A tearful Puteri Umno vice-head Rosnah Abdul Rashid Shirlin with Asnur Shamsuri at the event yesterday.

KOTA KINABALU: She was only 5 years old when her mother died of an illness, turning her once happy childhood into one of pain.

Asnur Shamsuri, 9, still cries each time she thinks of her mother and misses the woman who took care of her until her life was cut short.

"Saya rindu (I miss her)," Asnur said in between sobs, wiping her wet face with her white headscarf.

Asnur, a pupil at SK Likas, lives with her grandmother in Kampung Likas, on the fringes of the city. Her older brother, sister and a younger sibling also stay at the same house. Their father does not live with them.

The girl was one of 30 orphans who were treated to a breaking of fast event organised by developer TPPT Sdn Bhd and attended by Puteri Umno vice-head Rosnah Abdul Rashid Shirlin, at the Beverly Hotel on Saturday. They were also given schoolbags and duit Raya.
The event turned into an emotionally charged one when Asnur and several other girls formed a choir to sing Hari Raya Aidilfitri favourites, including Ayah dan Ibu (father and mother) which reminded children to respect their parents.

Choir leader Norashikin Kadir, 14, who tried hard to hold back tears, then presented a cake to Rosnah who, touched by the gesture, hugged the teenager. The other girls also took turns to seek comfort from Rosnah, who was also driven to tears.

Norashikin's father died of an illness last year, and she now lives with her housewife mother in Kampung Tebobon, Menggatal.

"When I was singing, I kept thinking of my father. I know the others were thinking of their parents too and that is why all of us ended up crying," Norashikin said.