Adibah Noor's Father Did Not Know About Her Battle With Ovarian Cancer
"She did not tell me even though I went to the hospital [to see her]," her 89-year-old father said.
By May Vin Ang — 20 Jun 2022, 01:33 PM
The late legendary singer and actress Adibah Noor Mohamed Omar has been laid to rest at Taman Keramat Permai Muslim Cemetery in Selangor on Sunday, 19 June
The 51-year-old artiste passed away due to ovarian cancer at 7.45pm on Saturday, 18 June, at Gleneagles Hospital in Kuala Lumpur.
The burial was attended by relatives and over 100 close friends and fellow artistes from the Malaysian entertainment industry
At the funeral was also Adibah's 89-year-old father, Mohamed Omar Zainal Abidin, who told Harian Metro that he did not know his daughter was battling stage four ovarian cancer.
"I did not know. Adibah did not tell me even though I'm her father. She did not tell me even though I went to the hospital [to see her]. Alas, if God wants her, He will take her," he told the Malay daily after the funeral.
Omar described Adibah, his third child, as an exemplary daughter who was full of love, generosity, and kindness.
"She was never one to make her family members worried or troubled. Let's all pray for the best for her," he said.
The final rites were conducted at the Al-Ansar Mosque in Taman Keramat at 9.30am, before her remains were buried at the cemetery at 11.30am
In another interview with Harian Metro, Adibah's older brother, who only wants to be known as Angah, said Adibah only told the family of her illness a few months ago because she herself only knew of it very late.
"Her treatment and surgery went smoothly, but maybe this is just her fate, we don't know either," he said, adding that she had just gone for her sixth or seventh cycle of chemotherapy on Thursday, 16 June.
"Until recently, we still went out together, she can walk and eat."
He added that Adibah was a great aunt to all her nieces and nephews, and that she had told them to study hard before she passed.
Among those present to pay their last respects were also Datuk Afdlin Shauki, Datuk Hans Isaac, Datuk M Nasir, Nikki Palikat, Remy Ishak, Linda Onn, Saiful Apek, and many others
Singer Nikki Palikat said Adibah was like a sister to her who often advised her to take care of her health.
"She told me to prioritise myself and had shared that while doing a show, she had experienced sudden bleeding but could find nothing wrong when she went for a check-up," Nikki told Bernama when met at the mosque.
"But it was an early sign of cancer. We didn't expect (that she had cancer) because she was always cheerful; even when she was feeling down she would always try to cheer people up."
Meanwhile, former Suria FM radio announcer Linda Onn, who shared radio duties with Adibah, told New Straits Times that Adibah was someone with a "golden heart".
"Whenever we went out for a meal, she would secretly pay the bill for all of her friends," said Onn.
She added that Adibah never took herself seriously and always had good things to say about others.
"Adibah is one in a million, one of the most loving, compassionate people I've known. She wore her heart on her sleeve, truly an angel among friends."
