[UPDATED] Mourners flock to pay final respects to entertainment icon Adibah Noor

KUALA LUMPUR – A large throng of mourners gathered at the Al-Ansar Masjid in Taman Keramat here early this morning to pay their final respects to national entertainment icon Adibah Noor Mohd Omar.

The mood was sombre and desolate with few dry eyes in sight, a stark contrast with the air of cheer and positivity that the legendary singer and actress was well known for spreading.

Attended by close to a hundred family members, colleagues and members of the public whose lives had been touched in some way by Adibah’s goodwill, there were only praises to be sung for the renowned celebrity.

Adibah had breathed her last at Gleneagles Hospital at Jalan Ampang here yesterday, at only 51-years-old. 

Celebrity actor Datuk Hans Isaac recalled to reporters how Adibah had never once spoken about the battles she was facing but chose to dedicate her efforts to making sure everyone else was taken care of.

“She never complained about anything that she was going through and would unfailingly fight for the rights of those in the creative industry,” he said while visibly holding back his emotions.

“She never judged anyone for their shortcomings and always maintained her professionalism without bringing anyone down for their achievements.

“The world has lost an amazingly happy and wonderful person.” 

Other local personalities present today included actor and producer Datuk Afdlin Shauki Aksan, composer Datuk M. Nasir, singer Ziana Zain, actress Sharifah Amani, actor Remy Ishak and TV host Nazrudin Rahman.

The sudden death of Adibah, rumoured to be caused by stage four ovarian cancer, was also mourned by Suki Low, a fellow Gegar Vaganza season 8 contestant.

Reminiscing on the time she spent with Adibah, who she fondly referred to as “Kakak”, she said that there was no shortage of compassion from the all-round entertainer.

“I never thought she would leave us this soon,” she said tearfully.

“Kakak was a very helpful person. She might have looked strict at times but her heart was kind and pure.”

Expressing similarly emotional sentiments was Lembah Pantai MP Fahmi Fadzil who told reporters that he will always remember Adibah for her positive attitude and willingness to learn.

“Even when she was criticised, she never lashed out and would instead take the critique positively and change for the better,” he said.

“She was always humble and charismatic with an immense amount of talent. Besides being a loving person, she was also a great friend and never wanted to burden anyone else.”

He added that many of Adibah’s friends are still in shock over her unexpected departure as they were unaware she was medically unwell.

Just last week, Adibah had posted a photo on her personal Instagram page which drew the attention of thousands of fans who were surprised by how much weight the celebrity had lost.

However, she later revealed to The Malay Mail that she had lost 18kg since Ramadan this year, attributing the weight loss to her controlling her food and drink intake.

After prayers were completed at the mosque, Adibah’s body was brought to the Keramat Permai Muslim Burial Grounds here and laid to rest.

Kuala Lumpur native Adibah, or Kak Dibah as she was fondly known, was a familiar face to Malaysian households, appearing in numerous television commercials, series and films such as Sepet (2004), Nasi Lemak 2.0 (2011) and Mencari Rahmat (2017).

The Vibes Culture & Lifestyle section also celebrated Adibah’s memory by looking back at her accomplishments throughout the years. – The Vibes, June 19, 2022