dia tersepit. Namun, saya tekad membuat keputusan berpisah kerana ia jalan terbaik untuk semua pihak dan meyakinkan diri perpisahan bukan bererti permusuhan buat kami,” katanya.

Komen: Kalau kasihan tu, bagi lah Akhil Hayy kahwin aje dengan si Wahidah tu, bukan best sangant pun si Wahidah tu, orang kedua aje).