KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 18 — The remains of the late actress Azean Irdawaty Yusoef were laid to rest at the Bukit Kiara Muslim Cemetery here today.

The burial took place at about noon after prayers at the Al-Mamuriah Mosque, Kampung Sungai Kayu Ara, Petaling Jaya, near here.

Grief enveloped the funeral at the burial ground which was thronged by family and friends of the late actress.

Among those present were National Laureate Datuk A. Samad Said, film director Datuk Shuhaimi Baba, actor Datuk Rosyam Nor, Ako Mustapha, Elly Suriati and Elite Group singer Sasha Mohd Saidin.

Azean, 63, died yesterday at the University Malaya Medical Centre due to cancer after being admitted on Monday following complaints of breathing difficulties.   

Her eldest child, actor Khaeryell Benjamin Ibrahim or Benjy, 34, said he accepted her passing, although he knew he would pine for her.

“I miss her so much, (but) she’s no longer in pain...I accept her going and hope she went calmly.

“Before she died, she hoped that I would get married and never stop acting,” he said when met by reporters at the cemetery. Shuhaimi, on her part, said the late Azean was an extraordinary person in the film industry.

“Her spirit and her struggle were so strong. She was not stingy in sharing her acting knowledge and did not hoard any for herself, as long as she was able to, she shared her know-how with everyone,” she said.

Actor Rosyam regarded Azean’s demise as a huge loss to the local acting industry, adding that Azean had inspired him so much.

“I regard Kak Yan, (his way of addressing Azean) who was a serious person, as my sister who had pointed out and criticised my mistakes in acting. She was a mentor to me and many actors out there,” he said.

Azean started making a name for herself as a singer in the 1970s before becoming a prima donna of the silver screen at the end of the 1970s through her acting, including in ‘Esok masih ada’ (1980), ‘Langit petang’ (1982), ‘Perempuan (1988), ‘Layar Lara’ (1997), ‘Laila Isabella’ (2003) and ‘Waris Jari Hantu’ (2006) and the Aishah 50 sen drama which touched the hearts of viewers.

In her career, the late Azean garnered numerous awards starting with Best Woman Actress for television’s Anugerah Seri Angkasa in 1980, 1990 and 1996.

The last award she won was as Best Supporting Actress at the Malaysian Film Festival in 2008 through the film ‘Waris Jari Hantu.’ — Bernama